Eisboch wrote:
I watched an interesting television show the other day (History Channel, I
think). The subject was that of trying to unlock the mystery of the superior
tonal quality of a Stradivarius violin. Many theories have been put forth
over the years, the most popular being that he used a secret lacquer. Turns
out not to be true. The "secret" was simply that he lived during a cyclic
climate era with very little rain, resulting in slow tree growth and closely
spaced tree rings in the wood.


If that were true, then every instrument made during that
period would have similar tonal qualities, no?

Some years ago I read an article about an instrument maker
trying to duplicate Stradivari's tone, and he had good
results soaking the wood in various thinned resins. He used
a different material to soak the top & back of the violin,
and supposedly produced varying tone qualities... his
instruments were "approaching" Stadivari's but none
duplicated the sound. This article mentioned the wood
density due to climate & special lacquer, too.

DSK