Handcrafted Soloist-Quality copy of Il Cannone Guarnerius of 1743 (Paganini's Cannon)

This is a master-quality copy of Giuseppe Guarneri's 1743 "Il Cannone"; the original was famously played (and adored) by Niccolo Paganini; a player whose very name is steeped in half-truths, mysteries, and legends.

From the pear-and-poplar purfling to the boldly-carved scroll and hand-brewed oil varnish, every aspect of this instrument (barring the strings and fine tuner) was handmade in Ontario, Canada to the highest standards. Guarneri del Gesu's asymmetrical f-holes, small body, and delicate arching of the top and back plates were all reproduced with an almost-intimidating attention to detail, and it sounds the part because of it.

Bold, rich, and nuanced; with a top end that sparkles to the rafters and a bottom end that roars like a freight train, this violin practically BEGS to play Paganini and Bach, with a sensitivity to bow pressure that's almost unmatched. A light hand can yield passages that sound like a lover's whisper, while a heavier hand makes it clear why “the cannon” got its name.

The top and corner blocks are Siberian spruce, felled in the valleys of the Ural mountains in 2002, while the back, sides and neck are European Sycamore felled in Romania in 1997. Boxwood pegs, an AAA-grade ebony fingerboard, ebonized boxwood tailpiece and an ebony chinrest finish the instrument nicely―in a close approximation of the 2004 restoration of the real Il Cannone-- while remaining unique enough to express some of my own tastes.

From there, the handmade oil varnish is applied over the course of several weeks, antiqued to match the original, and then topped with a thin coat of French-Polished shellac to keep it from getting tacky during long, sweaty playing sessions. The Evah Pirazzi G,D, and A strings bring out the best of the instrument's bottom end, and the Evah Pirazzi gold E-string is a good match for the rest of the set while avoiding the notorious “whistle” that E-strings are susceptible to.

Ships fitted with your choice of Hill or Guarneri-style ebony chinrest. Quick sales always get a little bundle of bonus goodies as my thanks to you. Always wide open to offers from talented up-and-comers and passionate students.

Length of back: 353.6mm
Upper bouts: 168.1 mm
Middle bouts: 111,1 mm
Lower bouts: 207.4 mm

Rib height: 31.5mm, tapering to 29.6mm at the button and the end block.

Finished weight (without chinrest): 383.9g