North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Stephen Sadler" <Docshiva@Docshiva.org>]

The best tone in an instrument dependent on wood resonance is produced when
there's the least internal damping.  Very hard, close-grained wood is most
sought after.  The last theory I heard was that the wood of those violins
was close-grained due to a little ice age.  Not all his violins have such
close-grained wood; but those makers probably had a combination of
impeccable workmanship, superior design, and a strong knack for carefully
choosing the best wood.  

I'm a classical guitarist, and note that there is a strong difference in
quality even within a line produced by a skilled luthier over a brief time.
Not a lot of luthiers will discard costly hardwood because it's not up to
the very highest standards, and different shipments of wood will produce
decidedly different tones.

Oh, another theory I came across is that the wood of those violins was
inhabited by a fungus that increased the wood's density.

Anyway, Doc, the theory you mentioned is interesting - do you have source
where I could read up?

-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Doc Lisenby
Sent: Friday, December 08, 2006 7:53 PM
To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [NAFEX] Off Topic--Stradivari's and Guarneri's Violin Mysteries

Researchers claim that the tone of the violins produced by Stradivari and 
Guarneri is due to the "brutal treatment" of the wood by yet unknown 
chemicals for the purpose of controlling damage by insects and/or fungi. Any

ideas?
Doc Lisenby