Interesting bilind testing of Stradivarius Violin

Photon,

Thanks for digging up the article above, very informative.

Thanks to everyone for the thoughtful debate on this subject.

Good Listening

Peter

I don't think this has been mentioned yet: we are living in a golden age of instrument building. There are more top-shelf violins, guitars, etc. being produced now than ever before. Heifetz and Elman did not have a lot of choices when it comes to fine, newer instruments. Many players in modern quartets are opting for new violins, violas and cellos.

BTW, Perlman says Oistrakh's strad was a good, not great, instrument FWIW.

I'll wager Itzhak likes more syrup on his meal than David did.

"Just out of curiosity, what other vintage objects are considered superior to their modern equivalents? I don't mean more desirable or valuable, but actually better at their intended task."

McDonald's hamburgers (they keep shrinking), gas with led added to it, politicians, old records, Star Wars and the electric chair.

I'm sure that there are many other examples, but those are the ones that come to mind right away.

Photon46, thanks for providing the link to the article about the musician's perspective. She gives a good account of how many variables are involved and how it's not an either/or type question.