Violins for sale

The models that I follow as a basic guide for dimensions are:

  • Strad - Alard 1715
  • Strad - Le Messie 1716
  • Strad - Kreutzer 1727
  • Guarneri Del Gesù - 1743 - (Paganini Cannon)
  • Thatcher - My own design 1968

Graeme Thatcher model

Graeme Thatcher model
Front timber: Swiss Pine
Back timber: Canadian Maple
Year made: 1993
Price: NZ$6,000.00

This violin has an instant, powerful response and projects sound with an easy, bright tone.

The back is made from a single piece of maple with a striking spaced flame. The belly is two pieces of Swiss Pine. The violin is finished with a golden brown oil varnish, with a good transparency.

Guarneri Cannon 1743 model

Guarneri Cannon 1743 model
Front timber: Swiss Pine
Back timber: New Zealand Southland Red Beech
Year made: 1996
Price: NZ$6,000.00

If you’re looking for a violin, suitable for playing chamber music consider this Guarneri Cannon 1743 model. The violin has excellent power and projection, and is easy to pick up and play. It has a strong, resonant tone – with excellent depth, especially in lower strings.

The back timber is two-piece, aged New Zealand Southland Red Beech, a magnificent flamed timber that aesthetically rivals any piece of maple. The front is made of two-piece Swiss Pine. This violin is finished with an oil varnish in a warm rich rust brown colour that has incredible depth and transparency, creating a deep broad pyramid effect. The violin is ornamented with six cultured pearls in the pegs, tail piece and tail pin.

Guarneri Cannon 1743 model

Guarneri Cannon 1743 model
Front timber: Swiss Pine
Back timber: European Maple
Year made: 1998
Price: NZ$15,000.00

This is a very powerful instrument with superb projection. It has a quick and instant clear response with a deep resonant tone and a bright powerful ‘E’ string – and plays upper positions extremely easily.

The back is made from very old two-piece European maple with a broad wide flame. The belly is a two-piece extremely fine grained piece of Swiss Pine with matching neck and ribs. This instrument was finished with a deep rich red/brown oil varnish, and has reflective golden tones between the broader flame figuration. The chinrest is handmade from maple and lacquered black.

Guarneri Cannon 1743

Guarneri Cannon 1743 Guarneri Cannon 1743
Front timber: Swiss Pine
Back timber: European Maple
Year made: 2000
Price: NZ$17,000.00

Beautifully made and in a class of its own, this violin is exceptionally responsive with a superb tone that is even, rich and penetrating throughout its range.

The back of this Guarneri Cannon 1743 is made from an old single piece of European Maple – with a narrow flame. The front is made from a two-piece, fine grained Swiss Pine timber. The violin is finished with a dark golden brown oil varnish that has a whisper of red. It has an excellent depth of transparency, reflecting a pyramid effect with golden undertones. The chin rest is handmade from maple and is a dark cherry colour. The upper nut has been made from white bone and is polished.