  thumb|maker's label from stradivari a stradivarius is one of the violins, violas, cellos and other string instruments built by members of the stradivari (stradivarius) family, particularly antonio stradivari, during the 17th and 18th centuries. according to their reputation, the quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or equal it, though this belief is disputed. the name "stradivarius" has become a superlative often associated with excellence; to be called "the stradivari" of any field is to be deemed the finest there is. the fame of stradivarius instruments is widespread, appearing in numerous works of fiction. ==construction== the wood used included spruce for the top, willow for the internal blocks and linings, and maple for the back, ribs, and neck. there has been conjecture that this wood was treated with several types of minerals, including potassium borate (borax), sodium and potassium silicate, and vernice bianca, a varnish composed of gum arabic, honey, and egg white. stradivari made his instruments using an inner form, unlike the french copyists, such as vuillaume, who employed an outer form. it is clear from the number of forms throughout his career that he experimented with some of the dimensions of his instruments.the violin forms of antonio stradivari by stewart pollens, biddulph (1992) isbn 0-9520109-0-9. a comparative study published in plos one in 2008 found no significant differences in median densities between modern and classical violins, or between classical violins from different origins; instead the survey of several modern and classical examples of violins highlighted a notable distinction when comparing density differentials. these results suggest that differences in density diffe
Stradivari_instruments String_instruments