Ling Zhenhua, Gorgeous 1743 Replica Guarneri Violin, made in 2022 – Fantastic Sound! – SOLD MARCH 4, 2023 –

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Ling was a winner in both the 2014 and 2016 Violin Society of America competitions. In 1984 Ling landed a job as an electrical engineer in Shenzhen in southern China. Its proximity to Hong Kong helped get Ling into violin making. Ling wanted to be a famous violinist but was urged to go into violin making rather than playing them. He spent 10 years playing and honing his making skills before returning to his home of Shanghai in 1995 where he set up his own workshop. His focus has been and remains making replicas of fine Italian violins. He studied Italian varnish from fragments and broken instruments from Europe, the only things he could afford from the European auction houses. He would then take them back to his workshop to assiduously study the traits and ingredients that he could discover. In 2008 Ling’s whole life changed when one of his violins was purchased by Pinchas Zukerman, who was coming to Shanghai to give a concert. Ling’s career took off. His instruments are now played all over in Asia by players in major orchestras. Other notables that own one of Ling’s violins are Andres Cardenes, a former concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony and Li-Kuo Chang – former assistant principal violist at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and professor at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. The craftsmanship is outstanding in this copy of the 1743 Giuseppe del Gesu Guarneri. His wood selection and the drying process is very important. Ling spent much time researching and traveling to Italy, even having huge logs cut and dried in Italy before having them transported back to Beijing. The spruce top on this instrument has straight, even grain. The maple back jumps in its degree flame. The flame or curl of the wood is small to medium width with a slight descent from the center seam. The varnish work is beautiful, and the fittings are all carved in rosewood. The violin looks as good as it sounds.

Corpus 357.5 mm., Major Width 206.0 mm., Minor Width 167.0 mm., Rib Height 29.5 – 29.0 mm

The sound is of exquisite quality and carrying power. The responsiveness of the violin is over-the-top nice and rings clear. The sound is sweet and smooth while the instrument as easy to play. The tone is in no way harsh or strident. I love the maturity, and it does not disappoint in the tone. This is a professional violin with choice woods, award winning construction, “impeccable,” and gorgeous sound. The violin is awaiting a serious player.