ROSA WORTHAM SUPERIOR – Model 800 Violin – Excellent Sound! – CURRENTLY OUT ON TRIAL –

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This is a beautiful violin made in Suzhou that is fantastic! It features carefully carved arches in the plates, precise modeling to the Guarneri pattern, and a beautifully flamed back, ribs, neck, and scroll. The spruce top plate is made of a tight grain spruce. This is a professional level instrument with corners and the purfled bee stings that are expertly done. The violin bodies are handcrafted and made for J.R. Judd Violins, LLC, in a small workshop in the city of Suzhou. This violin was made for us in January/February of 2025. The detailed carving of the plates along with the instrument set up completed here at our shop is done to get the best possible sound. In our workshop we have cut the fittings in Katalox wood which resembles rosewood. Katalox is a wood found in Southern Mexico and Northern Brazil. We also carved a 200-year-old Despiau B grade maple violin bridge and a fine spruce soundpost. The time spent on a commissioned instrument always makes a difference. The violin looks fantastic because of the fittings and the orange/brown oil varnish, which is slightly patinaed or antiqued.

Corpus 357.0 mm – Major Width 209.0 mm – Minor Width 167.5 mm – Rib Height 29.0 – 29.5 mm. The Vibrating String Length is 327.0mm.

The instrument has a resonant sound that is full and robust. The sound simply pops. It is focused and muscular, which is different from sheer power; it has character. The sound warms up as soon as you start moving up into positions. The response from the strings is noticeably quick. A player will also enjoy the mature overtones and sheer brilliance of the E & A strings. The violin is simply alive with sound and the instrument speaks well with a light touch from the bow. The violin is a lightweight gem that can deliver sound when you need it. If the instrument was a German or French violin made at today’s wages, it would easily be more than twice the price. Yes, it is that nice. It is always about the sound. For me the craftsmanship needs to be done well too or I won’t have it in the shop. In this instance, both sound and craftsmanship are way above my standards. It is a great choice for a section leader or soloist.