Shropshire Series 15″ Viola – SOLD AUGUST 23, 2023 –

click picture to enlarge

This J.R. Judd viola is made for us in China by the GEWA Company. The instrument features all European woods and hand varnishing. These violas are carved using German engineering and German technology using multimillion-dollar CNC machines, as well as German CAD technology on the first 31 pieces of wood that go into creating a viola. The final nine pieces of the instrument are finished here by hand at J.R. Judd Violins before we string up the instrument. Our hand work involves cambering the fingerboard, reworking the nut to the correct tolerances, using 7.0 mm spruce for the sound post and a 46.0 mm French Despiau grade C maple bridge. These final steps along with the 200-year-old French maple for the bridge help create a beautiful sounding viola
These violas response is noticeably quick on all four voices; they have a WOW! sound. The instruments lean slightly to the brighter side and have a powerful tone. This instrument lays well in the higher positions and is easy to play. A fine sounding instrument for a well-made viola under $1500. Players in this range need to take a second, and even third, look at this instrument.