Cat. 01
Violino
ViolinoThe soprano
Handmade violins
Handmade violins by Gregorio Martini — carved from seasoned spruce and maple, varnished and set up by hand for a voice that is brilliant, warm and responsive.
- Tuning
- G · D · A · E
- Body
- ≈ 35.5 cm
- In the catalogue
- 7
Violins in the catalogue
Cat. 01
Violino
Cat. 02
Violino
Violin Opus 02
Made to order
Cat. 03
Violino
Violin Opus 03
Made to order
Cat. 04
Violino
Violin Opus 04
Made to order
Cat. 05
Violino
Violin Opus 05
Made to order
Cat. 06
Violino
Violin Opus 06
Made to order
Cat. 07
Violino
Violin Opus 07
Made to order
Su misura
Your violin, made to measure
Start a commission
La tradizioneThe Cremonese lineage
Four centuries of the violin
The violin was born in Cremona. Every instrument by Gregorio Martini is made in the line that runs from Amati and Stradivari to the bench today.
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c. 1560
Andrea Amati
In Cremona, Andrea Amati gives the violin the form it still has today. Some of his instruments survive from the 1560s.
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1666
Antonio Stradivari
The earliest known violin bearing Stradivari’s label — the beginning of seventy years at the bench.
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1700–1720
The golden period
Stradivari’s most celebrated violins: the benchmark makers still measure themselves against.
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1743
Guarneri “del Gesù”
Giuseppe Guarneri “del Gesù” builds “Il Cannone”, the violin later played by Niccolò Paganini.
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1938
The school
Cremona opens its international school of violin making, carrying the tradition into the modern age.
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Today
Gregorio Martini
Six years of study in Cremona; every violin carved, varnished and voiced by hand in the classical tradition.
ViolinoThe instrument
About the violin
The violin is the soprano of the string family and one of the most expressive instruments ever devised. Its arched spruce top and maple back, joined by thin bent ribs, turn the vibration of four strings — G, D, A and E — into a sound that can fill a concert hall or whisper in a quartet.
Each violin by Gregorio Martini is built individually: the plates are carved and graduated by hand, the scroll is cut freehand and the varnish is applied in thin, slowly cured layers. The aim is always the same — an instrument that responds immediately to the bow and keeps opening up as it is played.
01 What is the difference between a handmade and a factory violin?
A handmade violin is carved by one maker, who graduates the thickness of each plate by hand and by ear to suit that particular piece of wood. A factory instrument is shaped to fixed measurements. The result of handwork is an instrument that responds more freely and has a voice of its own.
02 What size violin does an adult play?
Most adults play a full-size (4/4) violin, with a body length of about 35.5 cm. Smaller fractional sizes exist for children; the right size depends on arm length and comfort.
03 How should a handmade violin be cared for?
Keep it in its case, away from heat and sudden changes of humidity (ideally 40–60 %). Wipe rosin from the strings and top after playing, and have the bridge, soundpost and strings checked by a luthier regularly.
04 How can I find out the price?
Every instrument is unique, so prices are given on request. Write to mgviolinmaker@gmail.com for details, photographs and the price of any instrument.
Finale
Let us make an instrument that sounds like you.
Tell Gregorio about your playing, your repertoire and the voice you are searching for. Every commission begins with a conversation.