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Comment by blunte | Hacker News Reader

I was curious how the musicians, even with the goggles on, might not recognize the old instruments.

I would think the physical touch sensation and especially the smell would give it away.

Just as an example, with saxophones it’s immediately obvious which instrument is a selmer mark iv vs a new horn, even another selmer, at least if you’ve spent time with one.

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Unlike a saxophone, the parts of a string instrument that you touch are entirely modern, especially given modern violin technique involving a chin rest. The strings are of course modern, the fingerboard gets worn out and replaced a lot during the lifetime, the neck will have been reshaped (and when that happens the soundpost, nut and bridge will have been replaced) and the chin rest is entirely not original[1]. The playing feel of the instrument is largely down to the shape of the neck and how the instrument is set up (type of strings, bridge and nut height, position of the soundpost relative to the bridge).

[1] Up until the romantic period, violins and violas were played sitting lower down on the neck rather than clamped under the chin. See this contemporary illustration of Mozart playing for example https://baroquebows.com/wp-content/uploads/Mozart.jpg - no chin rest.

I wonder if the touch points of the old violin were modern — I.e new bow, new chin rest, strings. Really would just leave the thumb the the fretting hand on the old surface.

Note, am not an actual violin player. But can speak to the sax example, you’re hands are all over the keys, so a VI feels very diff from a VII or series III

Actually, the fingerboard is often replaced, or re-planed, too. The necks on almost all Stradivarius violins are also modified. It's a highly modular instrument, and almost everything can be replaced. The only "irreplaceable" part is the body.

I believe one method is to dab the chin rest with a drop of perfume to mask the scent of the violin.

Strads are all significantly restored by generations of luthiers. New violins (high end) are usually well-rested when it gets to player’s hands.

Unless the old violin has been through some atrocities, like a smoker owner, they won’t smell or touch much differently.

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