Home / Instruments / View Violas / A Roger Hansell Copy of a Viola by Joseph Filius Andrea Guarneri (1690) A Roger Hansell Copy of a Viola by Joseph Filius Andrea Guarneri (1690) A Roger Hansell Copy of a Viola by Joseph Filius Andrea Guarneri (1690) Information Our most recent viola made for an outstanding young Spanish player. The design of this viola was inspired by listening to the fabulous sound of Nobuko Imai, she has played an Andreas Guarneri viola for many years which dates from 1690. We decided to make this viola with a bent central section, as we were seeking to achieve the remarkable eveness across the strings and depth in the bass register of the instrument. We felt that a bent central stave of approximately 55mm width in the middle of the belly was a way to add strength without mass and to ensure the kind of winning vigour that the client sought. We have used the dry-bent central stave a number of times since first meeting the idea during close study of an antique Antonio Brenzi viola. This original Brenzi instrument from the 16th century, displayed a remarkable sound that we have sought to emulate a number of times. LOB 417mm.
