Daniele Tonarelli has long been one of our favourite Italian violin makers. We've had the pleasure of showcasing many of his instruments in our showroom, each one remarkable for its quality, consistency, and tonal depth. Recently, we've also featured violins by Davide Pizzolato, an accomplished luthier crafting under Tonarelli's guidance in his Cremona workshop.

We’re excited to have just received one violin from each maker—both of which are inspired by Guarneri's renowned "Ole Bull" model and strikingly similar in character and quality. Set up with the same strings, we felt the violins offered an ideal opportunity for comparison, so we decided to create this video below to showcase the Master and Apprentice side by side!

In this video, Nick plays the same piece on each violin, highlighting their subtle similarities and differences. Listen below and let us know which one your favourite is.

You can find the Tonarelli violin here, and the Pizzolato violin here.