Serious athletes make use of the best equipment possible in order to help them perform better on the track or field. In a similar way, serious musicians invest in the best instruments they can find. To this end, violinists and cellists often turn to Scott Cao Violins for the master luthier's products.
A luthier is a craftsman who works with stringed instruments. The job not only involves repairing these instruments, but also making new violins, violas, cellos, guitars, lutes and the like. It takes years of study and experience to perfect the craft and most luthiers specialize in either instruments that are played by plucking or strumming the strings, like guitars, or in instruments that are played with a bow, like violins and cellos.
Chinese-born Cao was a farm laborer during that country's Cultural Revolution in the Seventies. However, when he got the chance to learn how to make violins, he decided to go for it and eventually graduated in 1977. In 1985 he went to the USA. Here he honed his skill further under the mentorship of several renowned luthiers.
By the end of the decade he could start his own company and return to his homeland. Not only does the company now have a workshop in GuangZhou in China, but there's one in Campbell, California too. Award-winning luthiers work here to create top-of-the-range instruments. In addition, there's a factory in GuangZhou for producing more basic models but these are entirely handcrafted too.
Some of the most sought-after models made in Cao's workshops are copies of famous Stradivarius violins. Antonio Stradivari was an 18th century luthier from Italy and his creations are the Rolls Royce of violins. Some of the Stradivarius instruments copied in the workshops include a cello design dating from 1726, violas like the Gibson and Archinto Stradivariuses as well as violins that were played by violinists like Joseph Joachim, Itzhak Perlman, David Oistrakh and Anne-Sophie Mutter.
While many musicians dream of owning a Stradivarius, others prefer a Guarnerius. These were made by members of the Guarneri family of luthiers but the most sought-after ones are those instruments made by Bartolomeu Guiseppe Guarneri del Gesu. Some of the big names who have preferred a Guarnerius above all other violins include Fritz Kreisler, Nicolas Paganini, Isaac Stern, Aaron Rosand, Henry Szeryng and Jascha Heifetz. Many of the models they've played, as well as one cello design by Guarneri, are copied in the Cao workshops too.
Students usually buy the cheaper factory-produced instruments but famed professionals also love the violins. Itzhak Perlman has gone on record as saying that Cao is one of the best makers of violins he had ever met. Bin Hwang and Nigel Kennedy are just two of the soloists who have played the master luthier's creations, which are admired for their exceptional tonal quality. The craftsmanship also attracts the interest of collectors.
There are dealers of Scott Cao violins in most of the United States. In addition, you'll find these fantastic instruments at select outlets in Canada, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, New Zealand and Guatemala. You may also have an instrument tailor-made for you at the Campbell or GuangZhou workshop. Another option is to scour internet auction websites and musicians' forums for a second-hand instrument.
A luthier is a craftsman who works with stringed instruments. The job not only involves repairing these instruments, but also making new violins, violas, cellos, guitars, lutes and the like. It takes years of study and experience to perfect the craft and most luthiers specialize in either instruments that are played by plucking or strumming the strings, like guitars, or in instruments that are played with a bow, like violins and cellos.
Chinese-born Cao was a farm laborer during that country's Cultural Revolution in the Seventies. However, when he got the chance to learn how to make violins, he decided to go for it and eventually graduated in 1977. In 1985 he went to the USA. Here he honed his skill further under the mentorship of several renowned luthiers.
By the end of the decade he could start his own company and return to his homeland. Not only does the company now have a workshop in GuangZhou in China, but there's one in Campbell, California too. Award-winning luthiers work here to create top-of-the-range instruments. In addition, there's a factory in GuangZhou for producing more basic models but these are entirely handcrafted too.
Some of the most sought-after models made in Cao's workshops are copies of famous Stradivarius violins. Antonio Stradivari was an 18th century luthier from Italy and his creations are the Rolls Royce of violins. Some of the Stradivarius instruments copied in the workshops include a cello design dating from 1726, violas like the Gibson and Archinto Stradivariuses as well as violins that were played by violinists like Joseph Joachim, Itzhak Perlman, David Oistrakh and Anne-Sophie Mutter.
While many musicians dream of owning a Stradivarius, others prefer a Guarnerius. These were made by members of the Guarneri family of luthiers but the most sought-after ones are those instruments made by Bartolomeu Guiseppe Guarneri del Gesu. Some of the big names who have preferred a Guarnerius above all other violins include Fritz Kreisler, Nicolas Paganini, Isaac Stern, Aaron Rosand, Henry Szeryng and Jascha Heifetz. Many of the models they've played, as well as one cello design by Guarneri, are copied in the Cao workshops too.
Students usually buy the cheaper factory-produced instruments but famed professionals also love the violins. Itzhak Perlman has gone on record as saying that Cao is one of the best makers of violins he had ever met. Bin Hwang and Nigel Kennedy are just two of the soloists who have played the master luthier's creations, which are admired for their exceptional tonal quality. The craftsmanship also attracts the interest of collectors.
There are dealers of Scott Cao violins in most of the United States. In addition, you'll find these fantastic instruments at select outlets in Canada, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, New Zealand and Guatemala. You may also have an instrument tailor-made for you at the Campbell or GuangZhou workshop. Another option is to scour internet auction websites and musicians' forums for a second-hand instrument.
