Dean Chandler 15 ½” viola, Hamilton, New Zealand, 1993

Dean Chandler spent time in the early 1990s in his grandfather’s, Ian Sweetman’s workshop, learning the family craft of violin making.  This striking viola, the second of his output, is modelled after Guarneri del Gesu.  Despite its relatively small body size, at 15 ½ inches, it has an impressively full, resonant tone, with a lovely bell-like openness.  The lower registers are surprisingly strong, and upper positions on all strings continue to speak well.  This will be an excellent choice for a viola player looking for an instrument with good performance capabilities.