Richard Panting violin, Auckland 2015

New Zealand Luthier Richard Panting began his career as a professional violinist in the NZSO before taking up orchestra positions in the UK, Scandinavia and Australia. He then pursued his other passion, violin making, training with the prominent Waikato luthier Noel Sweetman. Over the following twenty years, Panting has sold finely crafted instruments to players all over the world. This violin is an excellent example of his skill. The golden orange-red varnish is hand made from kauri, copal and madder root, and the Guarneri del Gesu modelling gives character and power to the lower strings while the upper registers have a lovely bell-like clarity and projection.