Florian Leonhard True Copies

Edited: September 5, 2025, 8:20 AM · Hi everyone,

Has any have any experience owning or trying or trying to commission one of Florian Leonhard's true copy violin?

True copies are supposedly made side by side with the original violin on the same bench. A simple search on YouTube has some violinists saying that sound almost the same and I have seen comparison videos between the two.

I would rather hear from members of this forum of those who do own one or have tried some of their true copies and what are your opinions?

I am considering commissioning a Guarneri bench copy from them in the near future but before I pull the trigger, would like to hear from you guys regarding these violins. Thanks in advance for your responses!

Replies (2)

Alexandre Boyenval

September 5, 2025, 8:49 AM · I think that most decent luthiers who have already made copies "on bench" and violinists who have played these violins can say that sometimes the difference is indeed tiny, and even that the copy surpasses the original from time to time...
Having had the chance to try at length the Kruze by Stradivarius and the Rovelli by Del Gesu, as well as their copies by Bogidar Vermand, with blind listening with the owner (an excellent violinist) of the two instruments and two other professional violinists, all the instruments present that day were of a very high level, and if the original Kruze kept a magical shimmer on the E string, it was clear that the copies of the Guarnerius were rather better than the original (already a superlative violin by the way...)

(Bogidar Vermand is a talented luthier from the south of France who studied for a year with Florian Leonhard, which allowed him to see quite a few fine Cremonese players pass through...)

Stephen Symchych

September 5, 2025, 12:04 PM · This is a bit like Chinese restaurants: the name over the door helps, but there is likely some value to knowing who is working in the kitchen.

Philip Ihle used to work for Leonhard and now has his own shop. No idea if he is having more success without the support/constraints of a large employer. There are doubtless others in this bucket.

Florian Leonhard True Copies

Replies (2)

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