During double-blind studies, professional soloists consistently failed to identify the older instruments and frequently rated the sound quality of new ones higher.

The wood was harvested during the Little Ice Age, an era of unusually cold winters in Europe that slowed tree growth and created tight, uniformly dense acoustic rings.

He used mineral preservatives like borax and copper to protect the wood from insects. These treatments may have inadvertently improved the instrument's overall resonance.

Crafted in 1716, the "Messiah" is considered the only surviving Stradivarius in pristine condition. It is preserved as a perfect reference model for future instrument makers.