Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (c. 1711-86), was the premier Italian violinmaker in the mid-18th century. By all criteria of workmanship, style and sheer tone quality, he is certainly the next in line to the great makers of Cremona. Trained by his father Lorenzo, G. B. Guadagnini worked in Piacenca, Milan, Cremona and Parma, where he was instrument maker to the Duke there. He established later a workshop in Turin, by which time his instruments borrowed heavily from the style of Antonio Stradivari. It is thought that Guadagnini worked at some stage with Stradivari.

With its flat and powerful model, the handsome Guadagnini violins, were made for today's soloists and large halls. The tone of these violins is powerful and even across all registers. The violins are truly concertmaster's or soloist's ideal instruments.

Mario Hossen plays on the 1749 Guadagnini violin, kindly lent by the Austrian National Bank.