amati

However most old Amati and Stradivarius instruments will have had a refit during the Romantic period to play on metal strings.

One thing is true: GA and Amati pilots rely too heavily in GPS.

For that matter, there are many old makers whose violins are considered at or near par with the Strad, e.g., Andrea Amati and Guarneri del Gesu.

Secondly one thing that makes this instrument so special is that as rare and precious as original Amati and Stradivarius violins are, original cellos and basses are rarer.

(I don't agree.) That being said, Stradivari and Guarneri were not so highly-rated in their own lifetimes; the Amati family and Jacob Stainer fit the ideal of tone and power of that time.

Most top soloists play on (heavily modified) Strads, and so it seems pretty clear that, at the very least, Strads are not holding any soloists back - and that is not the case for Amati instruments, for example, which despite being coveted for their age and history just don't have the same power and sound projection as Strads.

Few truly loud melodic instruments existed much beyond 1550; Amati's violin dates to then.

Interestingly though, a quick Google search (maybe I should have asked ChatGPT?) shows attributions to both Witten and Daniele Amati.

I personally am more likely to see a performance if the performer uses a rare instrument, such as a Stradivarius or an Amati.