Truth be told, I couldn't tell a Stradivarius violin from an... uhhh... other kind of violin. Or even a fiddle for that matter. But this 350-piece Puzz 3D three-dimensional puzzle of a Violin manufactured by Wrebbit seemed like an interesting build and, after building the large 1512-piece San Francisco puzzle, a less intense experience. I was right. This was a fun three-hour build. Despite the abundance of similar-color pieces, there was just enough variation to make the puzzle challenging but not too terribly difficult. The end result is a decent looking puzzle. The metronome was a nice additional touch, as was the inclusion of brown string in order to give the violin a more authentic look. My only complaint was that the cardboard stand could've been better. The weight of the violin caused the stand to become top-heavy. I had to place a handful of support pieces under the front of the stand to prevent the puzzle from toppling over. ************************************** **************************************** ******** Height = 23.5 inches, Width = 8 inches, Depth = 4.5 inches ******************************** **************************************** ************** Description: Able to evoke a wide, dynamic range of human emotions, the violin family has long dominated the modern symphony orchestra. Its star, the violin per se, first appeared in the middle of the 16th century, although scholars have yet to determine who can lay claim to this "invention." Nevertheless, there is no doubt as to Italian violinmakers Gasparo da Solo and Giovanni Paolo Maggini being among the very first to craft the stringed instrument. Over the centuries, the violin underwent several changes. Its pre- sent-day form was achieved toward the end of the 19th century. Disarmingly simple in appearance, its crafting is somewhat more complex, requiring no less than roughly seventy components. Every aspect of the instrument has been meticulously planned. Its shape, proportions and ornamentation, over and above their elegance, were based on acoustic considerations. Andrea Amati, along with his sons and grandson Nicolas, considered as the family's most gifted master craftsman, are among those credited for introducing the most notable changes to the violin. They not only refined its physical form, but gave it a sharper tone as well. The Amatis also flattened the arched modeling of the belly and back, increased the strings' tension, accentuated the angle at which the neck is raked back and improved the lacquered finish. Yet, the peak of violinmaking was reached by Stradivari, a student of Nicolas Amati. The Stradivari name has become synonymous with that of the instrument itself. It was a nice change of pace from constructing buildings or automobiles.