> I'm also confident that there are instruments being made today that will equal Stradivari's given time enough. In my own experience, one viola made by Michael Darnton

I know nothing about the subject, but decided to do a quick search about this guy.

https://soundpostonline.com/profile-michael-darnton-in-his-o...

> Essentially, the quality of violins dropped precipitously after the deaths of Antonio Stradivari (1737) and Joseph Guarneri del Gesu (1745), and it’s (sic) has never recovered. I figure that if I could ever merely replicate the work of Stradivari, I’d be the second or third best violinmaker that has ever lived.

Is this a commonly accepted viewpoint in the violin world? It just seems so surreal to think that it would take ~275 years just to match the craftsmanship and talent, let alone exceed it.