Originally Posted by Stradivarius
Not everything about the Little Ice Age was bad. Some of the best sounding instruments in the world, made by Antonio Stradivari, were made during this time period. The sound of these instruments has never been able to be reproduced, even with all our modern technology. Many believe that without the cold temperatures, he would have never been able to make such fantastic instruments.

Stradivari lived during the Maunder Minimum, from 1644 to 1737. The Maunder Minimum was a period of time with almost no sunspot activity, and provided some of the coldest years of the Little Ice Age. During these cold years, trees grew much more slowly, and the wood was much denser as a result. Stradivari made his violins, cellos, violas, and guitars out of this wood. Some believe that the density of the wood during this time period contributed to the superior sound that his instruments had.

Many instrument makers today make the best quality violins from cold-climate wood, or trees that have been otherwise grown so that the wood produced is denser.

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