The Emersons played various rare Italian fiddles on their new Mendelssohn recording. All of the contemporary instruments the Emersons used to double on the recording were crafted by New York luthier Sam Zygmuntowicz, whose viola and cello are the primary instruments for Lawrence Dutton and David Finckel, respectively. However, Zygmuntowicz’s instruments were not built as a matched set; they were constructed over a period of 11 years.

Drucker plays a Stradivari 1686 violin and a Zygmuntowicz 2002 violin (modeled after a Guarneri and designed to have what the luthier calls a dark, robust response), and a Pajeot bow. He uses Dominant strings.

Setzer routinely plays a 1719 Stradivari violin, the Alba, from David Fulton’s extensive collection; a Zygmuntowicz 1999 violin (modeled after Setzer’s teacher and mentor Oscar Shumsky’s 1715 Stradivari, the Rode); and a Peccatte bow. He also uses Dominant strings. On the Mendelssohn recording, he played Isaac Stern’s 1737 Guarneri del Gesù, loaned to him for this recording only, as well as a 1714 Stradivari, the ex-Jackson, which was on loan from Dr. William Sloan.

Dutton plays a Pietro Giovanni Mantegazza 1796 viola, a Zygmuntowicz 2003 viola (based on the Mantegazza, but with modifications making it easier to play and providing a more focused sound), and an Ole Kanestrom bow. Dutton says he is really enjoying this new bow by the Seattle-area craftsman. He uses Helicore strings.

Finckel plays a Giovanni Battista Guadagnini 1754 cello, a Zygmuntowicz 1992 cello (based on a 1711 Duport Stradivari played by Finckel’s mentor Mstislav Rostropovich), and a Bernard Walke bow. He uses Thomastik–Infeld strings.