A Stradivarius violin is unmatched in tonal quality and responds more quickly and easily to

the touch than any other violin.  Unfortunately, the secrets for making such a superb instrument were

lost in 1737 with the death of Antonio Stradivari, the master craftsman who built them.  Many

attempts have been made to reproduce an instrument of such quality, but all have failed.  It is believed

that the secret lies in the wood that was used and the distinctive varnish, which ranges from orange to

a deep reddish-brown color.  Only around 650 Stradivarius violins are believed to be in existence

today, and the price for such a rare instrument is well in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Even a

cheap Stradivarius costs around a quarter million dollars.  It is not surprising that a Stradivarius is

sought after by great violinists and musical instrument collectors alike.

In line 3, the word “them” refers to