Bashmet plays a Testore viola made in 1758, which he bought in 1971.  It is the same make as Mozart's viola - with just three years difference in the instruments' ages!  Bashmet has actually played Mozart's instrument (housed in the birthplace museum in Salzburg), the first player since the composer to do so, performing the Sinfonia concertante at the Mozarteum Salzburg.  He was intrigued at the individual characteristics of each instrument; his the more projecting, Mozart's more suitable for chamber music, but with a very rich colour.

Given the date of his instrument, in one sense his performances of the classical repertoire are 'authentic'.  Indeed, Bashmet has toyed with 'authentic performance practice', citing Nikolaus Harnoncourt as an early influence. However, he chooses not to play on gut strings; again pragmatism winning through, as from the romantic era onwards the viola needs modern strings to be able to carry against the body of orchestral sound.

His attitude is perhaps best summed up by the anecdote he tells about a tour with the Moscow Soloists.  A foreign promoter rang, wanting clarification as to whether the ensemble would be playing in an 'authentic' fashion, which was at the time all the rage.  The promoter was in a hurry, ringing from the airport and didn't have time for discussion, as his flight was leaving.  Wickedly the Moscow Soloists' manager asked why was he flying - surely he should be favouring an authentic mode of transport, like a horse!