So, you'd like to buy a full size violin for your aspiring violinist.
Now, where do you go? The all purpose music store has a few violins.
Unfortunately, nobody there knows anything about them.
When you ask the sales person to play it for you, he can't even tune it and certainly can't answer your questions regarding set up.
So you head off to the dedicated violin shop, located in some pricey real estate area and filled with instruments costing $25,000 and MORE! They have a few entry level violins but are priced up to $3200 when you factor in a bow and case.
Finally, you check out the internet.
Wow, lots of violin outfits for $200 or LESS! Here on craigslist there are even a few for only $75.
The problem with buying one of those shiny hard laquer finished violins is that the construction is so bad that the neck angle is wrong and the bridge and soundpost are horrendously cut.
The fingerboard which is supposed to be made from ebony, is often some unknown wood painted black and has enough bumps and dips that
even Heifetz wouldn't have been able to play it in tune!
Fortunately, I have a rational and price effective option for you.
I am a professional violinist and teacher who when asked to help his sister find that first fullsize violin for her daughter, found that the choices were either pricey or extremely poor quality.
I started to do research, and found that I could buy high quality handmade violins from China.
It is important to note that there are an extremely wide range of violins coming from China.
There are the poor quality factory made instruments that I described earlier, [often labeled with names like "Cremona, Palatino, Cecilio, Mendini"]and then there are some of the nicest handmade violins for the money that can be found anywhere in the world.
These latter violins are the ones that I buy.
They are made from quality tonewoods and the maple back and ribs have nicely defined flame that is enhanced by a beautifully applied and hand rubbed varnish that allows the wood to vibrate.
The hard laquer finished factory instruments most often produce a small, overly
bright tone because the wood is too thick and can't vibrate easily.
Next, I have an expert violinmaker in the USA set them up.
This means that he planes the fingerboard and adjusts the nut for perfect intonation and easy shifting.
He checks that the tuning pegs neither stick nor slip.
Finally he cuts a new top quality bridge and soundpost and fits the violin with pro quality strings.
[If you were to buy one of those cheap factory violins and have this done it would cost you THREE TIMES MORE than the violin itself!] The end result is a violin that plays beautifully, producing a tone far above what you would expect from such a reasonably priced instrument.
I have an excellent selection of these violins [starting at $1250 up to $3,500 with used older violins starting at $350]all including a quality brazilwood, pernambuco or carbonfiber bow and a nice oblong violin case.
It is important to address a common misconception that violins from China are inferior to their European counterparts.
While of course the greatest violins ever made came from Italy, France ,Germany, etc, today
the best violins in the sub $3,000 price range are from China.
Most of the European made violins in this category are very poorly made factory instruments from Romania and Czechoslovakia.
Even German labeled instruments today are not necessarily superior.
In fact many of these violins are made for the most part in China! Some finishing work is done in Germany, and voila, you have label misinformation.
Also, please be aware that the most popular violins sold in this price range from China are labeled with names such as "Eastman, Snow and Jay Haide.
" These "names" are NOT actual violin makers, but music companies doing the same thing as I am except that they put their name on the label.
The pricey violin shops then charge 2-3 times MORE than I do.
The bow that is included would sell by itself for at least $200 at a violin shop!!! Please make an appointment to come try this one out, and bring along anything else you're considering for comparison.
I'm happy to spend the time to answer all of your questions and to
demonstrate the differences between multiple violins.
Thanks for looking.
*** I have recently retired as a violin teacher, and no longer have need of my large collection of 1/2, 3/4 and 4/4 size violins.
Outstanding selection of well set-up, quality instruments available, vintage European to new Chinese, student level to professional!
Whatsapp
