Welcome to our forum. A Message To Our New and Prospective Members . Check out our Forum Rules. Lets keep this forum an enjoyable place to visit.

Check out our 2023 Group Christmas Project HERE

AAA
Avatar
Please consider registering
guest
sp_LogInOut Log Insp_Registration Register
Register | Lost password?
Advanced Search
Forum Scope




Match



Forum Options



Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters
sp_Feed Topic RSSsp_TopicIcon
Buying a new instrument....
Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 Topic Rating: 0 (0 votes) 
Avatar
argy1678

Member
Members
May 7, 2012 - 1:38 pm
Member Since: April 6, 2012
Forum Posts: 37
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Last Saturday the most terrible thing happened... it is the moment no fiddler can ever live without crying... My old violin broke into pieces... Thank god i am no professional ( imagine the money this would cost !! ) but yet, my violin ment a big deal to me. It was an old handmade one. Anyway... never cry over spilt milk. 

I would like to ask the fiddlerman community about the things i need to check in a violin before buying it. My teacher has a friend of his who sells violins but i haven't met him yet. Probably sometime next week. 

May no similar accident ever happen to none of you :(

Thank you for your time.

Avatar
Crazymotive

Honorary advisor
Members

Regulars
May 7, 2012 - 2:27 pm
Member Since: January 18, 2012
Forum Posts: 347
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Just curious, how did it break ? Did the wood actually split or crack or did it just come loose at the glue joints ?  If so it can probably be fixed with some hide glue.

 

Far as a new instrument goes, are you looking for a student grade instrument ? If  so there are a lot of good brands available, i.e. Eastman, Cecilio, etc.   I would recommend buying through a reputable and skilled luthier so they can set it up for you. Regardless  of the maker or quality you want a good set of strings put on, the bridge set properly, sound post properly positioned, pegs adjusted for smooth operation, etc. Proper setup greatly affects the sound quality of the instrument.

Avatar
argy1678

Member
Members
May 7, 2012 - 2:56 pm
Member Since: April 6, 2012
Forum Posts: 37
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Yeah... um i acidently steped on its case ( !! ). I was on my way to turn on the lights and i didn't see it in its black case... such tragedies do not happen everyday. 

As far as i know im looking for an intermediate violin ( im no pro yet :p ). A handmade one ( im now playing on my secondary, not-handmade one, aka my first violin ). 

My violin turned into pieces. Its entire body is cracked in a million places and has a huge crack in its back that could tear it in half if touched... i doubt its fixable.

But i do have a secondary viola as well i could sell in order to save some money for the new violin... do you think a luthier may lower the price if I gave it to him? ( jot down it is not a handmade instrument ).

Anyway, thanks for your advice :)

Avatar
NoirVelours
Quebec

Honorary tenured advisor
Members

Regulars
May 7, 2012 - 3:27 pm
Member Since: March 28, 2012
Forum Posts: 822
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

sounds like you already have experience in buying violin since it's not your first that died (moment of silence here for the poor soul cry). You said you want a handmade so paying a visit to the luthier is your best choice!

"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov

Avatar
Crazymotive

Honorary advisor
Members

Regulars
May 7, 2012 - 6:18 pm
Member Since: January 18, 2012
Forum Posts: 347
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Here are a couple of Luthiers I have either met or done business with and who I highly reccommend.

 

http://www.masterviolinshop.com/

 

I remember this Luthier from the days of the New York Violin Shop. 

 

and, I recently bought an instrument from here and got excellent setup and service. 

 

http://www.violins.ca/

 

But there are of course many others.  These are just 2 that I have done business with.

 

Sorry to hear about the loss of your violin.  I don't mean to make light of it, its always sad to loste a good instrument but, may it rest in peacem or should I say... pieces.  Anbd may it's spiirit lead you to a new and wonderful experience in violin playing.violin-student

Avatar
Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
May 7, 2012 - 6:35 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429

Depends on how much you are spening but try to find a violin with a hand oiled varnish as apposed to a hard factory varnish. Check the pegs that they don't slip or stick.
Try playing both loud and soft on the it. Both close to the bridge and away. See that the strings vibrate easily without too much effort.
Test out playing way up on the strings to see if it can still sing up way up there.
Inside the peg box check that the carving is all the way in past the A string peg. Often machine made violins are not.
The best is if they allow you to test it at least a week before buying it.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

Avatar
argy1678

Member
Members
May 8, 2012 - 12:18 pm
Member Since: April 6, 2012
Forum Posts: 37
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Thank you all :)

Avatar
Joe

Honorary tenured advisor
Members

Regulars
May 20, 2012 - 1:28 am
Member Since: April 21, 2012
Forum Posts: 595
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

omg...i wanna cry

Forum Timezone: America/New_York
Most Users Ever Online: 696
Currently Online:
Guest(s) 144
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Members Birthdays
sp_BirthdayIcon
Today None
Upcoming Sofia Leo, TKDennis, FiddleDetroit, CookiesViolin, JPferrman, Designer 88, LyleA, Stephen, Dorque, Trisha, Elaisa, wonderputz, Gordon Shumway, dougga, Russionleo, JohnG
Top Posters:
ELCBK: 7761
ABitRusty: 3915
Mad_Wed: 2849
Barry: 2690
Fiddlestix: 2647
Oliver: 2439
Gordon Shumway: 2425
DanielB: 2379
Mark: 2149
damfino: 2113
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 3
Members: 31662
Moderators: 0
Admins: 7
Forum Stats:
Groups: 16
Forums: 81
Topics: 10590
Posts: 134223
Newest Members:
SoCal335, Jan Howard, edwardcheng, Oscar Stern, bryanhanson, bittruster, fiddlecastro, jackdaniel, romanmills08, creativestringsinfo
Administrators: Fiddlerman: 16429, KindaScratchy: 1760, coolpinkone: 4180, BillyG: 3744, MrsFiddlerman: 2, Jimmie Bjorling: 0, Mouse: 5309