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Tadolini Violin
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uncledave
Smilax, Kentucky

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August 14, 2014 - 10:37 pm
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Today I was visited by an old old friend of mine. He is a fiddler. I asked him if it was OK for me to look at his fiddle and he said it was. The fiddle was made in 1999, had a reddish antiqued varnish to make it look older. The wood was nice. The label said it was made by Maurizio Tadioli. I had never heard of this maker. I played on the fiddle and found the tone to be thin and muted. It was strung with Tomastik steel core strings so maybe that made a lot of difference. At any rate I was not impressed with it at all. It played well but the sound, to my ear, was not very good. Too sweet and not much volume.

When my friend left I looked up this maker. These violins sell for 10 to 20 thousand dollars! Here's my question. What makes it so valuable? I think I have a decent "ear" and I think my Gliga sounds better than this fiddle did. If I were to purchase one of these violins what would I be paying for?

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DanielB
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August 15, 2014 - 4:55 pm
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It is possible that your friend has it adjusted to his tastes, and they just aren't the same as yours. 

You say it was nice wood and it played well, so it would be doubtful that it is junk and one is only paying for a name.

You can find a fair bit about Maurizio Tadioli with a websearch. 

"This young wine may have a lot of tannins now, but in 5 or 10 years it is going to be spectacular, despite the fact that right now it tastes like crude oil. You know this is how it is supposed to taste at this stage of development." ~ Itzhak Perlman

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uncledave
Smilax, Kentucky

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August 16, 2014 - 12:30 am
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It's not junk for sure. My friend has always had elegant taste in violins. I've never known him to own a clunker. This violin he now has is a well made fiddle. I just can't see where it's thousands and thousands of dollars more valuable. Maybe it would have been different if he used synthetic strings rather than steel core. I was just shocked at the difference from what I would have expected it to sound like.

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
August 16, 2014 - 10:38 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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I've played on violins ranging from $25 to millions of dollars and I can tell you that you'll find a diamond in the rough and bad instruments that cost ridiculous amounts of money. At the price range that you are referring to, you would only want to pay that if you are super happy with the instrument.
You pay for a name, material and workmanship quality as well as great sound production and ease of playing. No guarantees that they expensive violins will be better but chances are usually greater.

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

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uncledave
Smilax, Kentucky

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August 17, 2014 - 7:04 pm
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Thanks Pierre. I've always thought that with a very expensive violin (and I count 10-20 grand expensive) you'd get a really good tone and projection. I see now that that isn't the case. My friend bought this violin directly from the maker at an exposition. I saw the Italian name and figured it was a Cremona instrument but I really expected a better violin. I'm sure he loves it as would others. I found the sound to be thin. 
When I applied more pressure with the bow the only string that really responded was the G string.

I have a question on all this. I've read that sometimes a violin that doesn't sound very powerful under your ear will actually carry and be heard over an orchestra. Is this true? Or is it a myth?

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
August 18, 2014 - 6:15 pm
Member Since: September 26, 2010
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uncledave said
I have a question on all this. I've read that sometimes a violin that doesn't sound very powerful under your ear will actually carry and be heard over an orchestra. Is this true? Or is it a myth?

This is true. Some instruments have that characteristic. I've experienced it myself but you almost need to test the instrument in a big hall to verify it's projection. Usually this quality is attached to expensive old instruments but once again, not always the case.

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

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Schaick
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September 14, 2014 - 9:57 am
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I had the chance to play a handmade violin price tag $3,000 a while back.  I can't remember the maker.  

The thing wasn't even sanded smoothly.  What is the part of the C waist where the violin curls out?  Corners?  Anyway this area was so rough, almost appeared that the maker got tired sanding and just quit!!

And the tone, it did not bloom the way my Berty's voice blooms!!  No comparison to my $600 Berty.  Not only is Berty handsome, he sings beautifully.

Sorry I am going off topic of the thread!!  I am the Queen of Prattle.  I wrote a small column for a local newspaper for a year called Aunt Patty's Prattle.

I swear the longer I play the more beautiful his voice is becoming.  I really don't think it has nothing to do with the fact that I am also improving a bit.  He had been kept locked up in his case in an unheated and cold environment for years!!  I have Berty sitting out, case propped open so I can see him whenever I walk by!!

I wonder if the fresh air has improved his health.

Violinist start date -  May 2013  

Fiddler start date - May 2014

FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius.  BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.

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DanielB
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September 14, 2014 - 1:12 pm
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@Schaick:  Actually, some of what you're talking about could have something to do with the topic.

Some musicians and etc do believe in "playing in", that an instrument won't sound at it's best until it has been played a certain amount of time.  Along with that belief often goes the idea that an instrument left unplayed for a while will "go back to sleep" and need to be played regularly at least a bit to get back to it's best sound.

That the instrument's sound can improve sometimes from being out in open air instead of always inside the case when not being played is another such belief, sometimes called "airing" the instrument.

I've seen some involved technical discussions over the years on why these things may be true, and also plenty of folks who don't believe in such things. 

Personally, I believe in all that stuff, based on what I have seen and heard with different instruments I've played over the decades. 

Who knows, maybe the Tadioli mentioned in the original post could have used some more "air" or hadn't been played as much lately as it was used to and was starting to "fall back to sleep".  The differences in sound between "plays well" and "I really like this!" can be things that are actually very slight and subtle. 

"This young wine may have a lot of tannins now, but in 5 or 10 years it is going to be spectacular, despite the fact that right now it tastes like crude oil. You know this is how it is supposed to taste at this stage of development." ~ Itzhak Perlman

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coolpinkone
California, the place of my heart
September 14, 2014 - 2:45 pm
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 @Schaick

I love that Bertie is booming.   How exciting.    Aunt Patty's Prattle sounds like a darling column. 

 I am not good with knowing at first if a violin sounds good. I mean if I am listening to someone.. I think "oh that sounds good."  But I am not good with  know if the violin is good.

But I am  learning and listening. Now the Traveller violin is here and there is a new voice in the house. :)

Happy Sunday..

Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato

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Schaick
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September 15, 2014 - 11:24 am
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Thanks @DanielB and @coolpinkone!!

coolpinkone - I could tell the difference between my son's $69 ebay violin and Berty almost right away when my son played both the instruments.  I could not describe it though, just that I liked Berty's voice over my son's violin.

One thing that helped me understand the sound of a violin was when I first got Berty I took him and my son's violin to a lesson.  

I asked Teach to play Berty, my son's and her many thousand $$$ violin so we could talk about the sound and compare them.

Son's = tinny, weak, sound did not last long after bow was pulled over the strings.

Berty = fuller sound on all strings and the D string sound grew and lasted longer after bowing stopped [Teach's explanation - picture dropping a rock in a still pool and the ripples spreading out from the center].

Teach's = The D string almost identical to my D string, but all the strings on her violin had that same blooming and power.

Violinist start date -  May 2013  

Fiddler start date - May 2014

FIDDLE- Gift from a dear friend. A 1930-40 german copy, of a french copy of a Stradivarius.  BOW - $50 carbon fiber. Strings - Dominants with E Pirastro Gold string.

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coolpinkone
California, the place of my heart
September 15, 2014 - 1:29 pm
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@Schaick .. the ripples on the water makes a great explanation.  I know that is what I see with my violin compared to some other violins.  Not that I can play that much better.. but after the bow stops.. it lingersssssssssss... I love that. 

I am starting to notice vibrations and more about violins, my violins, etc.  (I am such a late bloomer)

But really and sinking my teeth and brain into all things violin these days... it is like a second awakening.  It is excited and it keeps me motivated to play more songs.. different genres.. etc.

:)

Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato

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EricBluegrassFiddle
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October 8, 2014 - 6:21 pm
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Maybe this Fiddle hand't been played in some time or just could've benefited from a tune-up...er recent set-up? Even the best Fiddles can get out of "whack" from time to time and need to have the soundpost, bridge checked etc....

" I just keep telling myself...."It's all about becoming one with your bow"

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