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Hi everyone,
I'm hoping to get some advice with regards to purchasing a new full size violin for my daughter who is an intermediate/advanced player. She currently plays with a 3/4 fiddlerman ob 1 violin which has served her very well.
As she will likely be playing the violin for many years, I'm looking at a higher quality full size violin such as the Holstein bench and Ming Jiang zhu 909. From listening to some of the videos of Pierre and Michael playing the MJZ 909, the sound seems to be very rich and warm. My daughter's preference is for a slightly brighter sounding violin. I enquired at Fiddlershop about a strad model MJZ 909 (which sounded brighter in the videos) but was told that there were none in stock (only Guarneri's currently available).
Has anyone played both strad and guarneri MJZ 909 models? Was there any significant difference? Are there any other violins that you would recommend?
We are in Australia and she had tried out violins at a few local places including a Scott Cao STV 1500 which was only pretty average with limited projection (? not set up well). Naturally, I'm a little hesitant purchasing an expensive violin online but our options locally seem limited and we had a great experience previously with fiddlershop, so may lean towards another purchase with them again.
Thanks in advance for your advice and Happy New Year!
Kelvs
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@Kelvs -
WELCOME to the forum!
I not familiar with those violins, but it's my understanding that you can put in a request to have Fiddlershop compare specific violins in a video for you.
You might want to inquire - I think it's a great way to get a true comparison.
- Emily
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For what its worth I think you should stick to a modern violin, the reason being, that you will forever be paying for repairs for some old italian or better quality french one. Why not ask Fiddlerman directly, not sure if you can message him personally but I am sure mouse would pass on your questions and he would reply, my own violin is an intermediate Hungarian factory made so I have no connnection at all with fiddlershòp, but I know from posts here that they really value and care for their customers, and the violins are set up correctly which is invaluable.
The bright sound of a violin is in part down to the strings used, but I am sure Fiddlerman could suggest the exact strings.
Cant beat a sunny day
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If Fiddlerman does not reply to this thread Monday, I will send him the link on Tuesday, and I will provide your background from the emails we have shared, if okay with you. It would help.
From experience, I have had no issues getting a violin or viola that did not sound as I wanted. Since I am not that good with intonation and bowing, I usually go by careful open string bowing and those fingerings I generally hit spot on. I think soundpost positioning and strings can help, but that is just from what I have been reading here
I recently upgraded my Concert Deluxe Viola to the Soloist. It is fantastic, but lower than the level violin you are asking about, but the quality is terrific.
I will check back here on Monday afternoon.
Keep in mind, I do not have any pull or anything, but I will mention it. I am in no way connected to Fiddlershop. A call from Australia would be rather expensive, I think.
Learn Violin and Fiddle
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For what its worth I think you should stick to a modern violin, the reason being, that you will forever be paying for repairs for some old italian or better quality french one.
I have an old violin that I have never had to have repairs made to. It is an 1840 something violin, maybe 1842. So, I don't believe a violin being old should make a difference. But, I am not versed on violin quality.
I have an old cello, not nearly as old as my violin, and it has never needed repairs, either.
I think it has to do with care and proper storage. But, I don't want to change the topic of this thread, must wanted to mention that.
Learn Violin and Fiddle
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@mouse, ask David Burgess, what he thinks. You may have been lucky, buy a five or tenthoisand dollar instrument and when it need looking at, it will cost a fortune, you also with an old expensive instrument have to look at things like wear and tear on the fingerboard and peg box, to re bush a peg box on some expensive Italian violin would cost an arm and a leg as it would have to be as good as the standard of the original instrument. So in my opinion if you are going to spend a lot of money its better going with a modern instrument. I have a stentor violin as well as the one I use all the time, sounds ok to me, and you could throw it against a wall, its a student instrument and made to last.
just my opinion others may think differently.
Cant beat a sunny day
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@Kelvs - You can also contact him through the Fiddlershop contact form on their website. They are prompt and helpful.
The old curmudgeon!
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Kelvs,
Welcome to the forum, and good luck on your search for a new violin.
Mark
Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.
Albert Sammons
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Thanks everyone,
Although my daughter did play on some antique german violins from the mid 1800's and found some nice ones, I am worried about the repairs that may be required down the track and feel that a new violin is probably the way to go.
I'll see if I can ask Fiddlerman directly for some advice (hopefully he will comment on this thread).
Kelvs
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Kelvs said
Hi everyone,I'm hoping to get some advice with regards to purchasing a new full size violin for my daughter who is an intermediate/advanced player. She currently plays with a 3/4 fiddlerman ob 1 violin which has served her very well.
As she will likely be playing the violin for many years, I'm looking at a higher quality full size violin such as the Holstein bench and Ming Jiang zhu 909. From listening to some of the videos of Pierre and Michael playing the MJZ 909, the sound seems to be very rich and warm. My daughter's preference is for a slightly brighter sounding violin. I enquired at Fiddlershop about a strad model MJZ 909 (which sounded brighter in the videos) but was told that there were none in stock (only Guarneri's currently available).
Has anyone played both strad and guarneri MJZ 909 models? Was there any significant difference? Are there any other violins that you would recommend?
We are in Australia and she had tried out violins at a few local places including a Scott Cao STV 1500 which was only pretty average with limited projection (? not set up well). Naturally, I'm a little hesitant purchasing an expensive violin online but our options locally seem limited and we had a great experience previously with fiddlershop, so may lean towards another purchase with them again.
Thanks in advance for your advice and Happy New Year!
Kelvs
Hi Kelvs. Thanks so much for your support and considering purchasing from us again. Yes, the MJZ 909 is actually an instrument that you can't go wrong with. And honestly, there is not much of a difference between the Guarneri and Strad models. The difference doesn't seem to be consistent with the variations on sound quality. One of the reasons that we don't have Strads in stock is because we have a much greater success with the Guarneri model Mings. They tend to have that darker sound that many people are looking for. However, we do get brighter sounding Guarneri models so it's not really a given....
If you like, you can request a custom video of a few to compare. You then choose your favorite or non at all. This is a very successful way to make a purchase from us. We have a great track record for satisfying our customers.
Also, we have a 45 day satisfaction guarantee. Of course living in Australia makes it a bit more costly to return or exchange but we have plenty of happy overseas customers.
Feel free to write directly to us at support@fiddlershop.com
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Kelvs said
Thanks everyone,Although my daughter did play on some antique german violins from the mid 1800's and found some nice ones, I am worried about the repairs that may be required down the track and feel that a new violin is probably the way to go.
I'll see if I can ask Fiddlerman directly for some advice (hopefully he will comment on this thread).
Kelvs
Sorry for the delay. I try to avoid working on the weekends when possible. Cheers!
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Fiddlerman said
Kelvs said
Hi everyone,
I'm hoping to get some advice with regards to purchasing a new full size violin for my daughter who is an intermediate/advanced player. She currently plays with a 3/4 fiddlerman ob 1 violin which has served her very well.
As she will likely be playing the violin for many years, I'm looking at a higher quality full size violin such as the Holstein bench and Ming Jiang zhu 909. From listening to some of the videos of Pierre and Michael playing the MJZ 909, the sound seems to be very rich and warm. My daughter's preference is for a slightly brighter sounding violin. I enquired at Fiddlershop about a strad model MJZ 909 (which sounded brighter in the videos) but was told that there were none in stock (only Guarneri's currently available).
Has anyone played both strad and guarneri MJZ 909 models? Was there any significant difference? Are there any other violins that you would recommend?
We are in Australia and she had tried out violins at a few local places including a Scott Cao STV 1500 which was only pretty average with limited projection (? not set up well). Naturally, I'm a little hesitant purchasing an expensive violin online but our options locally seem limited and we had a great experience previously with fiddlershop, so may lean towards another purchase with them again.
Thanks in advance for your advice and Happy New Year!
Kelvs
Hi Kelvs. Thanks so much for your support and considering purchasing from us again. Yes, the MJZ 909 is actually an instrument that you can't go wrong with. And honestly, there is not much of a difference between the Guarneri and Strad models. The difference doesn't seem to be consistent with the variations on sound quality. One of the reasons that we don't have Strads in stock is because we have a much greater success with the Guarneri model Mings. They tend to have that darker sound that many people are looking for. However, we do get brighter sounding Guarneri models so it's not really a given....
If you like, you can request a custom video of a few to compare. You then choose your favorite or non at all. This is a very successful way to make a purchase from us. We have a great track record for satisfying our customers.
Also, we have a 45 day satisfaction guarantee. Of course living in Australia makes it a bit more costly to return or exchange but we have plenty of happy overseas customers.
Feel free to write directly to us at support@fiddlershop.com
Thanks very much Pierre. I'll send you an email directly.
cheers
Kelvin
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