Hermes said
@DanielB I would love to do the same one day...just to finish an in-the-white instrument. I would also leave it white, with just a clear coat.Not just because I like the colour of the wood, but I would colour it only if I would sit by a luthier and learn how to do it properly...otherwise it would be like gambling with the expected outcome 

 

@EricBluegrassFiddle I think that your saying "the one who's fretting it and drawing the bow" almost says it all. I've also come across an experiment in which some violin players, were blindfolded and couldn't easily recognise some antique instuments from "modern" ones. Do you have any photos of that bows by the way?

I'll look and see if I can find one.....and see how to post it...

DanielB said: " Now, back to the OP, thinking of spending up to 350$ and going with someone reputable like Pierre, they aren't going to run into any of the situations we're talking about.  They are going to get a nice instrument - Totally, and he knows the distribuitors and everything gets inspected personally. So it's pretty much guaranteed to sound as good as it can and be very playable. Even so, some may disagree, but I think starting around $200 bucks, one should be able to get a fiddle that they can start out with that will sound pretty decent, tune well and can be set up reasonably well. For $350 and up? Piece of cake. Under $200 bucks IMHO...."buyer beware" LOL. But, their are exceptions. I've heard of cheapies that sound better than fiddles 3 times their price, and vice versa....so exceptions to the rule I'm sure exist....but then again, what are the odds right?

But the "best"???  Well, "good" is what you want for starting out.  After you've played a while and know what you want, then you can look for what is best for your personal tastes and playing style - That's true, totally. As we improve and our skills get better, I'm sure our needs will change. The type of violins that Pierre would prefer as a professional, especially as a professionally trained classical player, those Violins are monsters! They are like Fiddles on steroids from what I've read! They're extremely complex tone wise and have considerable volume, resonance and projection and from what I've read, are difficult beasts to tame by less experienced Violinists. So, it would be WAY more Violin that I'd most likely ever need, nor would I be able to handle. They need Violins like that to be able to cut through all of those Violins, loud FrenchHorns, trumpets and timpanies! Even so, if I wanted one and I had the cash....it WOULD be tempting ( wink wink

Besides, I luck out as a fiddler in that I can get by with less superior instruments, even professionally as opposed to the classical guys. Bluegrass folks are always mic'd on stage and it's rare that we play large ampatheatres all out acosutically. As long as my fiddle can hold it's own in a jam or small Bluegrass ensemble, I'd be ok most likely. I'd say a $1000 - $1500 investment for a Fiddle for a pro Bluegrass player would be pretty steep. But, it seems like Fiddles are like personalities and everybodies idea of whats good varies...as it should.

I want to clarify what I said about my son's Gliga Gems 2.  It sounds fine under ear - very pleasant, actually.  However, it has no projection.  There will be no fff playing in an orchestra.

I fought my student instrument for years in an orchestral environment.  For parlor playing or personal enjoyment, the Gliga is fine.

I believe it. In those large concert halls with all of those instruments, you guys need the most powerful sounding Violins of all. I'm an aspiring Bluegrass Fiddler and those Violins like you guys need would probably be "too" powerful for the average Bluegrass ensemble.

Even so, we need a fair amount of volume. However, for the serious student or even semi-professional and professional Bluegrass, Country n Western or Folk Fiddler those Gliga Gems and Gamas are very ideal instruments for us.

What is the size of the orchestra that you play in? It's full size or chamber?

DanielB said
Yeah, for playing in an orchestra, without sound reinforcement, there would be the need for an instrument with some serious projection. 

But a beginner isn't likely to be doing that in their first year or two, or at least wouldn't actually be expected to stand out as much as a symphony soloist.

Most modern genres, rock/country/blues/jazz/folk/etc, the violin/fiddle isn't going to be expected to fill the room with sound all on it's own any more than an acoustic guitar or singer.  Amplification has been a game changer.  Like with acoustic guitars, the best choice for stage used to always be the ones that were pretty much the loudest and brightest.  With PA amplification and a sound person, a much wider range of instrument "personalities" can make a good showing. 

@EricBluegrassFiddle: That is an awesome video!   An excellent player, much show of ingenuity, and an instrument that obviously just refuses to die.  LOL  I loved it.

@Hermes:  I think the bullies will just use anything they can think of to bully with.  Fortunately not all kids (or adults) are like that.  I honestly believe that most people really try their best to be good people.

I know isn't technology beautiful!? I totally agree! I think the goal of a beginner looking for their first fiddle is that it's easy to play, has a decent sound ( not whiney or metallic, shrill sounding ) andf that it's easy tune. As long as a first time fiddle meets all of those requirements and is within budget "pull the trigger and fire away!"

Yes, alot of andean ameri-indians and indians in northern Argentina play with these homemade almost baroque style bows. You'll see this over in Paraguay too. I don't know where they get these old fiddles? Many of them in VERY isolated villages where a bus ride to the nearest music store to even "look" at a Fiddle to purchase could mean half a days bus ride or more. Besides many of them livbe in abject poverty. I'm wondering if they weren't donated by missionaries or charities at some point?

bfurman said
It's been many years since I've played in any sort of orchestra, but I did play as a second violinist in a full symphony orchestra a couple of times.  It can be hard to even hear yourself at times.

Even in a quartet, a violinist is balancing against much larger instruments.  Fitting into the mix while playing with maximum dynamics is a skill, but having the right instrument certainly helps.

Dreadnought guitars can be pretty loud too.

As an aside, I suspect the Gligas are well suited to amplification.

There's one guy I know on another forum who has a Gliga Gama and he's a semi-pro Bluegrass Fiddler and he says his Gama holds it's own pretty well.

However the Gama is Gligas top of the line for factory built professional concert level fiddles. The Gems is the intermediate level, mine is the Genial-1 which is the high end of the Student Fiddles. The only difference between my Genial and the lower model Genial Violins is that mine has a bit more flamey wood selection and the Oil-Varnish instead of the heavier varnish. The next step up past my Fiddle would've been the Gems

It's virtually indestinguishable from the entry level Gems. It was relayed to me on another forum that in Gligas factory, the newest luthiers ( 5 years or less ) build the Genials. Then all of the most advanced employees/luthiers who've been their at Gligas factory the longest build the Gems and the Gamas. Beyond that, it's customer orders built by Vasile Gliga himself, although he supposedly QA's alot of the factory stuff also. 

They rough cut the parts on a CNC router and finish out alot of the rest in various work stations by hand.....at least this was how it was relayed to me. I guess the lower grade Spruce and Maple goes to the lower end lines and vice versa....

However, I've read that in the Chinese shops it's different. Alot of those fiddles are pretty much hand built from beginning to finish by 1 or 2 people.....I mean is that true? This is what i've heard...so it may just be rumour.

I've heard that one factor in keeping costs down at Gliga, and it makes some dollars and sense, is they source tonewood locally in Romania as it's an area with excellent reknown as a local resource for quality tonewood. But, then again, I've also read that some Gligas are built first in China, shipped to Romania, finished and labeled as Gliga and out the door they go, so it's hard to really know. However, I ALSO read that only around 20% of what comes out of Gligas shop carries their label. They apparently are also a major source for Violins in the White for several other brands....very clever marketing if you ask me.

I'm curious to know if the OP has decided on the first Violin purchase yet? 

Fiddlerman said
OP = Original poster?

Ohh yes....that's right.....the author of thread. 

I was curious to know if the OP is still following the thread and if they've set their sights on anything yet? If, of course, that's if they want to share....I realize it's private matter for some folks.