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Looks good, enjoy playing it
I am amazed at how old people of my age are.....
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Cool, How does it sound? Congratulations.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Very beautiful NV!
WoW!
MGN, are all those violins yours? Which one do You prefer (well except the electric one =))?
NV, congrats with the new violin! 
Do You like its sound?
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Yes they are all mine. I like the Mendini 650 for the dark tones and really love the way the Cecilio 500 is opening up. That electric one... I'll give away, I don't like it. That big fat Taylor guitar is what I write songs with and will never give that up.
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Sounds like a new giveaway. LOL
Can't you get it to sing with your great equipment MGN? Or do you just love the sound of an acoustic violin too much and don't see the point? Are you looking for a better electric violin?
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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I'm all for electric guitars... And yep the electric violin doesn't sing very well for me even with effects. I love the sound of an acoustic violin and don't see the point in making it electric.
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I totally understand. I have a $5000 Zeta Jazz Fusion violin that never gets played on. I think I would though, if I had some cool hardware to use it with. This violin is midi compatible but I would need the special midi converter. They used to cost as much as the violin. Don't know about today.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
I thought about getting an electric violin just to practice quieter. I travel for work quite a bit and don't think the other hotel guests would enjoy listening to me practice. If I ever do get one, would most likely be one of the ceilo that are sold by FM.
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These are my 2! The one on the right is my primary player which is a Palatino VN-450. Yes, a cheapo, but it gets the job done for now! 
The one on the left is a 1920's German Stainer Copy. She was a rescue! A friend of mine was cleaning out an old house in Chicago and came across this in a garbage pile! She showed me and I determined it needed a good home! I just need to have the sound post checked out as it is not as loud as my Palatino, but still sounds so sweet!
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
I really like the looks and style of the old German fiddle.
That would be my choice and the one I would be concentrating on. I bet it produces a soft mellow tone. The bridge (from the photo) appears to be not quite as thick as the "cheapo". From what I can tell in the photo, the bridge is setting forward a bit from the notches in the F holes, or is it just deception. But that measurement is not completely set in stone, it's what is usually normal, it could be somewhat off.
If you plan on playing both instrument's, my advice is to check all your measurement's making sure your total length of the violin's are the same, the body measure's the same and the measurement from the nut to the bridge is the same. If you set it up using the notche's in the F hole for your guide, you may be off, meaning the distance from the nut to the bridge must be exactly the same on both violins, otherwise when you play one, put it down and play the other, the note' won't be the same. I did this with my cheapo violin to match my 130 yr old fiddle. The two violin's match in critical measurement's, but that set the bridge back behind the notches in the F holes. Due to the fact that the cheapo is almost 1/2" longer than the other. I consequently had to move the sound post back behind the bridge, now when I play them I get the same note's, but the cheapo now sound's like a tin can. I no longer play the cheapo, I think i'll use it for parts. I already took the chin rest off and built it up higher and put it on the old fiddle.
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Thanks for the info! I didn't even think to check the measurements in relation to note placement!
Surprisingly, the bridge on the Stainer is thicker than the one on the Palatino! That and it is flatter. I think the prior owner had it set up for playing easier chords! The picture is a little deceiving. The Palatino has the shoulder rest still attached and I did take the pic from a weird angle! lol
Once I had strings on it and had it set up, it did have a very mellow/sweet sound to it. I want to get the rest of it checked out before I start playing it heavily. It does have a small chip on it near the bridge which concerns me. Everything else seems to be solid on it.
I actually rescued 2 violins, the other one didn't quite make it! I think that one will be my parts violin! lol It was another early 1900's German Strad Copy. But the wood was separating on the back. It looks like the sound box had a blow out! Which is a shame because the wood work on the scroll was amazing!
The casualty strad copy:
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
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They both look like nice instruments
I am amazed at how old people of my age are.....
I'm not sure if I would part it out just yet, I believe I would consult a reputable luthier for his opinion. The top of it may and probably will have to be removed, but I don't think you could buy another of that quality for the cost of repairs to this one.
There is some really nice / intricate hand carvings on the scroll and the belly of the violin. It has a really nice finish and love the color, I'm sure there have been fiddle's in worse condition than this one that have been repaired.
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Mine was probably one of 'em. 
I agree with Fiddlestix though. If you can afford to have a luthier check it and give you an idea as to whether or not it would be salvagable that would be a good first move. It's better than dismantling it and then finding out that you might have been able to restore it instead.
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This seam split cost me $100 to get repaired. I did the polish and refinishing myself so I saved a lot of money there and I also did my own bridge, tail piece install and strings as well as made a new soundpost and installed it. If you can do some of the stuff yourself, you'll be surprised how much $$ you'll save.
If the cost is too high for repairs, I'd like a shot at maybe buying it from you and fixing it up.
this
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
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Fiddle4Fun said
Here are some of my lady.
Looks like a Stainer!
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No way! Look at that back, it's a Tiger!
"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
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Sone said
Looks like a Stainer!
That's an interesting observation. I just did some research and Stainer copies were quite common during the time period that my great-great-grandfather built the old girl. It's very possible that he used one as a model. Since the Stainer is no longer as popular a design as it was it would also explain why the majority of people who see the lady think she looks a little off.
Tangent:
Also, I was chatting with a luthier last month and she said the fiddle's top plates were each tuned differently. Any of our builders here know what's up with that?
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NICE!!! I love seeing the striping in the wood! My Stainer copy has that same style! From what I've researched, Stainer's were notorious for having a "bloated" look! ....that and intricately carved scrolls such as Lion's heads!
I can see a little of that "bloating" on yours!
I'll have to post a few better pics of my Stainer copy as well as the damage from the Strad copy for cdennyb! The damage isn't nearly as bad as the one cdennyb posted! There may be some hope yet!
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
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