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At a social gathering this evening, before we had too much wine, the hosts neighbours told
me that their violin may be up for sale as their daughter now prefers the viola ( make up your own jokes at this point).
The story goes that it has no label because it is hand made and over 100 years old but had been 'refurbished' prior to their daughters decision to go over to the dark side.
The obvious question is 'how does it sound and play?" but of course, having the expected cynical nature of a Buyer by profession, is there anyway I can satisfy my need to find out if this is a genuine, maybe valuable article, or just another home made dog?
Maybe I've been around long enough now to make my own decision, but I would appreciate some feedback from the knowledgeable people of Fiddlerman.com
I am amazed at how old people of my age are.....
Terry,
No one can tell you how a violin sounds. It is how it sounds to you. Pierre could play it and tell you it's a great violin but when you play it it sounds worse than what you have now. So if you buy it for how it sounds when someone else plays it make sure tht person comes with the violin.
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Make sure, as Kevin says, that you feel like it plays better than your own violin. As far as the value is concerned, it would depend very much on who made it. If there is no name it might not be worth that much. The condition is the next factor in the value. The sound is extremely important for it to be worth it in any form or fashion.
Do you have a luthier nearby that you could take it to?
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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There is one in the city that I would take it to. Where I bought my first violin, just to give it the once-over before I parted with any cash. I would also ask him what he would pay for it in PX for one of the violins in his shop if I wanted to exchange it at a later date.
I am amazed at how old people of my age are.....
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Kevin M. said
Terry,
No one can tell you how a violin sounds. It is how it sounds to you. Pierre could play it and tell you it's a great violin but when you play it it sounds worse than what you have now. So if you buy it for how it sounds when someone else plays it make sure tht person comes with the violin.
As always, your logic is spot-on.
(As I mentioned previously somewhere, I have the use already of a more expensive instrument than mine, but do prefer my cheapie. Even though when recorded, the other violin sounds good, but with the F hole by my left ear, not so good)
I am amazed at how old people of my age are.....
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Great idea Terry. Good luck with it.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
Honorary tenured advisor
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I think the question is more: "What's the value?" because if it was simply a violin upgrade you wanted you simply could play them both side by side? That what I see violinists do in videos when they are looking for a new instrument anyway.
"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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