Scott Joplin ragtime festival
submitted 5/15/2009
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Submitter |
echord |
Overall Comments
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The city of Sedalia, Mo., holds it's annual Scott Joplin Ragtime festival every year during the first weekend in June.
The event features ragtime piano players from around the world, as well as various string bands, jug bands and old-time dance events, both on the downtown streets and in paid concerts.
For folks interested in this type of original American music, I highly recommend this festival. Sedalia is charming town (and site of the original Maple Leaf Club -- now demolished -- where S. Joplin worked) and the streets come alive with toe-tapping syncopated music for several days, most of it free.
For more info on this annual festival, contact http://www.scottjoplin.org/
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Overall Rating |
10 |
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Carbon fiber bow Song Ti Jie
submitted 5/11/2009
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Submitter |
echord |
Where Purchased |
Charming Song Violin store, Ebay |
Overall Comments
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Recently purchased a carbon fiber bow from Song Chung Violin Co. Ltd. on Ebay. I don't know for certain if the bow was actually made by this firm ( I also have one of their fiddles, which I know they make), but I assume it was.
In any case, I paid $39 for the bow (plus $18 shipping) and must say, quite simply, I'm delighted. I'm certainly not an expert on bows, by any means. I always have used cheap brazilwood or fiberglass models purchased at various music stores or with the fiddles I've bought, so this was an attempt to upgrade without spending a fortune. Mission accomplished.
It is a beautiful stick, black with full chrome mounting, parisian eye on the ebony frog, excellent balance and weighing only 60 grams.
It has definitely improved the tone and ease of my fiddling. Anyone looking for a decent bow at a great price should give these folks a look. |
Overall Rating |
10 |
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Mr. Ma (China) Student model
submitted 4/6/2009
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Submitter |
echord |
Where Purchased |
Musicstorema (Ebay store) |
Year Purchased |
2009 |
Price Paid |
117 ($US) |
Sound
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In my never ending quest to find the perfect cheap fiddle (see my review of Song Tie Ji student fiddle elsewhere) I purchased this $69.00 job (plus $48 shipping) directly from the maker (or so the listing claimed) in China. I play old time fiddle (and probably not all that well, my neighbors might say), so I don't require professional tone, though I do appreciate it. This instrument does pretty darn well, I think, especially if the original strings are upgraded. Reasonally loud and mellow, evenly balanced and altogether pleasant. Sounds nearly as good as my older German Bergonzi model, though a somewhat thinner bass tone. Overall, I like it very much...way better than many student instruments I've played that cost a lot more. As with the Song Tie Ji student model, this fiddle has a tone that I think would encourage a beginner to continue playing, something you probably couldn't say about most inexpensive student grade violins now on the market. |
Sound Rating |
7 |
Setup
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Set up was perfect, although I did lower the strings at the bridge as I like them rather low and with wider spacing. As a student instrument, however, this fiddle could be easily played as it came. |
Setup Rating |
10 |
Appearance
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The antique finish was partly what attracted me to this instrument. It's quite beautiful, though with some minor surface flaws (seems to me some dust settled on it before the varnish was fully dried, but a very minor point). Edges are rubbed out to give an antique look, very well done. Flaming (which curiously did not show up in the listing photos) is very broad on the back and sides and most attractive. Purfling appears to be inlayed, though it is often obscured by the dark bourbon colored varnish. Altogether, it is a very attractive instrument. I particularly like that it is not buried under multiple layers of shiney "resin" varnish like so many inexpensive student violins.
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Appearance Rating |
9 |
Reliability
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Since this violin is fully lined and blocked and has decent tone, I don't think I'd be ashamed to play it in public, though being a student level instrument, I doubt many professionals would make it their first choice. Might make a decent backup, though, and suitable for cross tuning (which is what I'll probably use it for). I'm only guessing at its long term reliability, of course, but I can't see anything that would cause me concern. |
Reliability Rating |
8 |
Customer Service
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Excellent communication with the maker, Mr. Ma, and fast shipping. He actually responds to inquiries and seems eager to be helpful. |
Customer Service |
10 |
Components
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One of the more interesting features of this fiddle is the mother of pearl position marker inlays on the fingerboard (there are 8 of them). I don't know how useful this would be to a beginner, but it is attractive.
The fingerboard is quite nice and appears to be ebony, though I can't be sure. The maker did not indicate the wood used in the fittings. Chin rest and tail piece are a bit rough, though functional. I can't determine the type of wood. Suffice it to say they are black and reasonally well fitted.
One area of criticism, however is the bow. The one provided is oddly a 3/4 size, which doesn't bother me --.in fact, I rather prefer that size -- however, it is badly warped, made from indeterminate wood substance, and completely worthless. This is certainly an area this maker needs to upgrade, particularly as he listed it as a violin "set." I suspect he would replace it, if asked, but the shipping cost of returning it makes that a waste of time. I have other bows. For the price I paid for this fiddle, it is hard to complain about any of it.
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Components Rating |
6 |
Overall Comments
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Overall, I was very satisified with this instrument and wouldn't hesitate to purchase another from these folks. Quality is good, shipping fast and price darn near highway robbery on my part. Other more expensive models look to be very nice also, though of course, I haven't tried them. |
Overall Rating |
9 |
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Song Tie Ji violin
submitted 4/5/2009
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Submitter |
echord |
Where Purchased |
ebay store |
Year Purchased |
2009 |
Price Paid |
$117.00 ($US) |
Sound
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I play only old time and own several fiddles, ranging from a 100 year old German Bergoni model to a couple of new Asian junkers, but I'm always looking to amuse myself with a new one at rock bottom prices (this is what happens when you live alone). Saw these folks listing on Ebay and was impressed at the price and look of their instruments, so I decided to send 'em 69 bucks for their cheapest model (plus 48 shipping) and see what I got, figuring at worst I can salvage the neck and fittings to make another cigar box fiddle, or just resale it on Ebay. When it arrived (in a remarkable 6 days, including a week end, btw) I was greatly impressed. This 69 buck fiddle sounds better than my antique German (especially after fitting it with a decent set of Prelude steel strings). I know tone is subjective, but I am definitely impressed with the balance and ease of playing of this thing. Perlman probably won't want to trade me his Strad for it any time soon, but for a student grade fiddle, it's remarkable...a bit edgy at first, as I think most new fiddles are, but it seems to be developing well the more I play it. The tone suits old time perfectly, I think. Suffice to say I like it a lot. |
Sound Rating |
8 |
Setup
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Action was perfectly set to standard violin specs, which means a beginner could probably start out right away, but to me it meant I had to lower the bridge and spread the strings a bit, as I prefer. But I have to do that with any fiddle I've played. Maybe I've just got big fingers, but the narrow spacing and high action of pre-setup fiddles gives me trouble and makes playing hard for me in standard tuning, impossible in cross tuning. Lowering the bridge also seem to mellow the tone slightly. I like the strings quite low, about 1/8 inch off the fingerboard. Unlike most fiddles I've tried, the nut was perfectly regulated and required no alteration. |
Setup Rating |
10 |
Appearance
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Tone aside, what really amazed me was the workmanship and appearance of this instrument. Excellent tight flaming on back and sides, matte varnish, inlayed purfling, hand cut ebony chin rest (obviously fitted to this instrument, not just taken off the shelf), nice ebony fingerboard and tail piece. Nice extra touches also, like mother-of-pearl inlays on tail piece, tuning pegs and button. Pegs work great and the appearance altogether rivals instruments costing hundreds more. It's also fully lined and blocked, btw, which I've never seen on a cheap Chinese violin.Obviously, Mr. Song is a craftsman. If he does this for a 69 dollar fiddle, what must his $5000 model be like. I can only dream. |
Appearance Rating |
10 |
Reliability
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I don't play professionally, so that probably makes my rating in this catagory useless. But if I did, I don't think I'd have any concern about using this instrument, as well made as it appears to be. All the fittings are very good ebony. |
Reliability Rating |
8 |
Customer Service
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As impressive as the fiddle is, the service, communication and speed of delivery was even more so. First rate folks at Song Chung Violin Co. |
Customer Service |
10 |
Components
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Another bonus was the bow supplied with the violin -- not the usual worthless stick supplied with most student grade instruments, but rather an excellent octagonal wood bow, finished just as nicely as the violin. Weight about 68 grams, a little on the heavy side for my taste, but very useful for my cross tuned fiddles. I liked the whole deal so well, I purchased a carbon fiber bow from these folks for 40 bucks (plus shipping) and love it. Beautifull black finish, perfect balance and 60 grams weight. |
Components Rating |
10 |
Overall Comments
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I certainly would recommend this company for an excellent, well made inexpensive instrument. I can't personally vouch for their other stuff, but I'm betting it's all first rate. These folk obviously take pride in their products and I suspect that applies to all price ranges. |
Overall Rating |
10 |
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