So i bought this and it arrived today. I am sure its a fake, but it does look very lovely. Despite the terrible string, the sound was warm and loud. Could any one help to identify the violin, and please let me know if you think the quality is good enough to warrant spending a bit of money to get this thing back in shape.
The seller was giving this violin, and she did not know anything about violin so I was able to buy it for $30usd.
What does it need?
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Originally posted by DougDWhat does it need?
looks like new fingerboard, new bridge, a nicer tail piece and chin rest would help. and definitely a set of string :) in New Zealand, that would be around $1000nzd, which is quite a bit.
Hard to tell from your pictures, but the tailpiece and fingerboard look OK - just need to remove the tape. The chinrest isn't going to affect the sound. Take it to your luthier for bridge and strings and see what they say.
the top of the fingerboard, the ridges where the strings sit, they are very worned out, so the strings were almost touching the fingerboard without even being pressed.
If its thick enough it can be planed.
I don't really undrstand your last post. Do you mean the slots in the nut are worn too deep? That's a separate piece, not part of the fingerboard, and replacing it is a relatively minor job.
quote:
Originally posted by DougDI don't really undrstand your last post. Do you mean the slots in the nut are worn too deep? That's a separate piece, not part of the fingerboard, and replacing it is a relatively minor job.
He might mean lengthwise...The one I just picked up feels like some grooves going down the neck. Mine is going to need a plane.
quote:
Originally posted by DougDI don't really undrstand your last post. Do you mean the slots in the nut are worn too deep? That's a separate piece, not part of the fingerboard, and replacing it is a relatively minor job.
yes you are right, the nut at the very top of the fingerboard, its very worn out, so it doesn't raise the strings at all. and yes of course, its two separate parts, so you woudl be right, hopefully woudl be a cheap job. and bridge looks very wonky, so probably only need those two things :)
with tail piece, is it worth it to get a really nice piece, does it affect the sound?
im thinking of buying these two to give to luthier to help me with this violin
https://www.simplyforstrings.co.nz/products/despiau-low-heart-violin-bridge-4-4
https://www.simplyforstrings.co.nz/products/wittner-ultralight-violin-tailpiece
thoughts please
quote:
Originally posted by yoyogogoquote:
Originally posted by DougDI don't really undrstand your last post. Do you mean the slots in the nut are worn too deep? That's a separate piece, not part of the fingerboard, and replacing it is a relatively minor job.
yes you are right, the nut at the very top of the fingerboard, its very worn out, so it doesn't raise the strings at all. and yes of course, its two separate parts, so you woudl be right, hopefully woudl be a cheap job. and bridge looks very wonky, so probably only need those two things :)
with tail piece, is it worth it to get a really nice piece, does it affect the sound?
im thinking of buying these two to give to luthier to help me with this violin
https://www.simplyforstrings.co.nz/products/despiau-low-heart-violin-bridge-4-4
https://www.simplyforstrings.co.nz/products/wittner-ultralight-violin-tailpiece
thoughts please
To be fair, the violin's label doesn't claim to be a Vuillaume, as it's clearly marked "copy after." There were thousands and thousands of commercial violins made in France and Germany with similar labels. If your violin is in good condition, your purchase price is quite good. It'll need setup to get the most out of it, but that's a worthwhile investment.
As far as the parts, please let a good luthier give suggestions. The Wittner tailpiece is very good, but you're wasting money if you buy it yourself because you have to pay more for it than a luthier does. The same goes for any other fittings. Quality is all over the place, and you really need to know what you're getting--they're not all the same. Higher price does not necessarily mean better tonal quality. There is a higher expectation of precise workmanship and the most carefully selected materials, but the tonal benefit is minimal.
A bridge blank will only make a good bridge if it's cut well. Again, let a good luthier supply a bridge. If the person you're asking to do work is asking you to supply the parts, that's a huge red flag. Any decent luthier will have suppliers for parts.
i only just noticed the copy test above the label :)
it is at a luthier at the moment. very exciting to discvoer one only an hour away. so will wait for his recommendations and go from there.
If its in the hands of a luthier that's a step in the right direction. I was going to ask you why you thought you needed a low heart bridge. Did you measure the action? That's a bridge for an instrument that needs a very low bridge, usually due to low neck angle.
That tailpiece looks OK from your photos. The advantage to the Wittner is that it has built in fine tuners, and is light. Always check the tailgut though. The old red ones (real gut) are usually dried out and ready to break.
quote:
Originally posted by yoyogogoi only just noticed the copy test above the label :)
it is at a luthier at the moment. very exciting to discvoer one only an hour away. so will wait for his recommendations and go from there.
That's great. Best wishes for a good outcome.
You posted more pictures of it on Maestronet that show what looks to be a repair to the soundpost area. Soundpost cracks are some of the most serious damage a violin can suffer, and the value of a violin that's had one is drastically reduced. That makes it risky to buy a violin with this kind of damage if you intend to sell it some day. If you just want it to play and aren't concerned about losing money, so long as it ends up structurally sound, there's no reason why you can't enjoy it for what it is. Your luthier can tell you how well it's repaired inside so you can know whether it needs more work.
quote:
Originally posted by The Violin Beautifulquote:
Originally posted by yoyogogoi only just noticed the copy test above the label :)
it is at a luthier at the moment. very exciting to discvoer one only an hour away. so will wait for his recommendations and go from there.That's great. Best wishes for a good outcome.
You posted more pictures of it on Maestronet that show what looks to be a repair to the soundpost area. Soundpost cracks are some of the most serious damage a violin can suffer, and the value of a violin that's had one is drastically reduced. That makes it risky to buy a violin with this kind of damage if you intend to sell it some day. If you just want it to play and aren't concerned about losing money, so long as it ends up structurally sound, there's no reason why you can't enjoy it for what it is. Your luthier can tell you how well it's repaired inside so you can know whether it needs more work.
yes i think you have said it perfectly. from the quick i play with the available few strings on the violin, it sounded sweet and lovely, with a bit of crackling in the sound. so will see what the luthier say, and if there is a quick and cheap fix to allow me to play with it, despite all the cracks and flaws. Or else i will just set it for someone to restore it back to life.
