Fellow

++++++++++++++ The " stiffness" of a bow is most important feature after its dimension. Buy a carbon fibre bow if you cannot afford a good wooden bow.

++++++ Some conductors may please me sometime but no condctor can please me all the time. Nothing is unusual about that.

++++++++++++++ This is a public forum. When did it happen that it turns to a public discusion about a person.

++++++++ Two important choices of the stick material, pernambuco wood or carbon fiber? Unless you are prepared to pay for pernanbuco wood, carbon fiber is not a bad choice. A good wooden bow may cost you $2000-3,000. Not many shop carry them neither. If you Compare the the mount of gold used on it, it is not that much. A good bow is a good bow, with or wthout gold used. You choose a good bow first. If it happens to be gold mounted, then it is fine. What is a good bow? A bow meets all your needs. It is neither too stiff nor too soft to your liking. Once my old violin teacher cried when he talked about his lost bow. It was that serious. Another teacher skipped my lesson when he was carried away talking about his favorite bow.

++++++++++++++ Most shops do not want to buy your violin for a simple reason, that is, that they have already had many. They want to do a service for you at a charge without to have the trouble of making extra space for storage. It is fair to you and to themselves. Some shops accept consignments too, have you thought about that?

+++++++++++ The more information you give, the better answer the people here will provide, just my guess. Is it old ? 75 years, 100 years, 150 years? Nice varnish? Looks like oil? what are the Pegs look like? Ebony?(most common) etc. Pictures will help.

+++++++++++ The more information you give, the better answer the people here will provide, just my guess. Is it old ? 75 years, 100 years, 150 years? Nice varnish? Looks like oil? what are the Pegs look like? Ebony?(most common) etc. Pictures will help. From wear and tear, you can tell somewhat its age. It is pretty consistent. Don't hold the hope too high that it is a rare find. Many people pay $50 to $100 for a piece of junk to practice his repairing skill. For example, I have a junk I am studying. I am not sure the scroll was of the violin grafted or falsely scratched to make it look like so. The scroll looks betterthan the rest of the neck. The skill was pretty good if it was grafted.

+++++++++++++++++++ Is the violin playable? To a violin user (player) like me, I check its condition first. Any open seam, cracks, that needed to repair? When this is done, I play it. If I like it, it must be worth something. The top can tell you pretty much how valauable the violin is. I have not seen a valuable violn which its top does not look pretty. Grains of the top are straight and uniform, Maple back flame( alot) is impressive. At some angle, you see it. At other angle is disappears. The rib is not too high or too low (well proportion) When you see a beautiful lady, you do not need anyone to tell you she is gorgeous. In short,if it looks good, and the sound is good, and its repair work, if any, would not need further attention for at least 20 years, you have a decent violin.

+++++++++++++++ String tension and strings' mass plus tailgate's mass are elements that also contribute to the sound. Changing mass of course changes the sound. I wonder if there are people who spend a lot of money to buy a violin to replace an old one which could be easily improved greatly its sound if a little money is spent in set up.

++++++++ I am not sure what do you mean " slow response". Most violins I know the (sound of) notes are waiting to jump out at your command. The only time it is silent if you do not draw your bow for a long time. If your bow lightly touchs the string. the sound goes crazy. If you don't believe me, ask my neighbors. I use Nylon core (perlon) strings. If I use steet strings, it would be too fast (or too craze)

+++++++++ Beautiful work.

++++++++++ I think the original poster was calling our attention to its low price. As if it is said, " Look. here is something cheap, you could not go wrong with that, what you got to lose? "" Is is also true, why we should look at a violin just because it is cheap. My advice to buyers is to buy the best he or she can afford. Cheap is not the way to go. Every time you upgrade your violin you hurt your pocket book. A violin that you want to play has to be reasonably good to beginwith. If you are not sure, ask someone who know. I know some very intellegent players spent huge sums for their violins. There must be some reasons.

++++++++++ Most likely, it is a case of the varnish without the ground coat.

++++++++++++++ I assume the surface is not soft. Light sanding is possible. Right? As I know, the ground coat has to be right in order to put on the top coat varnish. The varnish won't stick to the wood without the ground coat. It looks like where your problem is.

+++++++++++ All I know it is hard. First thing I discovered you need to have good tools ( sharp tools ) and the fact that maple is hard to cut or to carve. I used to complain that violins are so expensive, now I keep quiet. Why not buy some old broken violins and fix them to become a repair man first. If you are good, people will want your services. For example, cut a bridge. See how you like it.

++++++++++++++ I think when the bidder wanted to have the violin and he or she is very rich, he can have it. $950K showed his or her desire and no minding separating a $950k sum, which is practical nothing to him or her. In that case, why not? A $950K violin is still needed someone good to play it. It needs good set up and alot of other things. If you don't have good violin music, for example, it is just aweful.

[quo ++++++++++++ Are there any short cuts? Don't be so sure. What is necessary and what is sufficient,these are problems. I had a few teachers before. Each one used different material. Some were more interesting than others. What is more mportant is not to turn students off. I stopped learning violin at least three or four time in my life.

+++++++++++ You get a pretty good rating system. I kind of like it.

+++++++++++ I agree with you. An antique old chair may be sold for a lot of money. It does not mean that one could not find a better chair to sit for less money. A few hundred dollars chair will comfort me just fine. So it is the violin. It is its antique value of the violin that costs the price high. I find some violins which are old but not antique are so good in producing Strad sound without costing an arm and a leg. However, a violin has to be reasonablely good to produce good sound. Many morderate price violins that I have tried can do that. Try to play many different violins when you visit shops, you will find agreement with me.

+++++++++++++++++++ I have worked with pegs often, you may not have encountered some tough problem pegs. If you work long enough , you would not find my finding surprised. If you drill new holes and use new pegs then it is another matter. If you do not want to drill too big a new hole and use only the old pegs (new contact surfaces) , you would know how tough it could be. Even "perfection pegs" are not perfect. Pegs are basic " pains" . New inventions or new designs are needed in my opinion. Old fashion gears may work but I know people fight to death of this idea. " ===== Strange that many working musicians don't have as much trouble with their pegs. Ever consider finding some pegs made from quality, aged wood and having them fit by someone who knows what they are doing? Maybe lubricating your pegs with your checkbook instead of Elmers might change your mind +++++" You start with pegs that have no problem. I start pegs with problems. We have different starting points.

++++++++++++++ Stylish? The only hope I want they work (to keep string in check) most pegs cannot even to do that. If they do not slip. you should be gald.

+++++++++++ The chin rest is extra . How much is the chinrest, I am afraid to ask. Seriously, I am happy with what I have , an old antique no name violin. It does its job well. I have tried many expensive violins of $13K range, I cannot tell any difference. I don't think I can make better sound with a $950K violin. The $950k violin looks so beautiful though.

+++++++++++ Exactly. It is not hard to find. Anyone can have such if he or she wants it.

[q ============ $2,500 for a decent violin is not excessive, it is fair to say. Other sellers may ask more without saying anything. Decision is entrely up to the buyers' judgements.