Fiddler45

I worked on a friend's violin once that had this, only a lot bigger. Along with two MASSIVE thick cleats on the back that served no apparent purpose whatsoever. Odd, because it was otherwise nicely made. Someone's crude repair probably.

This is why I was asking what model is was made after, and how big the body is. Some models are much harder to get the tone he's after.

What model violin is it? Strad? Amati? Maggini? How big is it? High arch or flat?

Hmm. Down to $150 now. Was $400 last week..must be desperate.

Run. Away. There are countless other choices out there. Either the same condition for $20, or much better condition for what they're asking for this. For instance, this is on the local Craigslist. Oddly enough, for the exact same price, but without the badly cobbled together repairs.

IMO, if someone had to get "collegues" to help him evaluate the sound quality, he is making a poor decision. Either he loves the tone or he doesn't. Who cares what they say?

Heat will help that too.

This. Works like a charm. Also works if Titebond was used

Question..does anyone oven dry their post wood or bridges, and does it help? I'm wondering the same thing as the op about a couple violins.

Have three birdseye maggini copies and love them all.

RIP Craig. Maestronet will miss you.

Just got a foot this weekend in Minnesota..expecting more today. Praying that will be it for the year.

I'm only in my mid 40s but my sentimentality is probably more suited for an earlier time. I've said for years, for many different reasons, that I wish I'd been born 50 years sooner.

I have noticed in the violin community (as well as other places; maybe it's just human nature) that if a violin is priced at say, $5,000, there is automatically a sense that it's really something special, whereas one that is priced at $750 that sounds and plays just as good is looked at with an air of "what's wrong with this that it's so cheap?" I think a lot of it is a status thing. I will agree that provenance will help resell an instrument, but I also wonder, if people would do a little research and shop around, maybe when they're ready to "move up" to the "next level" instruments, they wouldn't have to worry about getting the $5,000 back that they have invested in their "inferior" instrument.

I just get tired of seeing violins with price tags of $5,000 and up because of who made them, whether they sound good or not. I get that good sound is a matter of personal preference, but I've played dozens of violins in this range in shops that don't sound any better than $50 estate sale trade instruments that have been gone through and well set up.