miles
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Posts posted by miles
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>I believe I'm the owner of 2 Gotchas
Regis, lucky you! How did you acquire the 2 from the "Top name, no output whatsoever"? I want a "Gotcha" TWO.
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<"It does sound alot better than other expensive violins thats true"
T, I am confused. I was told that the value of a violin lied in its tone/sound. So if this violin has better sound than other expensive ones why wouldn't it be a nice violin or a good deal?
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Sunnybear: "if you look at the violins on e-bay, the seller (andrew) does not make this claim anymore...he was listed on the amati Foundation, then was replaced by the current chap...e-mail Andrew for an explanation."
I think it is logical that Andrew took the "listed" claim off since Mr. Zhang no longer appears on Amati's list. IMHO, Andrew was acting upon Amati Foundation's result. I would do the same if I were him.
Following the train of thought, shouldn't the curious write to Amati Foundation to get a detailed explanation for what happened instead of to Andrew? The chosen shouldn't be in the driver's seat, should they? If they should, we would call that MANIPULATION, wouldn't we? So, who is in the better position to tell all of us reading/writing this thread, Andrew of HK or Amati Foundation?
Glenn, "I'm tempted to get one of those Chinese violins with the quilted bird's eye maple backs."
They do look spectacular. But one caution, some complained that the tone was not as good. I myself bought one, which I fondly and proudly call "my cheap Chinese violin", actually has very good tone even with cheap strings (the seller recommended that I replace them, but I have not).
Oh yeh, the snakewood is beautiful too. There was one violin made with snakewood and painted crackle white/gold color. I tempted to buy it, but...
> Mamawelder, yours is a regrettable, cautionary tale that we always run some risk buying on eBay with only pictures to guide us.
Actually, Mamawelder's cello has return policy (for 15 days???) like Jesse's. If Malmawelder was so unhappy with it, she should have returned it right within 15 days. That's fair and square as I always say with Jesse's items: If you don't like it, send it straight back to Jesse. Therefore, I don't think "you win some and you lose some" applies in her case. On the contrary, I would feel confident bidding on Mamawelder's cello and Jesse's auctions: You won't loose.
Mamawelder, did you return the cello? Any hassel from the seller?
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Glenn, thanks a lot for the 'insider's edition'. I am so glad that they are planning ahead with the wood.
Yes, when I lived in Munich, I visited the mad king's palace in Numphenberg and delighted to see Chinese paint on the wall and also its china. I think it was likely from Ming Dynasty (Ming Dynasty follows Yuen Dynasty) given the color and the time China export was very advanced. The condition of the arts are unbelievable! If you've got the chance to visit the forbidden palace in Peking (i.e. Beijing) or the national palace in Taipei, Taiwn you will be awe as I always was and still am.
Even though I have lived, studied and worked in three continents, I am still very fond and very proud of my Chinese heritage.
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Glenn, thanks to you I now own a wonderful violin 'certified' to be made by ZSM. If it weren't for you, I may not start looking into Chinese violin until even later than now. My gratitude.
One thing is that Andrew did specified "made by" and "labeled" to distinguish whether the violin was totally made by ZSM. So a lot of complaints seem to omit this fact. That said, Andrew although regarded as honest sometimes quite sloppy in his description. I guess it is always easier for chinese just to "recycle" English since we don't use English as media (by the way, I am an overseas Chinese).
You and sweetmusic are right about Chinese culture. To be frank, in Chinese culture, our appreciation for the instruments means the whole world to the makers known or otherwise.
>I doubt it because in 10 years time, the overall quality of Chinese violin will have improved beyond all recognition.
Oh, no. Don't say that. I already bet my 'pension' on these violins.
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Matt, this violin is really beautiful!!! I really like the contrast part. Congrats!
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Linda, did you return the cello? It seems to be on eBay currently. I also bought a birds eye cello, but have not received it yet. Should arrive next week. I am keeping my fingers crossed. The violin I bought from him though was very good.
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>Zheng Quan (pronounced Chong Chan)
Glenn, Is "Chong Chan" Cantonese?
Thanks
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I just got more information about Zheng's violin: He makes only 4 violins per year and his wood is usually naturally dried for about 2 decades. If you want his violin, $10K up front.
Regarding ZSM, there's another site selling his instruments:
http://www.christianparents.com/violinm1.html
This site makes ZSM sound real. So what's going on here?
I looked into the owner of this website and he seems to be US based:
Larry Rice, DBA Life Advantage Marketing
4908 George
Wichita Falls, TX 76302
US
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Then question might be: How can one acquire a violin made by Zhen only?
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>"Good deal" always shows up right after you have bought a violin.
Four, Five years it was NOT the case with me. Now I seem to have better luck with getting "good deals". I guess maybe my knowledge of violin has grown or then again maybe it was just pure luck.
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Actually, I checked ZSM when I first heard of him. His name, if I remembered correctly, did appear on the Amati list. Maybe for some reason they replaced Zhang with Zheng somehow.
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>Don't say this to your grand children. "don't sit on my violin case"
The moral of the story should read: Buy yourself a strong violin case and say to your grand children: "Do sit on my violin case."
I think your grand children are cute.
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I bought three violins on eBay and they tend to be on the heavy side. Quality is all right for the money. I also have a case made by Bam in France, which is super duper: Suspension is very good and it's also very light. But then again, it cost a lot MORE as well. If you are traveling, I would think the Bam case might be a better bet since it is lighter.
On the other hand, I also got free cases with violins I bought. One of which is excellent, but I could not find out who sold them. I asked the seller who sold me the violin and he responded that the case came with the violin factory and was not sold separately.
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Hi Yuen,
Thanks a lot for the advice and sorry you parted with your good violin.
>Never let your good friend handle your violin...
unless he's a violinist or a luthier with gentle hands.
I thought you also had a violin on an indefinite loan to a friend. No?
I checked my "daily" violin, which always sit on the violin stand when not in use. Duh! It has two spots where the rubber hands met the violin. So I would like to add:
"Never let your bad violin stand handle your violin. Otherwise, you'll see two (or three, one on the back) spots on it."
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Hi Yuen,
Thanks a lot for the information; now I won't get too paranoid.
Hi Israel,
Well, I think distilled water will solve the calcium issue. But if the violin is varnished, shouldn't it be protected from the calcium residue. Then if that's so, the rosin residue shouldn't be a problem... Rosin is acidic and calcium is basic...
You know, I should have paid more attention to Chemistry back in the high school days instead of pulling my hair now...
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>by complaining here about a purchase
The original post is seeking members who had bought cases from the same seller and see how they felt about their purchase, not sympathy.
Although violin cases don't cost as much as a violin for the most part, if we feel strongly about misrepresntation of a violin, then logically why should we feel different about misrepresntation of a violin case?
If someone intentionally misrepresent an item, do you really think that he would be honest when you "discuss" it with him?
>The copyright etc is just photoshopped...
I need a user manual for the photoshop then. Thanks.
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>I throughtly cleaned out side with an acceptable violin polish.
yuen, any particular reason why you don't use just tap water? What kind of polish would you use to clean up the outside?
I actually use tap water to clean my violins, but don't feel too comfortable with it. So afterwards, I bought some kind of soft leather to clean it up even more in an attempt to get rid of water residue if any (I cannot tell). Am I damaging my violin rather than my good intention of cleaning it up?
Thanks,
miles
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Yes, Larry. I deleted the post by mistake while on the phone with my mortagage broker.
Now I am wondering once I get the refi money: Should I use the money to get an expensive violin or should I get expensive wine? I hope my humble residence is worth enough to get one of the two although I cannot play violin and I don't drink.
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>If the fact that he's bidding were disclosed prematurely, it would likely cause him to pay a higher price or even lose the auction since other bidders would be informed that this auction is a good one.
If you are a seller, would this situation be better for you i.e. potential higher price? I don't see this is a good reason for the seller to block the bidder's ID.
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>But most of the money and growth are there, especially in the East, where the incomes and prices are rapidly closing with ours. In the violin trade, we keep hearing of craftsmen who have trained abroad. They could have stayed here or in Europe, but clearly they returned to China because they thought they could live better there.
There are emotional/sentimental factors as well. Most Chinese would like to return to their roots. My family friend did that too. It is not because he felt he could live in a Chinese soceity better, but because he was longing to return "home".
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Totally agree with Glenn.
If the location of a violin maker is an important factor of the price for a violin, why are we paying tens of thousand dollars and even millions of dollars for a strad or other ancient well-known violin makers? They are dead anyway and therefore we should pay zep. why do they need our money for?
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>I can't tell you how much damage the school instruments have suffered as a result of a students dad "helping out" by either setting up a fallen post, or replacing one with a portion of hardwood dowel from the hardware store.
I was the "helping out dad". Good thing that the sound post fell on its own.
Thanks a lot again, CT.
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Thanks a lot, CT. I've gotten a luthier to patch a sound post crack on the back. I don't know whether he would do anything to the sound post, but I will certainly check with him to make sure the crack will not be reopened.
Zhang Shu Mei and Amarti Foundation
in The Pegbox
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That makes sense. Most of those are actually described as "labeled", not "made by" so logically they were made by his workshop. <br /><br />In this case, Glenn's wisdom applies:<br />"[W]e always run some risk buying on eBay with only pictures to guide us. It is always a case of 'you win some and you lose some'."