Spelman

Johnson String Instrument is a reputable place.

The bow? Umm...it's not exactly my favorite element in the painting but I like the cubist riff that the tip and frog are inverse and you can see the end of the button and the flat of the hair when looking at the side of the bow. Was there something particular about the bow that caught your eye?

That Chagall is one of my favorite paintings. I love the f-holes on this Picasso, my next tattoo.

I started teaching on a not-so-great violin. I got a much nicer fiddle and it has made me a much better teacher. If you try to show a student something and the violin can't do it or won't without great effort, then it makes it much harder to effectively communicate your lesson.

Most of the time, if you try to mooch, it won't work. All of my free string sets have come without my asking. (YELLING USUALLY DOESN'T WORK EITHER.)

Is the violin only going to Columbus or any other cities in the US? Thanks!

How are the instruments made by the man himself? Second on Haide celli, my nephew has one and it is quite nice.

Happy New Year to you too, VdA! And thanks to all the collective wisdom on this board. You have educated me immeasurably and helped me to inform my students about the construction, restoration, and history of the violin and violin family. Hope everyone has a great 2019!

Vinyl and vacuum tubes baby!

You should check with a teacher. Getting the violin to stay in place *without* clamping down with your head is important to good playing and to good health. Static loading of the neck and upper back muscles is a recipe for an injury (and difficult playing).

Second the recommendation on the Amber E from Warchal. A light gauge (heavier gauges sound too brassy to my ear) No. 1 E from Pirastro is also a decent E string that is virtually whistle proof.

I think you should be careful and have an instrument and set up that fits you well and is comfortable. Risking injury to squeeze a couple of extra decibels out of your instrument is not exactly a good idea. You can jack yourself up with an ill-fitting set up that makes you clench the instrument in place and/or causes you to twist your spine, shoulders, etc. I recommend all my students to get a custom-fit chinrest from Frisch and Denig: http://www.chinrests.com/ Otherwise, here's some reading for you: https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Less-Hurt-Prevention-Musicians/dp/1423488466/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542655410&sr=8-1&keywords=playing+less+hurt++book Take care of yourself, you want to keep playing for the rest of your life.

Not surprised they did. Glad they did.

That one.

Of course, there is always the real thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B_g0KvCdEg