Ebay Violins, Frauds and other dishonest stuff

[nick60]

I own a Scott Cao 750s Krielser and have a Coda Classic bow. I like the combination. I am an older player and would like to get a nice violin, not becuase my skills warrant it but just becuase I would like one. I have been a musician for many years but fairly new to the violin. I must say there are many frauds in the violin world. I really dont know where to turn with out getting ripped off. I am leaning to a contemperary violin, at least it may not be a fake. I would love to get an older one but what is a fair price? Who runs an honest shop? I live in the southeast if anyone can recomend a good shop please do. I really dont care where it is I will will travel.

[Regis]

There are both honest and dishonest dealers in shops and on ebay. In shops you are definately a little safer in that you can try them out. You can do the same on ebay with some dealers but, very time consuming. If you have confidence in your ear and have played enough to know the feel you want, you just need to visit lots of shops and compare, compare, compare. If your budget puts you up in the investment level of violin, then it is much more difficult. Even then, be sure you look in shops that move violins both above and below your budget. When you beleive you have found 'the' one then research, research, research until YOU are satisfied.

If you choose ebay, be sure you have a good setup person nearby. I believe some folks buy and then sell back on ebay going through many violins until they find just the one for them. If you watch the bidding and research the seller you may get a bargin.

[pahdah_hound]

Some ebay sellers will send you violins on approval. Its a good opportunity to live with some instruments for a while. Shops will usually have better set ups and service than an ebay seller usually can provide, but they also have much higher prices. Its a trade off.

Jesse

[triller]

Nick, Like you, I tend to be in my advancing years (late 50s here) & have only recently returned to the violin, after a 50-year hiatus spent with keyboards: piano, harpsichord & organ. I agree that the violin world is rife with fraud, along with negligent misrepresentation. It's a scary place.

To get me started again with playing, I temporarily borrowed a violin this summer, leading to the purchase of a new instrument by Keith Hill in Michigan (search online under keithhillharpsichords; then go to his violin section, where there is some excellent reading to do). I also highly recommend that you contact Keith & find out what he'd recommend. If you want to try out my Hill, I live in Durham NC.

I also VERY highly recommend John Montgomery's violin shop in Raleigh. The last time I visited, he had a 2005 Van Zandt and a 19th-c Nicolas Morlot that were of interest. We came close to adding the Morlot, but ultimately my ear wasn't quite satisfied. I got an early 20th c French violin from West Country Violins, in England, instead. If you don't know that shop's site, you should investigate it. Spend lots of time listening to what's on offer there (returning from time to time if there's nothing currently there to your taste, but you can also chat with Brian, to see if he might have something else not yet listed), and visit around as much as you can.

Happy hunting!! Unless you are "worried" about alleged investment value, all that really matters is that the violin you eventually pick has a tone YOU love. That's the way I went & I am very, very happy.