Budget around 35000 Euros. What violin can I get

[Lukebow]

Good 20th century makers? Or older? I wouldn’t prefer contemporary instruments. Can anyone give some recommendations of makers? Reputable Dealers? Many thanks! 

[reg]

Luke

Where are you located? 

[deans]

If you arre interested in old you could get a super fine example of an 18th century german or austrian instrument. The right one can stand up against just about anything.

If you like new, you have your choice of most of the best current makers. A few are a bit higher

[PhilipKT]

Others have said this many times but your approach is backwards.

instead of looking for a 35,000 violin, decide what you want and see how much that costs. After trying many violins you’ll have a sense of what kind of sound is worth approximately your budget.

a colleague wanted to upgrade from her very nice violin( don’t recall what it was) and tried violins  for for over a year before finding everything she wanted in a fairly humble Collin-Mezin from the early 1900s. Her budget was the same as yours but I would be surprised if she close to that much

[violinnewb]

With that kind of money, I'd spend half on a decent violin and the other half on a spectacular bow....and perhaps a new television.

[Lukebow]

2 hours ago, reg said:

Luke

Where are you located? 

US

[Lukebow]

1 hour ago, PhilipKT said:

Others have said this many times but your approach is backwards.

instead of looking for a 35,000 violin, decide what you want and see how much that costs. After trying many violins you’ll have a sense of what kind of sound is worth approximately your budget.

a colleague wanted to upgrade from her very nice violin( don’t recall what it was) and tried violins  for for over a year before finding everything she wanted in a fairly humble Collin-Mezin from the early 1900s. Her budget was the same as yours but I would be surprised if she close to that much

Hi Philip, I have already tried many instruments, but no one was very satisfied.How much did your colleague pay for her Collin-Mezin?

[PhilipKT]

24 minutes ago, Lukebow said:

Hi Philip, I have already tried many instruments, but no one was very satisfied.How much did your colleague pay for her Collin-Mezin?

Her budget was 35,000. I don’t know what  she paid but I couldn’t imagine it being anywhere near 35,000

[violinnewb]

Hi again Luke,

Members here really do try to help.  I too have a question about what you are looking for.  In agreement with what Phillip previously said, put the monetary value of the instrument to the side first.  

You say you do not prefer modern instruments.  That's fair.  You also say you tried many instruments but none satisfied you.  That's a good foundation.  Now you know what you don't like.  But--it also seems that a secondary category that you are using in your search is the "maker."  I say put that aside too.  Do not worry about the maker unless you are shopping for an instrument that will appreciate in the future.  

Sound first. Value second.  Having said all of that, there are many reputable shops willing to ship and loan instruments to play on for a week or so.  Try looking around.  

To better help, tell us your location.  Not simply "US."  the US is a big country lol.

[deans]

7 minutes ago, PhilipKT said:

Her budget was 35,000. I don’t know what  she paid but I couldn’t imagine it being anywhere near 35,000

I can, if it was a "real" CM from the late 1800s and was purchased retail.

[BassClef]

I would contact Jacob Saunders in Vienna and see I he has any 18ty century Viennese master violins that sound really nice. They seem to be undervalued, particularly the dark colored ones.

[mathieu valde]

You can get quite a lot lesser French instruments end of 18th c ,beginning of 19th century - Thouvenel, Remy, Bourlier, Morlot etc. They are nice players and prices are constantly rising, so it will be good investment. No, I'm wrong, budget is 35 000 instead 3500? then there are really good choice to get good 18th c Mittenwald or French instrument. 

[David Burgess]

1 hour ago, Lukebow said:

Hi Philip, I have already tried many instruments, but no one was very satisfied.How much did your colleague pay for her Collin-Mezin?

You haven't said exactly where you live, but since you are in the US, taking a short trip to a "violin center" like New York or Chicago might be worthwhile, where you could try more violins in a couple of days than you can shake a stick at.

[PhilipKT]

58 minutes ago, deans said:

I can, if it was a "real" CM from the late 1800s and was purchased retail.

Are they really going for that much? I don’t remember the date on my colleagues example, but it’s around the turn-of-the-century.

[GeorgeH]

Don't forget about great American makers in that price range.

[martin swan]

17 minutes ago, PhilipKT said:

Are they really going for that much? I don’t remember the date on my colleagues example, but it’s around the turn-of-the-century.

Not in our shop!

The best ones from the 1870s would sell for around £15k. I suppose we would charge a bit more for one that was mint.

A good one the wrong side of 1900 would be more like £12k.

[PhilipKT]

11 minutes ago, martin swan said:

Not in our shop!

The best ones from the 1870s would sell for around £15k. I suppose we would charge a bit more for one that was mint.

A good one the wrong side of 1900 would be more like £12k.

That’s what I was thinking, maybe 15-17 for an outstanding example.

[deans]

46 minutes ago, martin swan said:

The best ones from the 1870s would sell for around £15k.

That's still almost $20K with a very weak pound right now. We may not hit $35K, but expect well into the 20s in a big shop here, especially where I live. 

If you moved your shop here you could charge more for all of your instruments, unfortunately it would still be hard to pay the rent....We're losing lots of businesses around here because of that.

[Jeffrey Holmes]

1 hour ago, martin swan said:

Not in our shop!

The best ones from the 1870s would sell for around £15k. I suppose we would charge a bit more for one that was mint.

A good one the wrong side of 1900 would be more like £12k.

Presently here too (15K GBP is a tad over $19K), but a really fine one would go for more.  I recall an unusual one, a nearly mint antiqued del Gesu, that sold around $25K a decade ago.

Those on the wrong side of 1900 tend to go for less here unless the dealership trades on the name alone.  They really aren't the same animal.

[martin swan]

1 minute ago, Jeffrey Holmes said:

Presently here too (15K GBP is a tad over $19K), but a really fine one would go for more.  I recall an unusual one, a nearly mint antiqued del Gesu, that sold around $25K a decade ago.

Those on the wrong side of 1900 tend to go for less here unless the dealership trades on the name alone.  They really aren't the same animal.

I agree, in fact from around 1890 they seem to be very variable. The really early ones are lovely, though they seem to suffer from the particularly French problem of a super steep neck set (the nut very low in relation to the plane of the table).

 

[Lukebow]

Thanks for all the information. I am in LA area. I don’t mind to go to NYC or Chicago or anywhere in US. Any recommendation for reputable dealers? Yes, I am considering the sound and authenticity. 

[PhilipKT]

11 hours ago, Lukebow said:

Thanks for all the information. I am in LA area. I don’t mind to go to NYC or Chicago or anywhere in US. Any recommendation for reputable dealers? Yes, I am considering the sound and authenticity. 

In Chicago you have Bein & Fushi and William Harris Lee. And multiple others. Lee mainly deals in new instruments but acquired his Joseph Hill from the Lee shop.

[kaman]

At that price point I hope that you have a good teacher or else a player/friend who is knowledgable to help you pick an instrument--in Los Angeles (you don't mean lousiana, right?) there are many great players.  Also from the web many shops in LA that have instruments in your price range.  The only one I have any personal experience with is Benning Violins, where I did have a good experience trying violins--they had everything set up for me when I came and just left me alone while I tried them without trying to push me in any direction

Again I would think a teacher or colleague could help you?  I worry that the fact you are asking the question might suggest that you are looking on your own.

[Lukebow]

Is it hard to get an old Italian violin under this buget? No one mentioned any Italian maker. What if I increase the buget to 50K, any recommendation for  Italian makers? 

[Lukebow]

8 hours ago, kaman said:

At that price point I hope that you have a good teacher or else a player/friend who is knowledgable to help you pick an instrument--in Los Angeles (you don't mean lousiana, right?) there are many great players.  Also from the web many shops in LA that have instruments in your price range.  The only one I have any personal experience with is Benning Violins, where I did have a good experience trying violins--they had everything set up for me when I came and just left me alone while I tried them without trying to push me in any direction

Again I would think a teacher or colleague could help you?  I worry that the fact you are asking the question might suggest that you are looking on your own.

Hi  Kaman, I already graduated from school about 25 years... so I do not have any teacher right now : )