New Hill violins

[Wood Butcher]

I would hope so too, they will have to be good to get that price.
But in the end, what is even the point of this? Other than to try to cash in on a name from the past.

[deans]

11 minutes ago, Wood Butcher said:

Other than to try to cash in on a name from the past.

Maybe this is all. But maybe they're trying to recapture something they believe is missing in the modern violin world (and make some money).

[Wood Butcher]

I don't think it is trying to recapture anything.

Original Hill violins were never heavily antiqued like these.

[Violadamore]

57 minutes ago, deans said:

So far this is my take, except for the made in another country, that's speculation. 

I'm curious what they are like. My gut feeling is that they will be good. 

I agree, but will they be a better practical buy than other high-end shopmade violins, which are available generally for much less money?  The prices we've seen so far could get you a new benchmade from a large number of current makers. 

[jacobsaunders]

2 minutes ago, Violadamore said:

 a new benchmade from a large number of current makers. 

My bench doesn't make anything

[Wood Butcher]

2 minutes ago, jacobsaunders said:

My bench doesn't make anything

That's what you think, but after you turn out the lights and go home in the evening, who knows what happens?

[matesic]

They didn't even respond to my message asking for an audition, somehow correctly identifying a time-waster (anyone with an address in the UK?)

[Rue]

1 hour ago, Violadamore said:

I agree, but will they be a better practical buy than other high-end shopmade violins, which are available generally for much less money?  The prices we've seen so far could get you a new benchmade from a large number of current makers. 

I was wondering that too.  What market are these instruments aimed at?

31 minutes ago, matesic said:

They didn't even respond to my message asking for an audition, somehow correctly identifying a time-waster (anyone with an address in the UK?)

Auditioning as a maker?

1 hour ago, Wood Butcher said:

That's what you think, but after you turn out the lights and go home in the evening, who knows what happens?

The luthier version of Wichtelmänner appear?

[Twinpipe]

33 minutes ago, matesic said:

They didn't even respond to my message asking for an audition, somehow correctly identifying a time-waster (anyone with an address in the UK?)

My intuition tells me that they don't have any instruments to audition.

[hendrik]

While we are at the (rather useless) game of guessing - here my 1 cent:

they have some  talented maker(s) who is/ are yet relatively unknown working for them with some input from Greiner and others.

Didn't - or doesn't - another famous London shop have a similar arrangement ? 

 

[Violadamore]

1 minute ago, Rue said:

The luthier version of Wichtelmänner appear?

Hmmm....he's in the right area for such, as well as in a historic (and so probably reputedly haunted) building...one pictures him leaving a shattered violin out on the bench overnight, with a bowl of milk and some pastries.   

[Wood Butcher]

Tasty times!

[HoGo]

5 hours ago, deans said:

So far this is my take, except for the made in another country, that's speculation. 

I'm curious what they are like. My gut feeling is that they will be good. 

They may be good, but at that price point violins are mostly valued by their pedigree not just tone. I think you can get all that tone and as bonus being made by some real known master maker for that price.

[deans]

20 minutes ago, HoGo said:

I think you can get all that tone and as bonus being made by some real known master maker for that price.

I have no idea what the tone of these would be like, and it seems nobody else does. I have tried many modern instruments made by individuals,  some are great, some are OK, and some aren't, and the price  tag is often not a good indicator.

I believe historically that many great violins were "shop" instruments. I havent completely bought into the idea the the only way that  good violins can be produced is by a lone maker performing all of the tasks.

[Three13]

5 hours ago, jacobsaunders said:

My bench doesn't make anything

For $40,000, I'm sure you'd do your best to teach it to make something.

[Wood Butcher]

6 hours ago, Violadamore said:

The prices we've seen so far could get you a new benchmade from a large number of current makers. 

I don’t really understand the term benchmade, most violins are made on a bench.

Do you mean rather than machined in a factory?

[deans]

Looks like they have pretty nice benches in China

[Ben Hebbert]

Oh dear, what cynicism we have here. 

Having seen and played a few of these violins, the workshop is under the supervision of Greiner and Brewer-Young. Frankly, I am of the opinion that small workshops of makers working individually and together have potential advantages over isolated makers because of the continuous feedback that they get from their  peers. If I was wanting to go down that route of making, it would be a wonderful experience. 

I’m actually very grateful that the larger names are asking high sums for their instruments, as there has been too much congestion around the £10000 mark for new instruments. It means that makers don’t have the financial incentive to go the extra mile and really focus on great work. Since things began to open up a little, we’ve seen a real flourishing of top end makers because they can charge a price that allows them to afford to spend the extra time on these instruments. 

Would I buy one? With a lot of knowledge of contemporary makers in Britain I can find just as good for less than they are charging. But for people without the ability to do that kind of a search, or from cultures that put a high premium on brand security, I think these are a compelling choice. 

So, begrudgingly - I have to take my hat off to them.  

 

[deans]

16 minutes ago, Ben Hebbert said:

Having seen and played a few of these violins, the workshop is under the supervision of Greiner and Brewer-Young. Frankly, I am of the opinion that small workshops of makers working individually and together have potential advantages over isolated makers because of the continuous feedback that they get from their  peers. If I was wanting to go down that route of making, it would be a wonderful experience. 

I’m actually very grateful that the larger names are asking high sums for their instruments, as there has been too much congestion around the £10000 mark for new instruments. It means that makers don’t have the financial incentive to go the extra mile and really focus on great work. Since things began to open up a little, we’ve seen a real flourishing of top end makers because they can charge a price that allows them to afford to spend the extra time on these instruments. 

Would I buy one? With a lot of knowledge of contemporary makers in Britain I can find just as good for less than they are charging. But for people without the ability to do that kind of a search, or from cultures that put a high premium on brand security, I think these are a compelling choice. 

So, begrudgingly - I have to take my hat off to them.  

Thanks.

[Wood Butcher]

It is nice to hear some comments from someone who has actually had hands on these. Thank you Mr Hebbert.

The cynicism would have been allayed, if the website had perhaps been better written, and with more information. I understand what you mean about brand security, I guess they had specific markets in mind before starting this new project.

Interesting to read the comments about current British  makers being mediocre, and not charging enough to be able to execute great work. Is this a result of the economic situation now, or it has always been this way?
Do you think some of them are being held back?

[Violadamore]

1 hour ago, Wood Butcher said:

I don’t really understand the term benchmade, most violins are made on a bench.

Do you mean rather than machined in a factory?

I mean individually made from start to finish and signed/labeled by the maker.

[jacobsaunders]

 

3 hours ago, Violadamore said:

I mean individually made from start to finish and signed/labeled by the maker.

Such violins are made by a craftsmann and not a "bench"

[Violadamore]

25 minutes ago, jacobsaunders said:

 

Such violins are made by a craftsmann and not a "bench"

Jacob, the term's been in use here for years.  Why are you suddenly objecting to it?  What would you suggest in place of it?

[JohnCockburn]

8 hours ago, Wood Butcher said:

 

Interesting to read the comments about current British  makers being mediocre, and not charging enough to be able to execute great work. Is this a result of the economic situation now, or it has always been this way?
Do you think some of them are being held back?

WTF?? who said that? 

[jacobsaunders]

2 hours ago, Violadamore said:

Jacob, the term's been in use here for years.  Why are you suddenly objecting to it?  What would you suggest in place of it?

It is in any case a particularly meaningless expression, that requires people to ask what on earth you are talking about. It rather disabuses the old cliché that Americans are a bunch of Germans who think they speak English, since in German that would be “Höbelbankerzeugt” which would leave everyone asking “Wot?”. The actual German expression would be “Meistergeige”