mrfiddle Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 I have a violin I'm thinking of setting up for myself to play and wanted to make sure it isn't anything valuable before I do. It looks somewhere around 200 years old but I'm guessing it would only be in the mid hundreds at auction and in the very low thousands retail, in which case I don't mind working on it for myself. I have one set up for fiddle music but I'd like this set up for classical. I'm happy to add other pictures if that helps. Thanks in advance! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dwight Brown Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 Not sure I can help at all but someone thought it was worth a neck graft and some pretty nice pegs anyway. DLB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jacobsaunders Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 To answer your question, more photos would be neccesary. You might like to use the guide here Quote Link to post Share on other sites
deans Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 Better pics are needed for sure but to me it looks like an early 19th century Saxon fiddle. Not a good choice for DIY work since many people are interested in these things even if they arent particularly valuable. Looks like all it might need is a good set up, assuming all the repairs are holding up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrfiddle Posted January 10 Author Report Share Posted January 10 I don't know how I've never seen that post about photographing violins, thank you! There a many repairs but they seem to be holding up ok, I wouldn't be doing any work on the violin, only setup including bridge and end pin. The pegs feel ok, for my needs at least. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jacobsaunders Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 I agree that it is a Saxon fiddle, early to mid 19th. C, quite a nice one. I would hate to comment on what you could do with it, since I have no idea who you are, but I can see no harm in your making a bridge/post if you feel able too Quote Link to post Share on other sites
glebert Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 Is it just me or does the fingboard look skewed a bit to the treble side? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
deans Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 I might think the scroll is later than the rest of the instrument. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blank face Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 16 minutes ago, deans said: I might think the scroll is later than the rest of the instrument. I agree with this observation, it also looks revarnished. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrfiddle Posted January 10 Author Report Share Posted January 10 25 minutes ago, glebert said: Is it just me or does the fingboard look skewed a bit to the treble side? Yes, it does look slightly that way. 18 minutes ago, deans said: I might think the scroll is later than the rest of the instrument. Interesting! 51 minutes ago, jacobsaunders said: I agree that it is a Saxon fiddle, early to mid 19th. C, quite a nice one. I would hate to comment on what you could do with it, since I have no idea who you are, but I can see no harm in your making a bridge/post if you feel able too Fair enough, thank you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrfiddle Posted January 10 Author Report Share Posted January 10 19 minutes ago, deans said: I might think the scroll is later than the rest of the instrument. I'm curious about the large amount of wear on the scroll, it must not be much later? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
uguntde Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 1 hour ago, jacobsaunders said: I agree that it is a Saxon fiddle, early to mid 19th. C, quite a nice one. I would hate to comment on what you could do with it, since I have no idea who you are, but I can see no harm in your making a bridge/post if you feel able too What do you see as typical Saxon elements? Is the prufling in any way typical for a Saxon? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jacobsaunders Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 33 minutes ago, uguntde said: What do you see as typical Saxon elements? Is the prufling in any way typical for a Saxon? Almost all violins have purfling. In this case I find the f-holes recognisably Saxon, as is the building method. I also agree with others that the scroll seems to be later. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Burgess Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 1 hour ago, mrfiddle said: I'm curious about the large amount of wear on the scroll, it must not be much later? "Duffer-level" wear is easily faked. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrfiddle Posted January 10 Author Report Share Posted January 10 11 minutes ago, David Burgess said: "Duffer-level" wear is easily faked. Ah, that makes sense. I've easily fooled. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mrfiddle Posted January 10 Author Report Share Posted January 10 I think I'll set it up for myself, not worth it for me to sell and I'd rather play on something with age. It doesn't really matter how it sounds because I'm the only one that will ever hear it. Well, me and my dog who howls every time I play. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rue Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 4 minutes ago, mrfiddle said: ... I'm the only one that will ever hear it. Well, me and my dog who howls every time I play. Every one's a critic, eh? Let us know how you like it, when you've set it up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dwight Brown Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 If you can do good bridges and sound posts and put good strings on it I should think it would be worth the experiment. Somebody along the line thought it was worth the repairs. DLB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Burgess Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 On 1/10/2021 at 3:50 PM, mrfiddle said: It doesn't really matter how it sounds because I'm the only one that will ever hear it. I do enjoy it when... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jeffrey Holmes Posted January 13 Report Share Posted January 13 Ok, ok... funny, but... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
glebert Posted January 13 Report Share Posted January 13 2 hours ago, Jeffrey Holmes said: Ok, ok... funny, but... Thanks for keeping us looking halfway respectable, Jeffrey. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Burgess Posted January 13 Report Share Posted January 13 14 minutes ago, glebert said: Thanks for keeping us looking halfway respectable, Jeffrey. Next, I will be banned from Twitter. (Just kidding, I have never had a Twitter account). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jeffrey Holmes Posted January 13 Report Share Posted January 13 33 minutes ago, David Burgess said: Next, I will be banned from Twitter. (Just kidding, I have never had a Twitter account). I think you might be very popular David! (now where is that photo of you on the bicycle at Oberlin.....) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sospiri Posted January 13 Report Share Posted January 13 39 minutes ago, Jeffrey Holmes said: I think you might be very popular David! (now where is that photo of you on the bicycle at Oberlin.....) Was it as rude as the one with the sheep? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Burgess Posted January 13 Report Share Posted January 13 9 minutes ago, sospiri said: Was it as rude as the one with the sheep? Possibly. Depends on your frame of reference. I actually inherited both the sheep and the bicycle from the workshop which preceded mine. Love them wild and crazy and creative folks in the Violin Making Workshop. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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