Got offer this violin for around $250usd. One piece back. Do you think its worth it and any info please? Apparently its German made.

[yoyogogo]

   got offered this lovely violin. the lady tried her best to take the images according to that post on this forum. Any thoughts and advice please? It looks rather pretty to my naive eyes.        

[Blank face]

This seems to be a nice one of the type discussed here: 

 

[yoyogogo]

28 minutes ago, Blank face said:

This seems to be a nice one of the type discussed here: 

 

You think its worth the money? I'm not sure of the state and if any extra work is requiredm

[matesic]

It rather depends what you want it for. Are you intending to play it? In which case we don't know the answer because we don't know whether you'll like it. Are you hoping to sell it on at a profit? In which case we don't know the answer because your total outlay is unknown. A good way to get some experience of what's out there for punters is to follow a few of Amati's "affordable" auctions.

[yoyogogo]

1 minute ago, matesic said:

It rather depends what you want it for. Are you intending to play it? In which case we don't know the answer because we don't know whether you'll like it. Are you hoping to sell it on at a profit? In which case we don't know the answer because your total outlay is unknown. A good way to get some experience of what's out there for punters is to follow a few of Amati's "affordable" auctions.

Hi, i guess its more that if its worth it, then i dont mind spending money for a luthier to set it up properly and I get to enjoy the full benefits of it. I am learning so I can play with my kids. The oldest one is too advance for me, but I can keep up with the second one, for now. Just want something nice, so that it will get passed down to my second one when she needs to move up to a full size. 

so for example, this violin is for $250usd. if its only worth $500usd, then there is no need to spend more money. however, if its wort like $2k, then of course it woudl be wise to seek a luthier help. 

hope it makes sense. it looks pretty and seems to be in nice enough condition.

[Blank face]

7 minutes ago, yoyogogo said:

hope it makes sense. it looks pretty and seems to be in nice enough condition.

Not much. There are no absolute numbers of value, a violin is in simple terms just worth what somebody wants to spend for it. If you want to pay 250 it's just worth this sum at the moment. If an auction is offering it for ten GBP it is that, and so on.

[yoyogogo]

4 minutes ago, Blank face said:

Not much. There are no absolute numbers of value, a violin is in simple terms just worth what somebody wants to spend for it. If you want to pay 250 it's just worth this sum at the moment. If an auction is offering it for ten GBP it is that, and so on.

ahhh fair enough point @Blank face

[GeorgeH]

4 hours ago, yoyogogo said:

You think its worth the money?

Yes, I do. From the pictures, it looks like it is very good condition. Even the bridge looks OK. It probably needs cleaning. Does it come with a bow?

[Jonathan B]

A tidy Markneukirchen instrument like this in playing condition would probably be priced in the £800-2000 range in a UK shop. A bit less for private sale.

But ultimately the value is determined by its desirability to someone looking for a violin. There is always a good number of instruments on the market in that price range and the ones that get bought are the ones that customers find rewarding to play and like the tone of. If people don't like it it will sit on the shelf and need to be offered at a discount to attract custom.

Basically I am agreeing with @matesic, if it is an instrument you like in your hands and with your ears then it is a good deal. (Assuming it is in playing condition with no fixes needed other than minor). If not you shouldn't buy it at any price.

[Blank face]

1 hour ago, Jonathan B said:

A tidy Markneukirchen instrument like this in playing condition would probably be priced in the £800-2000 range in a UK shop.

If one is going to purchase it from this shops, the value is like that. OTOH, in case you want to sell it to the shop (not commission it), the actual value might decrease dramatically.

[GeorgeH]

2 hours ago, Jonathan B said:

There is always a good number of instruments on the market in that price range and the ones that get bought are the ones that customers find rewarding to play and like the tone of.

At least one person already found the violin desirable enough to buy it and play it, so unlike a brand new violin, it has that going for it. 

It doesn't need to be a concert hall violin for @yoyogogo's described purposes. At $250, the risk-to-reward ratio to purchase it is pretty low.

I wonder if it has a trade label inside?

[La Folia]

10 hours ago, yoyogogo said:

You think its worth the money? I'm not sure of the state and if any extra work is requiredm

Can't get a straight answer?  Yes, it's easily worth that.  We don't know what it sounds like or whether you will like it.  We can't really tell about things like the condition of the pegs, and certain other matters that we can't see, but it looks to be nice and in good condition overall, except possibly for the varnish on top.  It may need some cleaning or maybe even varnish work.

[yoyogogo]

if i buy a violin, it is not really for reselling purpose. its more about getting the most out of the money being spent. 

e.g lets say i spend $2000usd. i can go to a shop to buy, with its mark up.

but if i find a really nice second hand, that cost say $250 like this one, knowing that its value could be $2000 in a shop if properly setup. Then i know i have plenty of budget to work with and take it to a luthier. There might be even money left over for a really nice bow. This way, my $2000usd would go a lot further then if i was to buy in a shop. 

so the short answer is not about selling and making money. I am no expert in this area and i would not even dare to think about making money from trading second violin. 

hope this makes sense.

Thank you for the feedbacks. I will chase up the owner today and try to secure this one. Might send it directly to a luthier for a setup  Now that I understand just how important their jobs are.

 

[uguntde]

For 250$ you can' do much wrong if you like the sound of it. You won't find anything much cheaper.

[GoPractice]

26 minutes ago, yoyogogo said:

 ( ... ) Might send it directly to a luthier for a setup  Now that I understand just how important their jobs are.

Make sure the mute is off when shipped, and possibly prepped properly before shipping.

Two sets of ( better ) violin strings these days cost more than that violin.

 

[yoyogogo]

2 minutes ago, GoPractice said:

Make sure the mute is off when shipped, and possibly prepped properly before shipping.

Two sets of ( better ) violin strings these days cost more than that violin.

 

great point about the mute. thank you. 

[Jonathan B]

1 hour ago, GoPractice said:

Two sets of ( better ) violin strings these days cost more than that violin.

 

I think @yoyogogo can safely assume he/she should buy one set of strings straight away.

[yoyogogo]

Just now, Jonathan B said:

I think @yoyogogo can safely assume he/she should buy one set of strings straight away.

heheh i will pass to the luthier and just go with whatever he recommends

 

but curiously, what strings might you recommend. i have put on dominant titanium on the daughter one and that's prettynice so far. and not too expensive

[Blank face]

1 hour ago, yoyogogo said:

knowing that its value could be $2000 in a shop if properly setup. Then i know i have plenty of budget to work with and take it to a luthier. There might be even money left over for a really nice bow.

So you're increasing your money by spending 250?

I agree that 250 can be well spent for the violin, but OTOH the amount you will need to invest into your collection will become more and more with every instrument you'll be buying (and even if it's for free).

[yoyogogo]

3 minutes ago, Blank face said:

So you're increasing your money by spending 250?

I agree that 250 can be well spent for the violin, but OTOH the amount you will need to invest into your collection will become more and more with every instrument you'll be buying (and even if it's for free).

hehe yes i agree. i really need to stop. but this violin is soooo pretty. and so far, all the violins are so different in looks, characteristics, sound. its terribly addictive I know. I really should stop before my wife bans me to the garage. 

[Blank face]

A friend calls it the "Violin Acquisition Syndrome". You can google it.

[yoyogogo]

VAS. I do have it. But only muld symptoms:)

Strings recommendation while you at it please? Hehe

[Blank face]

Strings are usually a very personal choice, but Dominant (with or without titanium) are always a good starting point IMO.

Good recovery from VAS!

[matesic]

1 hour ago, yoyogogo said:

hehe yes i agree. i really need to stop. but this violin is soooo pretty. and so far, all the violins are so different in looks, characteristics, sound. its terribly addictive I know. I really should stop before my wife bans me to the garage. 

15 or so years ago I spent £250 on a new Chinese violin because it looked sooo pretty. It plays OK but spends its life hanging on my wall, so was the outlay worth it purely for wall adornment? All reasonable offers considered.

[yoyogogo]

2 hours ago, Blank face said:

Strings are usually a very personal choice, but Dominant (with or without titanium) are always a good starting point IMO.

Good recovery from VAS!

VAS thats an official new disease now