What do you think about this Antique Jacob Stainer lion head copy violin I just purchased?

[Steelbeatinviolin]

 

I just made the purchase for it. What do you think of it. I can't wait to play it.

The label says it's a Jacob Stainer. The seller said it was from late 19th century. The seller said he had the shop put new strings on it. Those look like Warchel Original strings.

[Nick Allen]

The word "copy" is doing some heavy lifting here. 

[Rothwein]

Fix the nut. The srings should all be moved to leave more room on the E string side. Just use a file to round over the top, then mark and cut your new notches.

Or, if you decide to send it back, don't follow the above advice and just send it back.

[Steelbeatinviolin]

@Rothwein I see that with the nut! I will look at it when it arrives. I think it might need new bridge too.

[Jeny Mahon]

I saw that one.  In my experience, the size and wordiness of a repair label is inversely proportional to the quality of the repairs 

[LCF]

1 hour ago, Nick Allen said:

The word "copy" is doing some heavy lifting here. 

Copy of a copy of a copy ...  

[Rothwein]

@SteelbeatinviolinIt may need a full set up, but if you have about $40 burning a hole on your pocket get a set of D'Addario Ascenté.* You can use those after all the filing is done. The ones on it look a bit chewed up. You'll see what I mean when you have it in hand.

*Oscar, you needn't jump in. We've read it, already!

[Guido]

4 hours ago, Rothwein said:

@SteelbeatinviolinIt may need a full set up, but if you have about $40 burning a hole on your pocket get a set of D'Addario Ascenté.* You can use those after all the filing is done. The ones on it look a bit chewed up. You'll see what I mean when you have it in hand.

*Oscar, you needn't jump in. We've read it, already!

Don't know who Oscar is and what he wrote. But it makes me wonder if there is a correlation between recommending D'Addario strings and supressing free speech?

[Brad Dorsey]

What do I think about it?

I think it is a crude violin in bad condition.  And Dane Johnson doesn't know how to spell "belly."

[jacobsaunders]

40 minutes ago, Brad Dorsey said:

Dane Johnson doesn't know how to spell "belly."

One wonders if American schools teach the English language

[Wood Butcher]

14 minutes ago, jacobsaunders said:

One wonders if American schools teach the English language

There is also a curious mix of upper case, and lower case letters, within some words.

[Sean Couch]

I don’t have any comments on the violin, but Bloomingdale Michigan isn’t too far from me so I did a bit of digging. It looks like Dane was a “Jack of all trades” and made a few fiddles before passing away at 93 back in October of 2021.

Here he is in action:

 

[Will Turner]

2 hours ago, jacobsaunders said:

One wonders if American schools teach the English language

While we can spell “belly” we do tend to toss a “u” out of the spelling of some of our words, so it’s debatable.

[Jacobus Drainer]

4 hours ago, Sean Couch said:

 I did a bit of digging

I bought a knife that had Dr. so-and-so and a city scratched on the pommel and was able to contact the family to see if they wanted it.  You could do the same with this fiddle, assuming they weren't the ones selling it!

[Steelbeatinviolin]

So an update about the violin. The peg holes need bushings. So I installed friction pegs on it. I had an appraisal done for it, 200 - 400 USD. The appraisal says because of the repairs done to it was devalued. But it would be a O.K priced instrument. Didn't say how much. 

The appraisal said it was South Germany, Mittenwald most likely. The appraisal said it was from first quarter of the 19th century.

In my opinion of the acoustics. Nice clean even notes. It's a pleasure playing it, I would not sell this violin at 400 USD. I would want much more than this, because of how it sounds and plays. It will go into my private collection most likely.

Right now it's the only violin I have because I have sent all my instruments to Tarisio auction house in New York.

I did like suggested with the nut, but ended up shaving it too far. So I put a new nut on it.

I think the violin would sound good with Helicore strings.

 

[martin swan]

On 8/15/2025 at 10:15 PM, Steelbeatinviolin said:

 

The appraisal said it was South Germany, Mittenwald most likely. The appraisal said it was from first quarter of the 19th century.

 

 

The appraiser needs to go back to school ...

[jacobsaunders]

On 8/15/2025 at 11:15 PM, Steelbeatinviolin said:

was South Germany, Mittenwald most likely

wrong, from Markneukirchen/Schönbach area, end of 19thC

[DiemViolins]

On 7/5/2025 at 1:46 PM, Brad Dorsey said:

What do I think about it?

I think it is a crude violin in bad condition.  And Dane Johnson doesn't know how to spell "belly."

The same holds for "Bilt" instead of build

[Steelbeatinviolin]

The appraisal said it's only worth $500.00 because of the repairs done to it. But I think the violin is nice sound, and easy to play the notes. $500.00 is what I paid for it.