How can you tell a quality old violin?
Antique violins date to at least 100 years or older, while vintage violins are more in the range of 30-100 years old. The best way to know the age of a violin is to look inside the f-hole and find the label inside the violin – a kind of sticker with the violin maker’s name and the year the violin was made.
How do you tell the quality of a violin?
The first thing to focus on is usually the grain of the wood not only on the body of the violin, but its neck and scroll as well. Fine to moderate grain is generally seen as a sign of quality when it comes to spruce, which is commonly used for the top. The even lines of the grain also indicate well-selected tone woods.
What is my violin worth?
| The violin price | |
|---|---|
| Student level | Price range |
| Beginner | $100 to $270 |
| Intermediate | $350 to $1,450 |
| Advanced | $1,450 to $25,000 |
What are school violins worth?
There are actually a number of excellent brand-name intermediate violins offered today. Your favorite music shop or local dealer will typically have stand-alone violins in this category that begin at around $900, with higher end models listed for approximately $2000-$2500.
Why are old violins so expensive?
Geographical origin is the most important thing (Italian violins sell for at least six times the price of a comparable French or English violin, and German violins lag far behind). The other factors would be the quality of the craftsmanship (how well regarded the maker is) and the age of the instrument.
Are Stentor Violins any good?
For quality and reliability, the Stentor 1500 4/4 violin does come highly recommended by teachers for students and beginners. Made from quality tonewoods, this Stentor model produces a good tone, a responsive sound, and is ensured to be highly capable of performing well.
Is Yamaha piano made in China?
TOKYO — Yamaha, a major manufacturer of pianos, now sells more of the instruments in China than in its home market of Japan. Yamaha’s 30,000 yuan ($4,250) upright pianos make up about 15% of the instruments Yamaha sells in China.
How did violins get their shape?
The answer, according to a study published this week in PLOS One, is that the modern violin owes its shape to mimicry, genetics, and evolution — the same forces that guide the formation of biological shapes. The earliest violins appeared on the music scene in the 16th century in northern Italy.
Are vintage violins better?
Again and again, scientists find, new instruments can sound as good as the famed oldies. Some violins made centuries ago in Italy have a reputation for unmatched quality and sound. In fact, neither musicians nor audiences could tell much difference between them and modern-made instruments in a host of studies.
Does the shape of a violin matter?
The shape of a violin has a much smaller effect on the sound of the instrument than qualities like the thickness of the wood or its arching pattern.
Has the design of the violin changed over time?
The elegant shape of the violin evolved over a period of 400 years, largely due to the influence of four prominent families of instrument makers, a new study finds.
What to look for in an old violin?
Rough patches inside the instrument tend to indicate a poor quality instrument. Things not to examine: *Crud on the violin — It’s a challenge because most old violins look bad. They can be covered with black crud that is so thick that you can barely see the wood.
What was the name of the violin in the 1920’s?
– Heinrich Alexander – 1920 Allegro – 1945, USA, Philadelphia, PA, Tradename for bows made in J.S. Finkel workshop. America Era – late teens to early 1920’s – US – around 20 different models – sold by Hyon and Healy, Chicago during WWI when German instruments were unavailable.
Where was most of the violins in the world made?
Most of the “trade violins” (instruments made in a factory setting to be exported and sold by those in the trade of selling violins), were primarily made from the 1870’s – 1930’s. These instruments were mostly made in Germany, Czechoslovakia or France, but some other countries also produced instruments.
What’s the average value of a violin at auction?
It is impossible to give a value without an actual in person evaluation, for the most part, these instruments will be valued in the under $2000 range. As always, the only real way to get a value on an instrument is to take to be seen in person at a violin shop or musical instrument auction house.