Many questions arise as to the quality and price one should pay for an upgrade violin and especially from parents with talented players but on a finite budget. The question also arises as to ‘should I get a new instrument or – as my teacher suggests – should I look out for an ‘old’ instrument’?
The answer to the above is the object of this discussion so that parents can purchase an adequate instrument at a reasonable price
A) Instruments costing £950 to £1500 Violin only – without bow or case
Let’s tackle the Old/New concept first – presuming that the pupil has advanced beyond a student model such as the Stentors or Primavera range (adequate as they are for that level). So your expectation is for a violin to see your player through from grade 3 on up to grade 6. (Grade 7/8 and beyond another discussion.)
At this level a new factory-made instrument is a far better investment in quality and sound than, let’s say, an old Saxon violin that is 150 years old.
Or to put that another way, old Saxon/Mirecourt violins can be awesome sounding, but if selling for ‘only’ £995 there is every possibility that there will be serious issues with the instrument and a huge cost involved in restoring it to full playability.
New Violins on the other hand, from Germany, Romania and good violins from China are generally fine copies of the old masters and are very playable instruments that will improve with time.
The ‘not so secret’ trick is to go try as many as you can, to get a feel for the Tone, Projection, and the feel under your hand.
These new instruments such as the Jay Haide range, Paesold, Eastman, Gewa, Sielam, Gliga etc using modern production techniques can lead to astonishingly good instruments. And of course, they must be professionally set up and voiced by an experience luthier to ensure the success and progress of your player.
Do please beware of buying ‘bargains’ on eBay or from unknown ‘dealers’ or even teachers (this is highly unethical) as the backup, setup and continuing support will be negated.
Usually, these so-called bargains end up costing very much more as the cost of getting them repaired, set up properly and the bow rehaired (if it is even playable) thus more than doubling the initial cost. Additionally, the resale/trade-in value will be minimal.
Bows for upgrade instruments in the under £1500 range. This is possibly as important a decision as the violin itself so don’t skimp on the bow!
Looking for a strong, straight, well balanced, weighted bow takes time and patience. Once again go out and try a few to get the sense of balance, weight, and response that you are looking for. Many Grade 4/5 pupils may not have this skill, but it is good to rely on your teacher’s input plus your own intuition. Some good shops will agree to send out 4 x bows on approval, if you live too far away from the shop.
What will I pay for a good bow?
Our usual formula is to expect 1/4 to 1/3 of the price of the violin, which means the £250 to £500 bracket. A serious recommendation is to compare wooden Pernambuco bows with the modern Carbon Fibre, which latter can yield surprising results.
Cases – There is a huge range of inexpensive cases in all shapes and colours. Here your personal preference kicks in, with one caveat – the cheaper the case the less protection it offers. Answer is to go for the best case you can afford, with the possibility of upgrading later!
B) Instruments £2000 to £4000 and above, violin only
1) Here we are moving on to an advancing level instrument for serious amateur players considering grades 7 to 8 and even beyond (not professional). Your grade 4/5 pupil will then be buying a step-up instrument which will not need to be upgraded again unless they are considering a career in music. These instruments must offer the Tone, Projection and dynamics that you would expect a talented pupil to produce.
At this price point the Old/New debate changes. There are superb modern instrument makers that offer violins in this bracket – and they stack up well alongside the Antique instruments. Bearing in mind also that they are new and a full year’s playing can work wonders to the tone and dynamics, as can a skilled Luthier/player who can bring out the best from the instrument. That said it is good practice to try and compare good well set up old Violins from the middle to late 19th century. These will be instruments that have been handpicked for quality with no, or professionally repaired cracks, strung with appropriate strings and carrying guarantees from the shop. Markneukirchen and Mirecourt were the two most famous factories of the 1800’s producing thousands of very good, to mediocre, to sometimes poor instruments.
Be very careful, therefore, once again to only go to a genuine established Violin shop where every detail will be observable and transparent. Of primary importance is to NEVER consider a Violin which has a sound post crack on the front or back – however well repaired, and also check carefully the angle of the neck and fingerboard and general alignment. Often your teacher will assist if in doubt.
Bows for upgrade instruments – £500 to £1500. Here we use the same formula and presuming that the player will be graduating grade 8 and then continuing as an amateur player after school and into university – playing for fun in amateur orchestras.
Of prime importance is, once again to try out bows before you make a purchase. This choice may actually come quickly when you light on the exact bow that you feel is for you – but if not take time and try out a few or get 4 x on approval to show your teacher. The carbon fibre bows from Codabow, Jon Paul, Arcus, Musing, and Col legno etc offer a very comparable bowing experience and feel.
C) Instruments up to £10000 and above
Instruments of this calibre are edging towards Professional use and would necessarily been chosen very carefully with the aid and input of a professional player. Most Violins purchased would fall into the Antique bracket here, although some Modern makers, especially early on in their career would offer Violins at this price – and compare very favourably too!
Well know, established contemporary makers who offer superb copies of the Old Masters with comparable tone and performance will sell for well more than £10000
Anyone considering a purchase at this level would be well – advised to consult a specialist
