My current violin is a cheap beginner's one that I've had since I moved up to full-size. It's about 4 years old now and really doesn't have the tone or sound quality that I want for the higher grades that I'm getting into now. But.... money for a new one is a problem. I don't have much to spend. (In fact, it may have to wait till next year, but I can window-shop for now )
So I was just wondering if anyone has any specific recommendations? And thankyou to the people who have helped out when I mentioned this on another thread, I just thought I'd make my own topic so it was easier to check back for answers

EDIT: Ooops, spelling error in the title. (I'm pedantic about things like that).

EDIT (again): I now apparently have to go to bed. So, I'll check for replies tomorrow afternoon sometime.... I'm not ignoring you!

I haven't tried them myself, but many people have said that Liz's at Elida Trading's Giglas are top notch so you might as well check them out. I'm not really that familiar with the market it in all honesty, so thats all I can recomend.

Katy,

It's difficult to answer you without knowing how much you can spend. If you want a nice violin that will see through grade 8 (I see from your signature that you are at 6 now), and you want to spend less than a thousand pounds, I recommend the Gliga Gama. It has a very nice tone, the workmanship is very good and all in all you get a lot of fiddle for your money. It will be perfectly suitable to grade 8 and beyond, although perhaps not the instrument of first choice for working professionals.

In my opinion, if you have budgetary restrictions but still want the best instrument you can get for a modest price, gliga is the way forward. That being said, you mentioned that you current instrument did not have the tone you like - what kind of tone are you looking for? It has to be said that the Gliga instruments are generally not very bright - they tend towards a much darker, mellow sound (which I love, so it suits me fine) - some indication of the kind of performance you are looking for from your instrument will make it easier to give specific recommendations.

Why not try one of Liz's gligas? If you don't like it, I seem to recall she offers an excellent money back policy - can't say fairer than that.

Good luck in your search.

Allan

Thanks both of you, I've now had three different people recommend the gligas so I'll definitely look into that.
Allan, my problem is really that I don't know what I want! I've only ever played two violins in my life and I just know that mine doesn't really have any depth - the sound doesn't resonate, if that makes sense. I played my teacher's violin once and it just sounded totally different.
Anyway, I'll carry on with my search and maybe give my parents some approximate figures

Is there a violin shop near you that sells old violins? I got mine from a really old shop and the guy had about 80 violins in cases. If you're lucky you can get a bargain - I got mine valued (for insurance) by four different shops for £8000 more than I payed; two of which said they'd buy it off me for £6000 more than I payed if I wanted to get rid of it quick. Of course I'd never do that, its like my baby

If you do go to a shop like that then just try everything irrespective of price. Put the ones that you don't like away and keep out the ones that you like. As you go along keep playing and comparing. When I got mine I had my £1000 violin playing against ones at £10000 and there was a minute difference. Mine outplayed everything in between.

I had an even better experience when I bought my viola. So I guess, if I can get do it twice you can too! Just one word of warning, beware dealers who don't have price tags on, because I know of some who have just made up prices on the spot. Compare some new instruments too if you can. My viola was made in 2001 and its amazing. Happy hunting

Nice one!! There used to be a music shop nearby which specialised in strings, that was where I got my violin from, and they were very helpful and let me try out lots of things, and mess around with different shoulder rests, etc. But they recently got taken over by someone else and now it's more of a 'modern' guitar and percussion shop

Actually thats another thing. If you do go to a specialist shop you can get them to put different strings, bridges, put different pegs on etc. Usually they don't charge you for this because they're making the sale and they can afford to move a little on the price. I actaully got my violin down to £800 by the time I got bows, case, accesories etc. Always be a little cheeky, you'll find if you spend £1000+ at a music shop you can walk away with £100-£150 of free strings/accesoires. They'll do anything to sweeten a deal

Sounds like a seller who didn't know what he had. Most unusual. These days, alas, novice buyers are far more likely to get "done" the other way - most obviously on ebay.

Liz

Tell me about it. I've met so many dealers who try to rip you off; either making up prices on the stop to get as much money off you as possible (or to guage how much he can stretch you); or the private dealer that tells you that your beautiful bow (Stamped Tourte and of the period - although not an original becasue he didn't stamp him bows or something) isn't worth rehairing and that you could trade it in against something much better. Grrrrrr

Just to jump on the Gliga bandwagon, I came back from the Leicester concert with a beautiful Gliga Gama violin. To try and pacify my husband, I offered to do a comparison between this and my old violin that I've had since I was at school. After hearing 2 notes on the Gliga he fell about laughing - because there was no comparison! The Gliga has a lovely rich tone which makes my old one sound rather ridiculous - it's also rather beautiful to look at! Needless to say, my husband has forgiven me and the Gliga is settling in just fine...
W

Are there any advantages over the Gliga compared to the violins made in the UK? Is it merely a price thing?

I have to say, it looks lovely from the pictures on the website. Always a bad idea to judge an instrument on what it looks like, of course, but I do have a leaning towards the 'stripy' ones...

They're extremely good value, you get a lot of violin for your money. The Gama viola I bought for under £500 would cost at a guess at least twice that from a British luthier - quite possibly more. Essentially, I would never have been able to afford such a good one if I hadn't heard of the Gliga violins.

They're comparable to other violas I have played which are "worth" a lot more.

I agree entirely! I have the cheaper Gems viola and the teacher who tried it thought I must have payed at least £1500 for it!

W

Do you know on average how long the tone will take to mature almost fully. My viola was made in 2004 in the UK. It sound fab at the moment but I was just wondering if it will get any bettter?

Hmmm, I think we've had conversations about this... I am no expert but will go have a search see if I can dig out the opinions of those who are...

Could also be worth starting a thread.

I think (my uneducated opinion!) that they tend to open out a lot pretty early on, but decent ones will continue to mature for a long time.

Can't find threads - don't know what to search for. Worth starting a thread I should think

A little caution is needed here - the presence of a UK label (or a US label for that matter) does not indicate that the violin was MADE there. Stentor, for example, is an English company alright but their violins are made in China, similarly with the Soundpost range.

You'd expect to pay a lot more than £400 for a UK made violin (new prices, i mean) - unless you do what we did, ahem, twice, and believe some seller on ebay who sold a genuione Alan Morton violin (well, two separate sellers selling them). The wretched things were advertised as English made and the labels said made in Oxford, and the year, and we thought, wow, what a bargain! - until the violins arrived. Looked like they were made at evening classes ....

Liz




Probably you've got about 95% of the tone by now.

liz

Liz, I think you may have a new potential customer now

Does anyone ever feel that their instrument starts to sulk if neglected? My viola sounds pretty good even when I haven't played it for a while, but really lovely when it's being regularly played... I'm sure me getting more practice has something to do with it but I don't think it accounts for it completely....

Sort of. Mine sulks when it changes from Summer to Winter, or Winter to Summer. It has just finished the most recent "sulking" phase, and now it sounds lovely! I was forced to take 3 days off after my op, and when I got back to it afterwards it sounded horrible for 10 days. Maybe it missed all the attention it gets.

Checking out a new violin this week!!!! Maybe I'll finally get the right size instrument...

Yes, I think they do sound a bit "withdrawn" when they first get played after a long period of being sat in the case. Quite why this is, nobody really knows, but it could have something to do with regular playing helping to keep the wood on the top table in a relaxed and flexible condition. The grain on the table probably tightens up slightly when the instrument is left in the case for any length of time - we're talking months or years here, rather than a few weeks.

What kind of violin are you looking at? I only got mine the other year and now I want something older and Italian. Don't have the money though

I need 7/8 stop length, but want 4/4 body size. I found those exact specs in a violin in my home town, and I hope to buy it over the summer (if we can find the money). It's a Hesketh (English) from 1890. I would prefer a Bohemian instrument, which may be the only option left if we can't raise funding for this English one. I'm considering a Tomás Pilar 7/8 size, which would take a year to make, so by the time it's ready I would have the money ready, however it would be new. Basically there are next to no 7/8 instruments around for £5000 or less (no way can I spend more than that), so getting one made in Czech Rep for £4500, playing it in and hopefully watching it become more vaulable might work. Then in a few more years I will be able to get a really good quality little violin.
What to do, what to do......

Stupid small hands

I am glad it's not just me who thinks that!

Yes, it's usually months... *blush* my poor viola and violin are sadly neglected....

VFV once recounted a story of his violin not being 'right' after a long haul flight. In the interval, his mother took it to one side and talked to it, stroked it, and was generally nice to it. After the interval, it played wonderfully .

That's weird but cool. I should try sweet-talking mine when they are feeling neglected....

I often sit with my violin and just....sit. Often when there's something good on Radio 3. It's my baby. Sometimes I talk to it, more to comfort myself about my playing than anything else...