Hello!

I am looking for a violin for grade 8 and above but feel that a violin with a nicer tone would help me get the best out of my playing. I live in south east London and wonder if anyone has any suggestions for a good shop or a type of violin for this level.

All suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks guys!

molly
xoxox

At that level, everything depends on your budget. There must be plenty of specialist shops around London with something suitable for that level if your budget runs to it! What are you playing now?

Liz

Hi Molly,

I'm no expert, but stentor voplins are pretty naff. They have a great tone, are sharp, and are relatively cheap for their quality.

For Grade 8, i would reccoment a Stentor Messina, or Stentor Ellisia ( not sure of the spelling of Elissia:)
These are hand carved violins, great for the technical demand.

Have a look on the internet, see what you can find!
Good luck!

Those would be pretty much stretched to the limit at grade 8, I think, though as I never tire of telling people, I did grade 8 on a Poller and after all it is the player that is being examined. The poster needs to decide on her budget if she wants specific brand suggestions, though if she's looking to spend thousands she may well be looking at an old instrument.

Just a couple of notes though: First (Stentor themselves are quite open about this) the Messina, Arcadia and Elysia are all the same violin. They are differentiated on import but that has to be on appearance since it is hardly feasible to suppose that they have anyone actually playing them all. Hence IMO one might as well go for the Messina and save the money. Second, virtually everything these days is hand carved - labour in China and in Eastern Europe is very cheap.

Liz

Definitely have a look at the Gliga violins. I love mine and don't think i'll ever need to upgrade my violin again nor want to. Every time I play it I can't stop smiling and it just makes me want to practice more and more. No other violin that i've played comes close to it.

Of course you should try all the violins you possibly can for your budget and even a little beyond as there may be something just a little more expensive that you really want but will just have to save a little longer to get.

Have fun picking a new violin. I know I did!

Thanks for all your suggestions (keep them coming!) At the moment i have the Stentor Arcadia but am looking for something around £800!...

Well then, take very careful note of what Matthew suggested. And I will wholeheartedly second the motion.

Liz

Yep go for a Gigla.

We have 2 Gamas in our house. My daughter plays a Gama 2 that her teacher thought I'd spent around £1000 or so on when I bought it. That one has no label for some odd reason.

I have a Gama 1 I bought from Liz. It recently went into Unison Strings in Bham for a reset after I knocked the sound post out when the bridge went down after I'd changed the strings. Unison reset it fantastically and it sounds absolutely brilliant, deep sonorous sound. It always had great soft tonal quality but now it has incredible volume and ringing on the open strings. The reset was the best few £s I have spent in a long while - pity I cannot play it well enough!

Good luck
Jon

Gliga are fabulous value.

Suggest you go to a couple of the mainstream dealers over a couple of afternoons, tell them what you are trying to do and ask to spend some time trying out instruments to see what you like/don't like and what you may or may not be able to afford. I use both Guiviers and Ealing Strings (both VERY different but good fun!).

Also try different bows - there's a bow post going as well at the moment.

There have been a few threads recently on violins so I suggest, if you haven't already done so, do a search and just use it as a starting point.

Whenever I've looked for another instrument, either for myself or for one of my own children I've really enjoyed the opportunity to get out and have the experience of playing LOTS of different instruments. You'll see lots of recommendations on these boards for the Gligas and they are certainly quite reasonablebut especially as you are close to London, do take the opportunity to try out a good range of instruments to really see what is out there and what might be most suitable both for now and for the future.

Have you asked your teacher for advice?

Try Malcolm Tysoe ltd - The shop is in Farnborough, Kent. Not too far from South East London. Website is http://www.tysoe-music.com/

They stock a large range of new and antique violins to suit a range of players from beginners to advanced.

Remember at this level you probably won't be buying an 'all in one' outfit and will need to budget for a separate bow and case.

Good Luck!

I'll further add that Gligas are great value - however if you are at grade 8 level, you shouldn't just buy something because of the name - you will have a fixed idea of the sound you want etc.

I would recommend trying out several violins (play them all with your bow, then once you've decided on a fiddle, you can try various bows on that) - of course I do recommend that you try a gliga as well, but not only a gliga - test it against as many other instruments in your price range as you can. You may be surprised (I had a Gliga and only recently changed when a windfall meant that I was able to pay considerably more money for a fiddle - but I was surprised to find that until I got into several thousand euros, nothing sounded a great deal better). On the other hand, you may decide you like one of the other fiddles better (some players find Gligas too muffled and certain luthiers in France claim that they have a typical dark sweet sound that amateur players like but that it's almost impossible to get any decent agression or brilliance from them - it's really a matter of taste).

Try as many as you can and don't rule the Gliga out until you've put it to the test against some other fiddles - you might just get a big surprise!

Above all, have fun shopping.

Allan

Yes it is, and I'm sure that someone who wants a loud and bright violin is never going to be happy with a Gliga - such a player would be well advised to look at good Chinese instruments.

However there is a rather well kept secret weapon in the Gliga armoury, and that is the "Italian Gama". It has flatter arching than a normal Gama and as a consequence is both louder and brighter. Personally I have to say it doesn't do a lot for me (I like my violins dark) but one very high level teacher we showed an upgraded version to said she liked it. It's another option anyway.

Liz

thank you all soo much for your suggestions (and i'm sorry i havn't replied earlier!) I will definately try as many different types as i can, bearing in mind all of your different recommendations! I will let you know what I decide finally!

Molly x

Anyway, the Gligas are at elidatrading if you want to have a look. I bought mine there and I'm absolutely hooked on it. My taste is mid-range. Too bright, and it annoys me. Too dark, and I feel all melancholy. But indeed good workmanship for the money.