Got it today!

Played for 40 minutes solid (this is a long time for me as I've only been playing for about 2 weeks) absolutely love my new instrument, it is gorgeous.

Some things I have noticed -

It produces a sound much, much easier than my rented viola and it is louder
The tone is not even comparable!
The instrument is actually much easier to play, which you would have thought the beginners instrument would be a lot easier to play.

The shop cleaned the viola, fitted new bridge, soundpost, strings (dominant), pegs, thinned the fingerboard (I think thinned is the correct word) tested it and made sure it left the shop perfect!

How do I post pictures on here just tried to post from my Flickr account but they don't seem to be working!!!

I copied the IMG code but this was photbucket - im not sure about flickr. Glad you're pleased with the new viola!
x

YAY! All working!

So you think you might just be keeping this one??!!!

Hope you keep enjoying it,
M

Yes it's a keeper!

Yesterday it had gone out of tune, I think this may have been to do with the new strings? but it was so easy to tune, no battle with the pegs at all! I am planing on probably getting a violin this time next year as well, will certainly go to same place, can't recommend them enough!

Sounds great!

The E peg on my violin is a pain as it takes forever to get it to hold and stop slipping when I have to move it to change string etc. I realized the peg doesn't really go through to the other side so no wonder!

From my experience, a beginner instrument doesn't mean easier to play, it just means cheaper! I remember getting my first own violin (previously I'd just borrowed from the school) and it was a mess. It was a Zeller my parents had bought through the special discounted instruments for school children scheme. I hadn't actually even tried the instrument prior to getting it - I tried out a random Zeller in the shop, and then was sent a new one, which hadn't been set up. The bridge was down, and when my violin teacher put it on, it was so high the (factory) strings cut through my fingers like cheesewire. So he had to cut at least a centimetre from it with a penknife! The sound post was also upside down, so violin teacher had to knock it out and turn it. No one ever suggested taking it to a luthier to get it sorted. I played in four different orchestras, performed at the Glasgow Music Festival, sat my Standard Grade practical, and auditioned for a youth orchestra I desperately wanted to get into, all on what was probably the worst set up instrument ever! The beginner bow was also a bit rubbish - I didn't realise quite how bad until I got a new one recently. It was very poorly balanced and therefore felt heavy even though it was actually very light - this does not make playing easier!

So sounds very exciting your nice new not-beginner instrument!

I re-strung my violin for the first time ever at the weekend (previously had always got the teacher to do it, but the strings were starting to get very dull sounding, and I don't have a lesson till next week; I also wanted to see if I could do it myself). I think I was quite right to do so, because when I removed the D it had perished at the top! I think I managed it properly, but am hoping I don't get a row next week when it's discovered I've done it completely wrong!

This may just be an optical illusion, but the strings look awfully close to the fingerboard to me.

Yes they do look very close, but it may just be the angle the phots have beent taken at. It looks like there's about a mm between the strings and the bottom of the fingerboard, but then that would surely mean that the strings were actually on the fingerboard closer up to the nut and the instrument wouldn't be playable (which it is...).

How does it look from the side, Nicia?


Yes, for string instruments. However for some other instruments (e.g. woodwind) a beginner instrument does often mean that it is easier to play - and this can lead to a lot of confusion and assumptions. My third cello was by far the easiest to play (once you disregard the fact that I couldn't reach the notes below 3rd position!) and this was by far the 'best' of the cellos I had from the school. However, people who are used to playing 'beginners' flutes often struggle with my more advanced flute because it's harder work and requires much more accuracy.


I'm sure it will be fine. You're an experienced enough player to be able to tell if something isn't right.

No, it wouldn't mean that.
There should be at least 4mm clearance between the wide end of the fingerboard and the bottom of the A string, and at least 6mm for the C string (actually many people would say even these values are a bit too low). If the clearances are less than this, I would urge you to take it back to the shop and insist that they put it right before you buy it.
If it is an optical illusion, congratulations and enjoy your new viola!

Thankyou for the advice

Viola plays lovely and strings don't look close to the fingerboard about the same as my other viola, will have a good look tomorrow, if they are too close will take back to the shop to get sorted

Still in with my viola

Very interesting re. beginners string instruments and currently wondering if not so great quality instruments put potential students off after the first couple of months? As there is a serious difference in ease of play between my rented viola and this one, must easier to produce a sound and dynamics are much easier, the strings are not so thick and there really is lots of difference.

That looks fantastic Nicia. Congratulations.

Must resist the urge of the dark side. The wife will kill me if I get a Viola as well.

Have fun with it.

Cheers,

Matt.

Thankyou

Go for it I dread not being single as my future husband really would kill me for being addicted to spending thousands on motorcars and musical instruments What really is the worse that can happen???

Sounds like support for my idea of upgrading my beginner's violin

I originally went for a cheap one on the basis that if I stuck with it for a couple of months I'd have a good idea whether I was going to continue playing for good, and then upgrade. I think if I had bought a better quality and hence more expensive one I might have felt under pressure to play to justify spending that much!

If you swap dogs for motorcars then my husband still loves me and I'm addicted! I spend a small fortune on my instruments (and dogs ) But then, we have no kids who would require 'lavishing'




This is what I did with my viola and it turned out very well - I adore my upgrade.. and am going to spend more on having it adjusted and properly set-up. But it will last me for a very long time (I hope!)

Now I just have to find a loving home for my cheap beginners viola... (Yita model, 15inches, bow and case, £40 plus p+p (£5ish) if anyone's asking.... )

Or instruments of their own
The last two instruments I have bought (3/4 size cello and trombone) were both for my daughter and at the rate she has grown these last few months I have a feeling it's not going to be long 'till her teacher says she needs a full size cello.

You're both going to get me killed. The wife has me on a strict "one in, one out" policy with musical instruments. If I get a new one, a guitar would have to go. I keep trying to tell her that a Viola wouldn't take up that much space. Hmmmm. Perhaps if I got rid of my old Kendo gear (unused for far too long)....

Should I prepare my last will and testament before trying this one I wonder....

Cheers,

Matt.