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Someday I’ll own another old German fiddle. I gave mine away years ago, so a kid could learn to play.

Would I be incorrect to say: there is something rich and vibrant and expressive about the Studenti that I do not hear in the two more expensive models? Would I be wrong to like the sound of the Studenti more than the two expensive models? Haha. My favourite hidersine violins (from listening online, seem to be the Studenti, Viventi, Guarnderi or Stradivarious models). I tend to LOVE violins that have a real deep rich sound to their low string. :) Personal taste. Two of my favourite violinists however, have violins with a very vibrant tone (missing that deep resonance on the low string) but making up for that by incredible vibrance on the higher notes, especially 3rd octave and higher. (Seems that violin makes can be more geared towards deep resonance or higher notes treble vibrancy? :) difficult to get both? :) . It seems to suit that vibrant loud bluegrass tone. Or the type of tone of a solo violinist rather than playing in a group. Is it true that sometimes the more expensive violins have a smoother tone suitable for playing in a group (orchestra) but the cheaper ones at times can have much more of a vibrant expressive tone suited to soloists? :). Unfortunately I have played beginner instruments that made learning violin very difficult initially ; eg: screeching on high notes, incorrect fretboard measurements, incorrect bridge height, pegs that don’t hold the tuning etc haha :) It was a good but slightly flawed 50 yr old violin I had inherited from my grandmother. Took it to a violin luthier who replaced the pegs and chinrest and fretboard, and the bridge, and installed new dominant strings. And now it sounds quite amazing, despite the fact that the fretboard measurement on the instrument is slightly incorrect for pressing notes (eg: fingers must be slightly forward than common tuning). Anyways just a testimony also on ‘upgrading’ a good but flawed violin haha :)

Dan!! I have a swedish folk instrument, the Nyckelharpa, and couldn't figure out why my rosin wasn't working! I scuffed it with a nail file and it completely did the trick. Thanks so much for helping me finally play this beautiful instrument. Cheers from Denmark!!

Which hidersine models are these? :)

That was a wonderful explanation of the inner workings of the violin 🎻

Do one hundred year old or so European factory instruments in good condition sound better ?

This was very helpful! Thank you!

That violin has been around! But I like its tone quality.

Do you have german Trade 15.5 viola?

I really like this tone I am hearing of the Enrico. It seems lower or deeper than Stentor,is that right?

This is pure talent im so amazed 😊

I am a beginner violin student. It was very helpful. Thank you!

My daughter was using a cheap fiberglass bow for a long time. I upgraded to a $300 Gliga "Pernambuco" bow and there was an immediate jump in her playing ability and it sounded much better.

Is het geluid van de HEV2 en de HEV3 hetzelfde?

Can you eo a review of Christina violins on al express? I'm curious. Sometimes i read reviews that say they didn't get the exact violin but the violin is still high quality. So not sure

If it's semi acoustic, how would it cope with being stuck in an aircraft luggage hold? That's why I'm looking for an electric violin.

What is the cost value in this violin

Sorry - "suit a beginner" is BS! Get the best you can afford - Crappy cheap instrument =crappy cheap sound = disillusionment and failure. 99% guaranteed. If you are not prepared to spend $3-5k you will never spend the $ on a good teacher.. Again 99% failure.

Good Vid..

Is that fiddle made in Australia? The amp too?

Which vendor on aliexpress do you recommend?

Hello Dan. You seem to have more joy with Hidersine H100 strings than I had. Firstly I'm perplexed at the D string being larger diameter (up to 0.91 mm varies) than the G string (0.79mm). No one (including Hidersine that I web contacted) has yet explained their logic to me. Did the factory muddle the string gauges? Not possible that I muddled them 'cos of different lengths. The silk at the peg end of the E string was loose and floated off with no adhesion. So using a different E string I fitted the other three H100 strings to a brand new violin. After a few days the timbre DID come up good but after 2 weeks the D string snapped while the violin was lying static on a table. Snap near but not on the peg. Never been over tensioned - I bring them up to pitch gradually. Without factory input I'm guessing here but IF the factory has got them swapped, then I have taken a string designed for G frequency up to the higher tension needed for it to vibrate at D string frequency. I'll uncomplainingly pay double for Tonica's next time around.

Yummy tone!

That’s not plywood, that is spruce with maple sides and back.

Are the vivo neo student violins good for beginners?

I have a very old looking violin. Nothing printed anywhere. Looks like it was a nice one. Case is poor but has groves like a fingerprint. Any ideas how to figure it out.

I would love more guides like this as I would very much add it to a hobby to restore old violins myself. It is quite difficult to come across videos that help one with the cost of that.

So its Basically how much can you spend . If a person buys a violin from you does that include a set-up or is that an extra. You say stay away from plywood instruments but most of the rentals are plywood. There is a lot a conflicting and subjective information in the violin industry .

😍😍🙏🙏🥰🥰

All violin sellers give me the Used Car Salesmen vibe 😊

Some good advise there! Thanks!

Its $100 its not going to be solid wood at that price . Most rentals are plywood . The problem is most luthiers sell a violin for 3k thats really should be priced at $800

400 bucks

say no to CCP cheap Chinese products

The one at 8:10 what would it cost to repair something like that? I live in America, and it’s oddly becoming more common for poor-condition violins to be almost as valuable as a good-condition violin of the same quality. People figure that damage to an instrument means it has better sound.

Interesting hobby. Even though we who own valuable instruments often sneer at cheap replicas they have a place in the introductory level. However the intermediate and advanced can appreciate your insight of a quality violin. Thanks for sharing.

Hi Dan, new sub here. Super helpful video. For the last 12 months, I've been borrowing a violin off a friend to see if I want to invest myself. The 300$ +$100 per year of practice/potential practice is a great reference. I played guitar for years, and I've always thought that had a $1k budget, you can consistently find some really incredible "forever" guitars. However, you could also find some gems for around $500, but not as consistently. I know its subjective, but do you find the same phenomenon for fiddles? Like, Some really incredible "forever bargins" for around $500 ish, and more consistently at around $1k? love the videos!

Is premium level from BUNNINGS any better?

'promosm'

Very harsh tone...not good at all

Would Dominant 135 strings also be suitable for my Venezia? Many thanks.

Really good thankyou ! I use a really good carbon fibre bow and love it but hopefully I can get opportunity to compare against a good wooden bow , over the years I’ve experimented with different strings and now have my favourites that I’m happy with . Interesting regarding the sound posts and positioning I know my luthier struggled with an old fiddle I have as there are so many repair cleats inside it made it hard to position the post , sounds great though . I’m always interested to hear my violins played by someone else so I can hear them myself as I agree with what you said however it has to sound ok under the players ear or ya just don’t want to play it . Thanks again love these informative vids

Really interesting Dan , I never knew that but used the tailpiece with the integral fine tuners for convenience.

Nice work FD, very informative!

I disagree the value of a violin is in the hands of the violinist

What's the difference between a violin and a fiddle? It's a fiddle when you buy it, and it's a violin when you sell it. :-)

I have a cherry red schmidt standard violin. its complete but has small crack on the top. it is very beautiful red tiger. i have researched but not able to find one this color. it has original case and looks all original except for bridge. just curious as i haven't seen one thats this color.

any violins better at a similar price point?

thanks Dan. Like many other players, i went thru a phase where i wanted a better violin but really i just wanted to sound better. A fine vio seemed like the easiest way, or so I believed. Years ago I heard a demo at Watermelon Music in Davis , Ca. Andy T played all the violins in the shop, plus several others for an appreciative crowd. As he played he talked of the attributes of each instrument, a demo much like your video here. Andy's final word on the subject, "...but I can pretty much make any of these instruments sound pretty good as you can see." So i gave up on upgrading my sound by buying a better 😊, and paid for lessons and lots of practice. Eventually a friend and luthier put me with the vio i have now and will probably play until ... The end. 12:23 😊

Hello I have a Jaques ives Trousant..it has the original case and the original bow..a Phretzinger I think it comes from the late 1900-1920..it was bought new for a young lady at the tme when she was 14…her words not mine. Its very nice and sounds wonderful. Would you know any information on it possibly.. Thank you