Where are violins cheapest?
Gerry Morgan
at the moment when I was living in England, but now I'm in California.
Would I do better to wait till I make a trip to Europe to buy a better
one, or are they cheaper in the US? Would an old French or Italian violin
be cheaper in France or Italy, or does it not work like that? I've taken
a quick look at prices here, and my initial impression is that they are
slightly cheaper in England - or am I not comparing like with like?
Gerry
ger...@netcom.com
Geoff Noer
wrote:
I don't know about European vs. American prices but if you want a specific
recommendation for an American dealer, I would suggest calling Weavers in
the Washington D.C. area:
Bill Weaver
Violin House of Weaver
4706 Highland Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 652-7070
Their prices tend to reflect less of a markup than many places. I heard
they recently sold a Vuillaume in good condition for $37K for example.
While this was much above my price range when I was looking this fall,
Weavers was the only place that had instruments that I thought weren't
overpriced.
Good luck,
Geoff Noer
no...@cs.swarthmore.edu
Terence T. Lung
Two location factors from experience:
(1) Origin of instrument: For a given sound quality and all other
qualities being equal, "Italian" means expensive. "Czech," "Chinese,"
etc will be much cheaper.
(2) Location of purchase: All things being equal again, I remember that
prices in places like SF, Washington DC and NYC will be much more inflated
than somewhere like Chicago. If you are not an EC citizen, the 40%
reduction off the sticker price may mean something nice and cheap from
places like Brussels.
I like "no-name" instruments because they are cheaper. If they produce
that great, quality sound, you've found a bargain.
Terence
Terence T. Lung
>In article <gerrymCz...@netcom.com> ger...@netcom.com (Gerry Morgan) writes:
>>Do the prices of violins vary around the world? I bought the one I have
>>at the moment when I was living in England, but now I'm in California.
>>Would I do better to wait till I make a trip to Europe to buy a better
>>one, or are they cheaper in the US? Would an old French or Italian violin
>>be cheaper in France or Italy, or does it not work like that? I've taken
>>a quick look at prices here, and my initial impression is that they are
>>slightly cheaper in England - or am I not comparing like with like?
>>
>>Gerry
>>ger...@netcom.com
>>
>
>Two location factors from experience:
>
>(1) Origin of instrument: For a given sound quality and all other
>qualities being equal, "Italian" means expensive. "Czech," "Chinese,"
>etc will be much cheaper.
>
>(2) Location of purchase: All things being equal again, I remember that
>prices in places like SF, Washington DC and NYC will be much more inflated
>than somewhere like Chicago. If you are not an EC citizen, the 40%
>reduction off the sticker price may mean something nice and cheap from
...buy cheap and sell high...in contrast to one other posting, I think
Weavers in Bethesda, MD (DC area) is overpriced. For a big, snobby
American city, the prices are relatively good though. You'll typically
do worse in these huge metropolis's.
BTW, one more thing, about the only way you'll really know is to look
at one of these "name-brand" instruments (without getting into
those extraordinary auction pieces) where you'll find copies
everywhere; then go place to place seeing how the prices of those
"price-by-name" instruments go. These may actually have standardized
appraised values. If you have the luxury of going
back to Europe, do so. The selection is much larger and the competition
is much greater; so if you don't have to pay the 40% EC citizen tax,
you're already cutting out the overhead price of merchant shipping
and inconvenience to the states, etc. e.g. the farther from Europe,
the more expensive the European instruments get...
...New Zealand prices > US prices, etc. However,
you no longer have the luxury of being at home in the states, but may
have a limited time to decide on an instrument + travel expenses.
(Hence, the US mark-up).
Bring an empty violin case with you to Europe and
bring it back full! Cases are much, much cheaper in the states.
Mail order for the case.
Terence
Geoff Noer
(Terence T. Lung) wrote:
[...]
> ...buy cheap and sell high...in contrast to one other posting, I think
> Weavers in Bethesda, MD (DC area) is overpriced. For a big, snobby
> American city, the prices are relatively good though. You'll typically
> do worse in these huge metropolis's.
Are there places in the US that have good-sounding instruments that are not
in big, snobby American cities? Could you point me towards some?
Geoff Noer
no...@cs.swarthmore.edu
Haku Sato
Terence T. Lung
I'd head for the plains states. The supply will be dismal so you'll
be travelling large distances to see very few good instruments.
I guess the big cities are just charging you for the convenience.
Places in Chicago seemed to be a good compromise. Someone else
pointed out a place in Georgia. I'm curious about the instruments
at SHAR in Ann Arbor, MI.
Terence
Anthony Asta
(Terence T. Lung) wrote:
> In article <noer-27119...@mac03.dana1.swarthmore.edu>
no...@cs.swarthmore.edu (Geoff Noer) writes:
> >In article <3b8h62$3...@mozo.cc.purdue.edu>, lun...@gus.ecn.purdue.edu
> >(Terence T. Lung) wrote:
> >[...]
> >> ...buy cheap and sell high...in contrast to one other posting, I think
> >> Weavers in Bethesda, MD (DC area) is overpriced. For a big, snobby
> >> American city, the prices are relatively good though. You'll typically
> >> do worse in these huge metropolis's.
> >[...]
> >
> >Are there places in the US that have good-sounding instruments that are not
> >in big, snobby American cities? Could you point me towards some?
>
> I'd head for the plains states. The supply will be dismal so you'll
> be travelling large distances to see very few good instruments.
> I guess the big cities are just charging you for the convenience.
> Places in Chicago seemed to be a good compromise. Someone else
> pointed out a place in Georgia. I'm curious about the instruments
> at SHAR in Ann Arbor, MI.
>
> Terence
I would have to say that Chicago is, by far, one of the best areas to find
a good instrument. There are about 4 big name shops that have, at any
given time, every type of instrument. Usually within 3 weeks almost all
of the stores have a brand new selection...... (i.e. you don't have to
wait an entire year before you see some new instruments).
--
-----Antonio 'Loverboy' Asta
Bob Comarow
on the Space Coast of Florida,
Fiddler's Dream
They have some nice and sometimes great fiddles for much less than
most places. And, I do know that he's had some great fiddles,
As far as tieing it in with a visit, it's 2 hours from Disney and
1/2 hour from the Space Center.
His number are 1-800 670 1149
locally 259 1149
It's a little shop, a labor of love. The owner's name is Ash Reeder
and he's more of a country fiddler.
bob comarow
Greg Zamites
This reply is in good faith from one musician to another.
Try John Sipe, he is in North Carolina and makes violins.
They are completely handmade...I own one and it sounds
extraordinary. They sell for about the same price as a
high quality commercial instrument. I know of two in use at Julliard
in New York. It may be worth a phone call. (704) 364-4478
Good luck.
P.S. Use your ear....not your pocketbook!!! Sometimes inexpensive instruments
are high quality...it depends on the purpose the maker has in mind for them.
Avi Zamites (greg)
Anthony Asta
Zamites) wrote:
> P.S. Use your ear....not your pocketbook!!! Sometimes inexpensive instruments
> are high quality...it depends on the purpose the maker has in mind for them.
Better yet try a couple unmarked violins. My current violin is an
unmarked violin that sounds extraordinary for the price I paid. People
assume that unmarked violins are simply trash..... how wrong they can be.
Often somehow the original seal inside the violin simply dried up a fell
out. You can get a great sound for your money with these instruments
since they are priced by sound and not make (which often has little to do
with sound).