500 vs 1,000 vs 10,000 dollar violin... Comparing Different Types of Instruments

Master Violin Maker Olaf Grawert talks about the kinds of instruments you can expect to find between $500 to $10,000... You will be surprised at the many options there are.
Get your free 7 essentials when buying an instrument report here: olafgrawertviolinstudio.com/7...
#myviolinmaker, #olafgrawertviolin
Website:
www.olafgrawertviolinstudio.com
Social:
/ olafgrawertviolinstudio
/ olafgrawertviolinstudi...

[@Sleepinginabed]

Perfect timing! I’m actually buying a new violin today

[@aasserelzoghby6781]

Good luck with your journey

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

Wonderful! Have fun. I also have 2 other videos... one on how to try out instruments and one on what to look out for when buying.

[@angels5449]

Good luck. See you after ten years :D

[@samayling9855]

I’m getting my new violin on Tuesday!!! I am so excited, the most I can afford on one right now was $750 usd I used his guides before getting it :D

[@aasserelzoghby6781]

@@samayling9855 this is very good I am a beginner and I bought one (I am a kid so I had no choice to buy an expensive one) worth 2,300 egp (I am egyptian) and 2,300 egp is around 137 USD Good luck

[@aconite72]

*look at my $150 violin* “Olaf’s just jealous of u don’t worry ;-;”

[@Cloxxki]

Ugly dogs are good boys as well!!

[@mulburncheesefits2201]

Things to do when I go to Australia: -buy a violin from Olaf -suffer in the heat -........ that’s it really, just buy a violin😂😂

[@dianawilson13]

You can always buy from him online. That's what I did :D :D It's been great!

[@angels5449]

meet twoset?

[@mulburncheesefits2201]

Angel Singh Tomar Yh I will probably😂 me and my friend were thinking to do some busking as well, but I don’t think I will make much. I’ll probably get paid to shut up😂😂

[@angels5449]

@@mulburncheesefits2201 hahahaa loll XD

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

@@mulburncheesefits2201 that strategy could work too 😀

[@dmitridmitrijevitsjsjostak3627]

your getting better at editing the videos olaf!😂😂😂

[@nicholasr-m1631]

Olaf is like that one dad who can actually vibe with his kids and their friends without feeling left out and I love it.

[@Isa-tn7ex]

I just realized Olaf kind of looks like Tchaikovsky. That’s rather awesome 😂

[@crystalchanwl]

Luthiers are really just the violin versions of wand-makers, imo :p

[@HIgginFlips]

Being someone who started out on a $100 violin, do yourself a favor and spend more on your starter. I almost gave up playing because no matter what I tried and how much I practiced, my playing always sounded awful...until I tried a friend's good violin. Then my jaw dropped. Apparently I was an OK-ish player, the instrument was just horrible!

[@Cloxxki]

I had such an experience going from heavily discounted B-brand carbon cross-country skis and then trying on top level ones as used by the professional racers. I became a vastly better skier, technically, more balanced, just switching over. No transition period. Skis you can't usually try before buying sadly, and there are individual differences between pairs, they are all made unequally and matched to a match by testing (at best). They come out they way they come out.

[@michaelwhisman7623]

Chinese violins are good firewood. However, I had a Japanese made violin from before WW2 and it was excellent.

[@CATsissta]

SAME! My first instrument was even less than $100 USD. I was in middle school orchestra, I played my friends violin, and GOD I envied her. Her violin was around $2,000 I believe, and I was blown away by how damn beautiful it sounded even when played by my mediocre-playing ass! I loved it. I upgraded to a $200 violin in my first year of highschool... Sounded so cold, so metallic. Then I upgraded to a $500 Krutz violin and I love the sound. Even so, I wish I could afford an even better quality instrument, even if my current one is the best quality I have. Maybe one day...:)

[@CATsissta]

I should also mention that the first two violins I got were from Amazon 8) it probably DID NOT help my case.

[@SourNicotine]

What about a Cecilio cvn 500 for a first violin

[@SharkQu33n]

I use to think my $260 violin was awesome until I was given a violin by my husband’s family that’s from the 1800s. The quality and the sound of that instrument is just beautiful. I don’t think I’ll ever buy another one.

[@hopelessviolin4690]

Can you do one of these but for violin bows?

[@nancymilawski1048]

Yes because that's just as important but people spend a lot of money on the instrument but don't budget for a quality bow.

[@brattingprincess]

Nancy Milawski Yep! A bow is a much cheaper, but important upgrade.

[@agnidas5816]

@@nancymilawski1048 personally I would upgrade the bow and strings before upgrading the instrument if the action feels good ... the difference is way bigger than a new instrument with the same bow and strings usually. Often people also get new bow and strings with a new instrument so they never realize they could have just upgraded those two things.

[@Li-yt7zh]

Are included bows not adequate on beginner instruments in the 200-500$ range? Thx!

[@PontusThuvesson]

An important thing is that if you avoid the cheapest instruments and buy from a reputable dealer or luthier you will probably get the money back the day you want to sell it or trade it in to buy something better. For absolute beginners it's also important to have a not too bad instrument. When starting playing (we have all been there...) it do sound quite bad and a bad instrument sure doesn't help...

[@abydosianchulac2]

Time markers for instrument demonstrations 5:42 Low range 8:38 Mid range 12:20 Upper range

[@littleloner1159]

I started off on an untunable piece of decoration, then rented a cheap one from an actual violin builder, and now finally bought my first for about 2.5k and I absolutely love it. It sounds so fckin good especially when you switch from a beginner violin.

[@Dmichoacan]

I just went to a local violinmaker and upgraded to a new violin from my VSO. It was $1000 and boy did it make a difference!

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

Great to hear! Makes playing so much more fun!

[@elfakyn]

I'm a beginner flute player (still watch all your videos!) and I wanted to drop by to say how heartening it is when people put love and passion in beginner instruments

[@brattingprincess]

Is it also really hard to produce a decent sound on flute? We also take a few years for violin.

[@azzabmagic2675]

I don't play violin but the passion you have for your art is amazing keep up the great content Olaf

[@soowankim9404]

I really enjoy watching your videos! It makes me want to make a similar video like this one with my flute if I had several :) Thank you for the inspiration!

[@colinjanpaclipan3308]

$100 VSO gang here

[@mintbrownieangelfish-6114]

Haha at least it's something!

[@dvides89]

Hey Olaf I have an idea for a dynamic: Olaf guesses your instruments’ prices. The community can submit videos and you guess the prices, should be fun.

[@Sorestlor]

It would be nice. But hard to tell without having it in person i would guess. Probably would have to send pics of the different parts.

[@ribhavgupta6148]

@@Sorestlor If you're listening to recording to guess the price, then also it'll be hard to judge unless it's recorded on a thousand dollar mic.

[@dvides89]

What makes the most difference is the performer in terms of sound but I think a short clip from the person showing the violin( without showing the tag of course) and playing a G Major scale would work just to have some fun ( also use Ling Ling insurance that it’s not appraisal 😂) similar to the TwoSet reaction videos. You could even invite them over and have some fun with it.

[@Sorestlor]

It couldn't be an accurate appraisal but he could comment on the bridge, varnish, finish and maybe other stuff like that. It would also be cool as a guess the price type thing.

[@brattingprincess]

Yes please do this!! I would also love to participate!!

[@chiiko7090]

when i have the chance to go to australia i want to visit olaf's shop.

[@ArchangelLBC]

Great video Olaf!

[@carmensandiego6922]

I got an antique lion head German violin in Europe for under $400. I took it to my violin shop in the US and he said that would go for $1000 here. He also said it’s perfect for my bluegrass/folk style I play.

[@brattingprincess]

Yeah apparently my violin is only worth 200 in France. I guess that is true... in Korea it is about a 50% increase in price from USA.

[@fernandomarquez6661]

Gracias Olaf saludos desde México!

[@hrobert745]

Your videos are inspirational. I understand and appreciate my violin so much more, and I also take better care of it.

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

Thank you! Wonderful to hear.

[@dianawilson13]

I would like to have an antique violin. It would be so cool!

[@michaelwhisman7623]

I inherited by Great-Grandfather's Louis Lowendall, 1906 Berlin violin. It's wonderful.

[@crystalchanwl]

Idk why this was my first thought but it feels like buying an instrument is a lot like buying a wand in HP. No two instruments are really the same, each has a different character and when you find the one that matches with your character, it’s like magic

[@tommoxon5147]

I completely agree with this! Every word! I have 2 violins, 1 a “alot” more money and the other considerably less. I was lucky enough to have a budget between £6000 to £8,000. I ended up choosing at £6,500 violin as the sound just resonated with me and I absolutely loved it compared to the other violins that were at a higher price. It was a J.H Schult Violin, with some previous repairs, but as I said... the sound is exactly what I was looking for! It has recently been valued at £7000, which is great! my other violin (for when I am going into schools etc) is a Jay Haide violin. Absolutely love this this violin!! It was considerably cheaper, but I loved the sound even compared to the “Jay Haide special” violin that was offered to me and that I played, but still preferred the one I bought. It’s all preferable to the player I suppose :) get advice! Thanks, really enjoyed the video :)

[@shipsahoy1793]

Tom Moxon - hi Tom, understood. I find that if an instrument (any I play) is too valuable, I can’t practice to death on it or take it out of the house! due to fear 😮 It just has to have a good setup, feel and sound ok and I’m happy.😉

[@Li-yt7zh]

@@shipsahoy1793 I identify with this! Been thinking about trying my hand at violin for some time now. What instrument did you end up on? Price range? Thx! (I'm hoping well under 1k just to test the waters)

[@shipsahoy1793]

@@Li-yt7zh well things have changed in the last few years. I had an inexpensive Romanian violin that I got used for close to $200, but then I had to put another $200 into it, and then it was pretty good. Unfortunately, it was stolen, and I thought I wasn’t gonna be able to get some thing that good again a few years ago, at least for the same kind of money, but I hooked up with the Kennedy Violins company out west after some looking, and they set me up with an Antonio Giuliani Etude for under $300. Just a beginner violin, but not bad at all on components and setup. Ditched the steel core strings in favor of nylon core though. Also had to upgrade the bow after a spell. Still haven’t needed to upgrade yet. I am learning more intermediate stuff at this point. It’s been a couple years. I also got a very affordable Cecilio CVA-500 viola from Fiddlershop before they went under, and that one is amazing with Thomastik Alphayues. I wouldn’t start out spending a lot of money because there’s a lot to experience and learn, and you could consider the few hundred you spend getting started as the education necessary for a better sense in selecting and choosing the more expensive stuff you may eventually want to go for, once you find that you are willing and want to “stick with” manipulating the strings. (See what I did there ?! 🥳)

[@Li-yt7zh]

@@shipsahoy1793 Lol, Thank you for that detailed account! I,m also hoping to start off on something fully assembled / set up, a used diamond in the rough in the 2-300$ range. Been reading comments and seeing in videos that strings are an important upgrade to consider along with bow, but i was hoping to do what you described - spend 200$ to learn what to look for in a future instrument, while still getting a fair sense of the basics. For context, I would be a total beginner without access to in-person lessons or a luthier, relying on the internet to start. Do you think i could adequately set up an instrument shipped with the bridge and strings unassembled? I'm quite handy and determined. Or, is a lot of experience necessary for setup? (I would mull over local classifieds in that case) Thanks for your replies!! :D

[@shipsahoy1793]

@@Li-yt7zh Well you need to learn how to deal with that stuff on your own anyway, even as a beginning player, so if you can get a violin with a properly carved bridge, and you don’t have to worry about carving it yourself, that’s really the biggest problem solved for the novice, except for sound post issues. I suggest dealing with a place like Fiddlershop, to make your experience as painless as possible.Also, changing strings shouldn’t pose much difficulty if you follow a viable procedure and your violin doesn’t have any peg or pegbox issues. It’s those few important things mentioned here that make it important to deal with a competent reputable shop.

[@bakters]

"The sound needs to be a reflection of you." So true. Regardless of the instrument, price range or even skill level. I'd just add that a setup needs to reflect you too. I'm not sure it works that way for violins, but on guitars it does.

[@mariafranciscabiskupovicma9131]

Olaf, I love your Videos and your T-shirt! greetings from Chile :)

[@kimifurstenberg3722]

Send love from Germany Olaf

[@victoriamhendrix94]

Thank you!!! The tip of viola are 10 to 20% more is helpful beginner as adult super helpful as saving to buy first viola/instrument ever although many are trying to discourage me because have CP...not listening to the doubters rented viola in under grad and loved it

[@johnnylee3565]

Watching Mr Olaf's video to chill

[@kyotosunsetdreams6105]

Purchased for $8,000. Appraised at $15,000. I made profit buying mine haha

[@DJxSGGxNeo]

Keep it! :)

[@jordanguerrero1423]

Where did you purchase it?

[@yeallow910]

I have a 100 us dollars violin and it sounded like sheet , The soundpost dropped and there is no luthiers in my city but the violin managed to stayed like that for 2 months and am getting an instrument in about 3 months so thank you for the video so i know how to choose the violin :)

[@nebelung1]

Make sure you get to try a couple different instruments before you buy one, once you find an instrument that just gels with you, you will feel it from the first moment you play with it...How it feels when you hold it, how it sounds, how it puts a smile on your face when you open the case and look at it. To fall in love with your instrument is the first step in your "relation", so to speak!

[@sisfantasto7004]

How? I have no Olaf here.

[@gianobierna9208]

Here in the philippines we have luthiers that are around 300 to 1200 AUD, they also make good quality violins very nice timber and uses spirit varnishes too, check out Violin Village and AM Gabute violins. Their violins are said to be concert level. Here you get good quality instruments at cheaper price since Luthiers are cheap.

[@nicoleanneveracruz7838]

That's true. My friend bought a VV violin, and brought it to Europe with him. He had it serviced somewhere there, the luthier found it good.

[@mjartwork]

Gian Obierna what about mg strings are they good as well?

[@Fidi987]

What might also be interesting is to compare different violins of one price and additionally from one line. I am testing two violins this week which I am interested in buying, they are exactly the same price and sound totally different. So this might be interesting, too, otherwise viewers might believe that there is only one kind of sound per price range.

[@marcusjefferson4180]

Excellent video Olaf! Speaking of Chinese violins, would you recommend Ming Jiang Zhu violins from the Noble Heart workshop?

[@aritrapaul301]

Love you olaf..... Love from india :)

[@cweeks5211]

What a great "episode"!!!!

[@davidgelle1226]

Hi Olaf. Thanks for all these good explanations. I have a violin from the workshop of Honore Derazey. This is a french violin around 1840. But it’s quite big, 366 millimeters. I’d like to know what you think about violins of that size and if they can be easy to play or if I’d better change for another one. Thanks for your good videos which are very instructive

[@cristinateller9107]

Thanks for sharing

[@kaunas888]

In my experience to get a good/decent new violin one has to pay about a minimum of around US $350. Of course that excludes special sales, used violins, etc.

[@tthakubayi9937]

Dear Olaf will you consider making a similar video like this for cello please?? Thanks heaps!!

[@Vumette]

Hi Olaf, I realise that in this video you only wanted to cover violins within a price range that non-doctor-evil people would shop for, so you didn’t talk about violins that are above 10k in value. But we would still be very interested to watch a follow up video where you’d continue with the price range and explain what’s the difference between a 50k, 200k, 1M or 15M violin. Is there a big difference in craftsmanship? Materials? Sound? What makes them so expensive? Love your videos! Thanks :)

[@JamesCello]

Totally agree, that’d be fun

[@opheliaxie8123]

Thank you Olaf I am getting my own violin soon!(I rent)

[@XxBlueEyedxX]

My first violin (bought it 2019) was a used Stagg violin for 30€ (with case and bow). I bought a new carbon bow for under 200€ a few months after (and I still use it, my violin teacher even complimented me for it) and better strings the day after I bought it (I got it from ebay kleinanzeigen, it's lie the german craigslist). This violin is playable, but of course not the best. Because of an annoying injury in my left hand I had to stop playing until last christmas. I picked up the violin again and started to take lessons, but I noticed some minor cracks in the corpus. That was reason enough for me to buy me recent instrument for around 1200€. My luthier said something like that when he tested my old violin: "I am thankful that those Stagg violins exists. So many people started to learn the violins because they could buy a cheap one to "test it out" and they don't always have the possibility to rent an instrument (me included). After some time, the people who really want to stick to the violin always come to me." I am thankful for my old violin (that I will always keep) because without it, I would have never tried to play the violin. There is a huge difference between my two instruments, but at least I was lucky enough to find one that was reaaaaaally cheap but still playable (some students who play way longer than me still play with instruments that are worse).

[@jeropa3d]

Hello there Olaf, What should we look after when buying new strings for our violin?

[@MrDivinity22]

What are comparable price ranges for double basses? 😅

[@alexandria6947]

Id like to hear your opinions on carbon fiber instruments, if you have developed any opinions. Great video very helpful

[@joshuarobertson7971]

Olaf, what do you think of the Stentor Conservatoire? I bought it for a beginner's violin. It's around $330 USD, and looks very nice. I has a unique sound, but to me, it sounds pretty decent.

[@JD-pq1pn]

Love your videos Olaf! Curious about your thoughts on Gliga violins for a beginner?

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

Hi, I researched Gliga instruments and it can go either way... I don't sell them because I have found other instruments that have a much clearer sound and are better value... But then every now and then a client brings one in that sounds good... They really are a mixed bag.

[@elonmust7470]

I have my late granddad's violin. Can't remember the name but it's from the late 1700s and it's pretty much thrashed. One day I shall get it restored.

[@cedleonard123]

And what day will that be?

[@elonmust7470]

@@cedleonard123 About a month ago now. 2,200 worth of work and it's brand new. It turned out to be 100 years younger than I thought, but still a tremendous instrument. Made by Charles Resuche.

[@cedleonard123]

@@elonmust7470 Good to hear.

[@Li-yt7zh]

Hi, I just want to muck around & see if i like the sound & feel before committing to 40hr practice days.. For a 200-250$ budget, would i be better off gambling on a used beginner violin which has the bridge and strings already set up, or could i figure out how to put the strings on myself with a new "unassembled" violin? I'm not sure about finding local luthiers in my area (low population), and it won't be practical for me to do in-person lessons for some time. I am quite adept at figuring things out though. Thank you :D

[@carolineleiden]

I got several old instruments that people found in their atticks. Bought them for 100 to 200 euro's, on a gamble, and brought them to my luthier, who fixed them. Usually around 3 hundred in work, for pegs and soundpost and my special tweaky wishes on details, and then I fuss about with the set up myself. I do the bridge and the chinrest and find the right strings. She does the same thing herself. We call it instrument rescue. It is a way to get decent but modestly priced instruments to people who would otherwise would not play the violin at all or get some horrid cheap violin shaped object from the internet. And we save old habdmade instruments who would otherwise be forgotten.

[@shipsahoy1793]

Always good videos... 😉 Question: If the violin’s sound is sensitive to which string combinations are used, is that a typical case scenario, or does that imply a better or worse Violin or its setup ? (keeping string type same, i.e. steel core, nylon, synthetic, gut) .. (would you do a video on this type of thing?) thanks, love your channel👍

[@marcoalvarado6793]

I am not a violinist but bassist ... but I have seen my daughters to grow from small VSO instruments with good setup to intermediate level instruments these days (around US $2000) ... ... The VSO are good just to understand that the child have something in his/her hands. Take into consideration that sometimes they will go to the floor or they just will kick them on a wall or whatever, because the children still have no idea how to "live" with the instrument. And replacing some parts and the strings will make them a little playable, but they won´t have a better sound that a bug no matter what type of magic you perform on them. They are just created with very low quality materials and that is the main point (in my mind) about these things, space knowledge. Olaf is 100% right on the price ranges. After looking around I found a better US $350 instrument that helped them to improve quickly ... but they have a clear roof you can´t go beyond. Then the institution where they study loan some 40 years around Suzuki marvelous machines that have been in the hands of many children and with the right setup and good strings (Tonica are really good ones, comparable to Dominant), they delivered what was expected. Now, they have new instruments, one of them 100 years old. Professionally checked, good strings and Coda bows and ... oh, what a difference. They can continue for some years until they arrive to the next level when they would need better instruments, but that will be another story :-) So ... I think (and this includes Bass also), that it is a recipe. A good instrument with bad setup, bad strings and bad bow won´t deliver. A bad instrument with magic, the best strings and wonderful bow ... won´t deliver. A good instrument with love, good parts, good bow and study, will show what a violin really can do.

[@wakkowarner4288]

Basically I avoided all the Amazon and online violins, and went with a fine, old name: Yamaha. Used student model (V5SC). Spruce top, maple sides, oil varnish. Even with my novice hands it speaks clearly, with a surprisingly deep tone. I have no patience or tolerance for hucksters, so I just went with a name I trust from long, long ago. I'm a big believer in buying used instruments. If we all bought new all the time, where would 300-year-old violins come from?

[@ChrisWaigl]

So for cello in the same three "quality classes" as you listed for violins, would you say about a factor of 3 in the price, at least at the low end? Or more like a factor of 2? I sometimes dream of taking up the cello again. I never was more than an advanced amateur, so I'd restart not QUITE as a 100% beginner, but close. If I do I kinda would like to buy an instrument that would last me years, not one I want to upgrade after a year. I wonder where the pretty widely available USD $3-5000 class of celli (usually Chinese-made, set up by a luthier at the point-of-sale) falls compared with the violins you listed.

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

That would be intermediate... I noticed that for beginner cellos the prices are often tripple compared to a violin, because freight and material costs make up a significant percentage of the overall price. Once you get to intermediate, the price is aproximately twice that of a violin, and at a higher level it ends up being 30% to 50% more. Hope that helps.

[@ChrisWaigl]

@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker Super helpful, danke!!

[@lightst33l]

Please explain about lefthanded violins. Mirrored bass bar soundpost and pegs. My violin is unfortunately reversed so i cant play first position because of righthanded pegs. And sound is very bad because of soundpost and bassbar place is for righthanded.

[@pinga784]

I wish I lived in Australia

[@angels5449]

me too IKR

[@derpyleafy]

Australia gang 🤘

[@dvides89]

Same except for the deadly animals appearing on your home (just a joke, I know it's a Meme) , but for violin purposes yeah 😋

[@KeithR0000]

@ask Olaf what do you think of the fiddlerman master and solo violin as a price comparison? I am on the fence for the 1200-2000 range and don’t want to throw away money.

[@tttddd2509]

Hi Olaf. I wish I could buy a 1000 dollor violin from you. But I can't for now, have to save money for college. I'm finally able to play really good after playing for 6 years, on my 200$ violin.

[@Cloxxki]

Olaf, did you travel to China to work with the workshop where you commissioned your violins?

[@Li-yt7zh]

Hello Olaf, Would you consider doing a video about Ray Chen's 69$ violin comparison video? I think he changed out the strings but it still sounded terrific (staying well under 200$ total)! As great a player as he is could the cheapo violin really be so bad? Could a beginner overcome its shortcomings to develop into an even better violinist than from starting out on a luxury instrument? Thank you!

[@michaelblaney4461]

So if your price range is VSOs you should do what? Are there any big builders that are decent available on the internet , there is nothing stocked in my area for less then 2k.

[@sleeplesssongbird7625]

Hello Olaf! Complete newbie here, and I'm hoping somehow this reaches you or someone whom can give me some hopefully helpful advice. By luck, I managed to find a Chinese intermediate-level violin that had been seemingly abandoned to waste away in a thrift shop where I live--- and scraped enough together to buy it. I am familiar with other instruments, but have never formally trained for the violin- it's become a bit of a goal now to learn for myself. I don't think whomever left it there had any idea what it was actually worth, and mishandled it badly as the strings were cut and the chin rest looked to be purposefully broken. (Although, luckily, it came with not one, but TWO concert bows that were undamaged. :D ) Maybe in the future I can afford a better one and have the skills to play a better-quality instrument, but for now I'm in a bit of a pickle with the issue of repairing the violin I immediately own. The only Luthier in my area seems to have closed shop due to the ongoing plague, and I am unable to travel to another due to being A: In a fairly remote area, with the nearest being roughly 600 miles away, and B: In the medical field--and very much on-call 24/7. I understand by all accounts it is imperative that a professional handle the instrument, but is it possible to at least fix it up to a point on my own? I hate having it sit in the corner of my flat neglected. :/ Thank you for your time!

[@jasongolkiewicz2099]

What do you think of Fiddlerman or Kennedy violins?

[@mignuscarlsen5613]

Great vid! Mines made by Scott cao

[@edwardpetersen4309]

What do you think about the Chinese, Eastman instruments ?

[@danielphendarko2651]

Love you olaf..... Love from Indonesia :)

[@terryjohinke8065]

Sorry to sound stuffy but shouldn't the inside label on the Piere Lomont read anno domini MMXX? Nice sounding violin for the price.

[@JA-gk2rl]

What's your opinion of Paolo Lorenzo violins?

[@MandyH1972]

I started playing in 1982 on a Chinese made Skylark back when Chinese instruments were universally terrible. Nowadays my main violin is a 1925 Gustave Villaume and I love it. Thankfully the £20 Skylark didn’t manage to put me off. 😅

[@ozaki_09]

I am afraid to ask because I already own one, but, what do you think about the gliga violins? Personally I'm super happy with it, but I'm a beginner so I can't judge it objectively.

[@agnidas5816]

all judgements are ultimately subjective by definition.

[@jjtatel2431]

Can you play violin as well? Here in the Philippines the most famous guitar maker can't play guitar but he can guess wether the guitar is out of tune or not.

[@crystalline9098]

Which vivace violin do you suggest?

[@ethangill2477]

Have you tried the factory cecilio and mendini violins especially mv500-mv650 and nvc500-800?

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

No. It's not a brand sold in Australia. What's important is that the instrument is well set up, has good strings and sounds good...

[@joshuam2154]

Stay away

[@nicoleanneveracruz7838]

VSO. I have the mendini. I chose a very cheap first "violin" because I didnt know if I would be able to play at all. Violin is a notoriously hard to learn instrument so I was hesitant to spend money. Dont be like me. I found a luthier who suggested decent violins for me, and Im looking at it right now.

[@remeshkumar7716]

actually, I wanted to buy a nice professional violin with all the necessary parts such as chin and shoulder rest (bigger size adjustable legs). How much will be the cost? and can you send it to me here in Kuwait?

[@yakuviolin]

have you triede alice 747 violin strings?... i mean... they are maybe not as good as pirastro... and are actually a litlle difficult to get here in my country... but to the moment... best china strings i've ever found

[@katyb2793]

We just got given a Stentor Student II that's been sadly a little bit abused... esp the poor bow that has had the horsehair tightened for a long time.... one of it's strings has come out where the fine tuning pegs are (I don't play violin, forgive me if I get some of the terminology wrong). Is it possible to put that string back on, and is this something we can do if we watch a tutorial? We live in Victoria so we have no hope of going to Luthier.. thanks so much!

[@brattingprincess]

Olaf has a tutorial for how to string instruments. As for pegs, you can put on some peg grease. But... this all depends on you knowing how to tune.

[@katyb2793]

@@brattingprincess oh i didn't see the restringing video! will check it out. thanks so much for replying! Tuning wise I have a basic understanding so that should be fine. i just didn't know if i would wreck the violin trying to restring it.

[@Fidi987]

Is it expensive if you want a violin with a really deep, soft sounding g-string? I had one of these old, Saxonian violins, then it had to be repaired and now tit sounds more even. I must admit that most of the violins you present do not that a g-string-sound I like a lot. On the other hand I keep hearing that people look for violins that are "brilliant" in tone; I rather look for the opposite, a little more quiet, soft tone, deep g- and d-strings. Is that something one can usually only get at a higher price (< $5000)?

[@samayling9855]

Trying to decide what to name my new violin, my picks are Vincent, Edward, or Alfred. Edit- I decided on Violincent!

[@robertwong2412]

All musical instruments, I notice the trend of price exponential increase do not correlate with quality. The higher price you go, you get only minor improvements that aren't worth the price paid. It's more of an investment.

[@brattingprincess]

It really does depend on the player. At 69 usd, 10 million dollar violinist really couldn't do much with it. Rather most upgrade in tiers as we advance in our studies: 300 USD - 1,000 USD - beginner 3,000 USD - 5,000 USD - intermediate/advancing 10,000 USD+ - advanced 20-30K - music uni/college/conservatoire When you literally cannot get it to sound when you do the techniques, that's when you upgrade.

[@athmaid]

Crazy how they got louder the higher the price went. That's what you call projection right? Talking about prices, violins, cellos etc. are so expensive in comparison to guitars when it comes to performance per dollar it seems. Guitars under 600 dollars have gotten really good in the past few years, there are some that even a pro would be happy gigging with. And for 1500 dollars you can get a really nice one, above that it's diminishing returns really. To me it sound like for the violin those tiers are 50 percent or so higher in price. No wonder so many beginners rent violins haha

[@grapesofwrath361]

Is it better to get a bow first and match it with the violin, or the other way around? Or both at the same time?

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

I think violin first... But then again... what comes first... the chicken or the egg 🙂

[@grapesofwrath361]

@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker thanks for your opinion! :)

[@agnidas5816]

@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker the egg because something which is not a chicken can lay a chicken egg. For future reference :) . In this case I would also say the violin - you can pluck it first without a bow.

[@DivaDeb1234]

How can you tell if you have a high or low quality bridge.

[@Eskolol]

What has been the most valuable instrument (in terms of monetary value) that you have had the pleasure of working on?

[@aasserelzoghby6781]

I believe he would get some like 5 mil dollar instruments He is a master

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

Over 10 million dollars.

[@aasserelzoghby6781]

@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker oof like Ray Chen's Stradivarius violin

[@angels5449]

@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker what if you dropped it? No, I really mean like, if someone drops a 10 mil dollar violin belonging to someone else, and if it's not insured, do they get arrested?? I'm curious

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

@@angels5449 Well, those kinds of instruments are very well insured. Also I really clean my workspace and make sure there are no risks to the instrument. Accidents do happen to players as well.

[@tullochgorum6323]

If you're prepared to put in a lot of time and effort, another option is to find a talented young maker whose prices are still affordable. I managed to purchase a wonderful fiddle for the price of a decent trade instrument. I've had the chance to compare it to valuable old Italian and German instruments, up to and including a Cerutti and a certified Jacob Stainer - many valued at tens of thousands. I wouldn't swap it for any of them. It's also vital to get your instrument set up and adjusted by a genuine expert - the difference can be radical. And of course finding the right bow to match your instrument is also critical. But the result of all that effort and investment should be an instrument that you simply can't put down because it gives you so much pleasure. In my case the whole setup cost around $5k AUD, so it can be done...

[@Leannchops]

My child has had a Paganini and a Schuurman so far. $400- $500. There is a buisness where I'm from that does 1/3 off your new violin when you bring your old one back.

[@Hickeroar]

Such a different market than Electric guitars, which is what I'm used to. The functional difference between a $500 and $1000 electric is like....5%. The functional difference between a $1000 and a $4000 electric is like....2%. You can also take a $500 electric, put a couple hundred $ of upgrades into it, and make it roughly equivalent to a $2000-3000 guitar. The Black Strat just sold for $3.3M...but functionally, your average new MIM Fender is every bit as good of an instrument, or at least within $100 of upgrades from it.

[@PulledPurk]

I have one of those dirt cheap violin shaped objects Its the only one Ive ever tried to play. I have to push the strings onto the fingerboard extremely hard. Much harder than my acoustic guitar. Is that normal?

[@ILikeBirds]

Hi Olaf. My violin never says the year it was made but it has some random numbers in there and it says “Leon Albert”, “model: Elegante” and on the bottom of the sticker in the violin, it says “distributed by Lashof violins” so I don’t know where it was made either. The violin was only about $800 in the United States and I want to know what year it was made and where.

[@haniazd]

There is a very knowledgeable community at maestronet. If you post there some pictures, I’m sure they can help with identification.

[@AskOlaftheViolinmaker]

There's also a great Facebook group that focuses on the identification of instruments.

[@ILikeBirds]

Ask Olaf the Violinmaker what is it called?

[@kokeskokeskokes]

I am not done yet, but so far mine cost U$20k in restoration and certification alone, and I haven't really played it yet. But when I hold it in front of me and speak, it vibrates as if it was trying to jump out of my hands. I have been playing guitars and pianos for 30 years, thus I know first hand how important it is not to start on an inferior instrument.

[@PhysicsOfParkour]

Its Olaf from League of Legends !!! Olaf the Brolaf!!! :D

[@Cloxxki]

For those starters who CAN afford a hefty price but don't want to lose all that money of the hobby doesn't pan out...how hard is it to recoup a large part of their investment selling their instrument on? Can a costly instrument be kept in good condition reasonably well? How is the difference for say a $2000 used instrument to start on vs a $2000 new one, as an example?

[@sinyiechan5361]

Thanks~thats some great advice! Btw that thumbnail is kind of scary

[@cellokid5104]

Can you please make the same vid for cello?

[@cellokid5104]

I'd be VERY thankful

[@janesmith8316]

What about Cecillo violins?

[@rudie2902]

Olaf, what is the difference in setup between an Irish Fiddle and a Violin? In what price class would a reasonable Irish Fiddle be? Would it be $500 to $3000 as well?

[@eldricgrubbidge6465]

Rudie heya! I’ve been playing trad for a good few years now, but I had classical lessons as a kid and I’ve hung out with classical and baroque musicians. Most of the time the set up is exactly the same. You want a good sound and you want the thing to be playable. Basically what works for one type of music will work for most other kinds. Some trad players use metal strings, things like spirocores or chromecores, for that extra bit of brightness, but I don’t think that changes the set up much. Maybe it makes putting fine tuners in for the bottom strings more likely, and, anecdotally, if the action is a bit high and you’re playing on metal strings you’ll really notice it. But broadly, the set up should be very similar. Even on gut strings, having too high an action isn’t going to be comfortable. And plenty of fiddlers use synthetic strings, dominants, tonicas, thomastic reds, whatever. I’ve heard about people opting for a flatter bridge to facilitate string crossings and double stops, but I’ve seen a lot of fiddlers up close, including some big names, and I’ve never noticed that their bridges were cut any differently than a normal classical player’s violin.

[@agnidas5816]

You mean a violin made in Ireland ? Violon and fiddle are interchangeable words. That is why we have the bass fiddle and the violon-cello for example ...