The UGLY Violins Musicians Love

Comments · 39

• TH

  @TheGotoGeek · 4 months ago

  I recently bought the anonymous 19th C violin of my dreams. It has numerous repairs, and had the bass bar replaced and the top re-thicknessed. It sounds great, looks like it’s been in countless bar fights, and I love it. It is close to perfect for what I need, in that I play in bars a lot.

  10

• NI

  @nickiemcnichols5397 · 4 months ago

  Beautiful is in the eye of the beholder.

  12

• KR

  @kristinaF54 · 4 months ago

  My music teacher has an ugly old violin too! It's well over 80 years old, has a poorly repaired crack down the top plate, the grain is not sanded smooth and it needs cleaning and polishing, but my teacher loves it and it sounds great.

  2

• VE

  @vendelius · 4 months ago

  Really Appreciate your Interest in Variety!.. Many wonderful violin models throughout history

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• KI

  @kirkhunter88 · 2 months ago

  I hear a great response from the demo, but my suspicion is that it's due to the MASSIVE amount of audio compression. Additionally, the sound is, to my ear, too "boxy".

  1

• JO

  @joeharalson9290 · 5 days ago (edited)

  I bought an old "Made in Nippon" violin that was made between 1914 and 1921. She's in good condition with the original case that's made in America and bow that's made in Germany. I fell in love with the bottom because it's very unique. The wood is a Japanese maple species that has multiple mineral staining and streaks in it, something I've never seen before in a violin. There are no flames, but it has light and slightly darker banding. The top is a spruce with extremely tight grain, especially toward the center where the grain is 6 grains per 1/16th of an inch. The fingerboard is a brown maple as most of the black stain was worn away after decades of use. She's an odd looking girl, but that's why I love her, she's super unique.

• EP

  @EPeltzer · 3 months ago

  Would love to see you discuss the sound characteristics of the various types of violins you make. The Testore sounded quite particular, and you describe it this quite well.

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• A.

  @a.r.mackinnon2451 · 4 months ago

  Everyone drank back in those days, including children, because the fermentation process made water safe to drink. Drinking water was a fast way to die.

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• 2O

  @2old4u · 4 months ago (edited)

  Excellent.<br>Beautiful sound can come from a plain looking instrument.<br>Truth at its finest.

  3

• CA

  @camorbz · 4 months ago

  The attack of the Testore violin is amazing.

  3

• RA

  @rafaelernestorosabal8734 · 4 months ago

  My teacher &apos;s last violin was a Testore which he bought in Milan

  1

• KY

  @Kyle-ur4mr · 4 months ago (edited)

  I recently bought a viola by Ettore Siega, the bow side C bout is 5mm wider than the other one. It’s like he scooched it up just for me so that my finger doesn’t scratch up the corner. I always loved slightly asymmetrical instruments, particularly those by PA Testore.