V.com weekend vote: How many violins do you own?
September 21, 2007 at 7:25 PM
How many violins do you own? I'm talking about instruments, here, not ceramic frogs playing the fiddle. Although in the comment section you can tell me how many of those you have, if you'd like.
Mine have really piled up, and I'm not what you would call a "collector." I just couldn't let go of my grandmother's fiddle when I bought a new one. Then when I bought my Italian, I couldn't let go of my modern because I wanted it for teaching student group classes and playing outdoors. Then, I ended up buying my kids fiddles....
Today we'll just stick to violins. E-mail me if you have ideas for the poll! This one was from Larry Samuels. Thanks!
I own Guido (my Eyetalian), my Grandmother's Sears violin from the 1920's (hanging on the wall) and my old orange student Knilling that I abuse at outdoor gigs.
I have many ceramic, plastic, paper, glass, crystal, wood, and metal decorative violins of various sizes. I also have two plastic frogs playing left-handed on the deck, and don't get me started on the Christmas Tree! I also have many Christmas violins, including an automaton snowman playing violin. He doesn't bow parallel to the bridge, though.
One of mine is a 3/4 size, which I'd like to sell. One is a Chinese beginner level violin, which I use when I'm going to play outdoors and it might rain. That leaves three, and one of those is my favorite.
I also have a white teddy bear who plays Silent Night on his violin. I saw him in the window of a second hand store which was closed, so I came back the next day to get him. When he plays there are different colors of light streaming from his back. I suppose that he used to have wings on his back where the colored lights are. I told one of my students, 8 y.o., to think of a musical name for him. She came up with Sue Zuki.
I have my good violin, my outside violin, and about 18 el cheapo-bought on ebay and fixed up properly 1/4 to full size loaner student instruments. My husband has 2 violins and another on semi-permanent loan from a shop in Chicago. We also have our daughters rented 1/16 and 1/10 size violins. Then there's the viola, cello, 2 mandolins, a borrowed mandola, a mountain dulcimer, and a piano. Don't get me started on how many CDs we have!
I have a full size violin which is Cremonese, I have a 3/4 violin which was made in 1940, and a half size violin.
To be honest, I won't really own my Italian for another 5 years!
From Ben Clapton
Posted on September 21, 2007 at 11:08 PM
I've got 2, my main violin, and an acoustic/electric. I'd like to get a couple more - I'd like to get a really nice quality violin, and a solid body electric. Then start building up a collection of bows.
From Karin Lin
Posted on September 22, 2007 at 12:03 AM
Are we supposed to count violins belonging to our kids? I mean, I paid for them, but I don't think of them as "my" violins. I only have two of my own, but my family as a whole owns 6.
What?! No one owns more than 30?! Come on people! ONly joking who needs more than a couple?
From Cecily Ward
Posted on September 22, 2007 at 1:08 AM
None! I've been borrowing violins since college - and sold my old violin to buy a great bow...
My family owns three: mine, the half size my daughter plays now, and the quarter size she outgrew a year and a half ago. And one viola.
From Mara Gerety
Posted on September 22, 2007 at 1:32 AM
I own two: Milos, my temperamental Italian with a national identity crisis, and Ruslan, my previous fiddle which I still can't quite bring myself to part with.
On that note, I think I hear Milos' plaintive voice calling forlornly from Robertson Hall. I just found my Galamian book, soooo.....
I consider myself the owner of my kids' violins because they never PLAY them! Maybe one day I will loan them to students.
I wanted to see if there were any collectors out there with a big pile of violins under their bed...
I only own one violin, and technically I don't even own it since my parents bought it. In fact, it originally belonged to my older sister who switched to viola for grad school . . . and speaking of violas, I actually do own a viola that I bought myself. Haha, funny how that works out.
Two: a Peresson for indoors and a Burak for outdoors. This doesn't include the package of violins we got 6 for a dollar at Hobby Lobby so we could use one for a wedding-cake topper.
From E. Smith
Posted on September 22, 2007 at 2:51 AM
We own three violins: the excellent 2004 luthier-made violin my daughter plays; a violin in disrepair that belonged to a musician friend of my parents, now deceased; and a student violin my father-in-law (now age 78) played in high school. We own three violas: my 17-year-old daughter's instrument, Chinese, 2004; my 13-year-old daughte's viola, German, late 20th C.; my violin daughter's viola, Chinese, 2003. No wonder our house seems so cluttered.
From Tara Shaw
Posted on September 22, 2007 at 3:27 AM
I own two actual violins (though one would be what Shar would call a VSO).
The violin that my parents bought me when I was fourteen (the VSO) is a horrible sounding instrument with a really bad setup. I needed to replace it when I decided to take up playing again (fixing it would have cost far more than it was worth).
I replaced it with a still fairly cheap factory made instrument that has a much prettier sound. Once I get some mileage on this instrument I'll look into making a true investument in an instrument. Or I'll invest in a quality bow. Haven't decided yet. ;-)
Like someone else mentioned, I have all sorts of violin "things" in the house. Paintings, figures, and a porcelain doll who plays the violin.
To everyone who said that they have several violins for their children in various sizes: Around here, most violin stores will rent violins with an option to buy, and you can trade up for a larger size at any time with no extra cost.
"Violins only"!!???!! :)
My viola is insulted, but the violin I own is happy - so I voted just 1.
Neil
From Mark Knight
Posted on September 22, 2007 at 12:59 PM
Currently,
1 German acoustic (c) around 1890
2 Bridge Electrics
1 Bridge Electro Acoustic
1 Wood Viper
1 Zeta Jazz Fusion
From Sue Bechler
Posted on September 22, 2007 at 1:04 PM
I think I'm down to 11. Had to go stand in the spare room & count what's stacked in the corners. I actually play 4; a decent English for classical, a sweet but not aggressive Strad copy for playing along w/kids, a loud German for Cajun, & something useable but only for taking on planes for camp. I had more, but sent 7 to the Youth Orchestra of New Orleans through a project of SAI after I left public school. If anyone has an interest, e-mail me for contact in NO. Can't forget the violin my sister dumpster-dove for me.
A year ago, I had 6. 2 were sold to a decorator a that is all they were good for (both were old student fiddles that had endured a long and stressful life). I found the violin I have been looking for since 1989 when I sold my Guad last fall. It is a Jean Paul Lucas, and it is the best and most comparable since I sold the Guad. I sold my 1920's Roth through Moenning, and they are working on selling my Nurperi (a nice modern Italian)for my Lucas. I have a 1/4 violin that started my children in music. I also have an 8th size that I am getting parts for so my grandson can play. I also have a viola. So I have, currently, 3 or 4 violins depending on how you look at it.
As far as figures-I would have to count and that would take a while! Seems my students are always giving these to me and I do not have the heart to not display them in my home or at school.
I would love to be able to collect violins, but a) am not in a financial position to do so, and b) would want them to all be played so they stay active.
I have a c. 1690 Cappa, and my old student violin - nameless 1800's German or Chech.
From Jodi B
Posted on September 22, 2007 at 2:20 PM
We have a 1/16, 1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, two 3/4, and 3 full size violins. Some have been given to us. Not to mention 3 flutes, two piccolos, 2 accustic guitars, 1 bass guitar, one mandolin, 3 whistles, and one piano! haha
We had to take another insurance policy out for all the instruments.
I had more than 20 and had to sell some to be able to afford a cello. I still owe 15 and 2 cellos. i can't part with them ,they all have a special meaning
Do electric violins count? If so, then that makes one main instrument and my electric fiddle :)
From Cathy Gray
Posted on September 22, 2007 at 6:16 PM
My violin was made by Michael Fischer in Los Angeles. I love my violin!! It's a fantastic instrument!
I own 3 presently. A crappy electric violin, a really nice electric violin (Mark Wood Viper) which I tend to have a love/hate relationship with and a decent acoustic instrument. It's actually the first one I have bought for myself and so it's a little sentimental. I would like to keep it, but I may need to use it to help buy another, better one sometime in the not too distant future. I really need a better one since I am playing more classical music...
oh lord! how could I forget?! I actually have a 4th violin: the last one my parents got for me. I played it for a couple of years until someone loaned my a better one. that actually was the beginning of a long period of me playing on borrowed instruments (about 10+ years!)...
Yes, electric violins count!
I have my 2004 Riccardo Bergonzi that I actually play, my old violin which is an 1886 Collin-Mezin, my 12-year-old daughter's Klotz copy, and a Lupot copy that we were going to use for her "school violin." Are we going to talk bows next?! ;-)
Does it count if you are a Luthier and repairman? I carry on stock from 30-35 violins and 1 viola that I own for sale.So if anyone needs a Great "Earl" Strad copy by Geipel or a Meisel Viola,please feel free to E-Mail me.I like playing an old Hopf copy though.
From cindy dinga
Posted on September 23, 2007 at 3:25 AM
One old favorite Strad copy from 1736 (my GrandPapa played it--love it--needs some TLC), a good student violin from China (date of make unknown) great for fiddling and a Fender Electric made in 1982, fun but needs some work.
Well, I can see I'm in the lunatic fringe!
From Alison S
Posted on September 23, 2007 at 2:19 PM
Just the two Germans, and they don't have names because I can't decide whether they are boys or girls. One is supposed to be the spare for travelling, but I am considering putting it out on loan.
2 x restored old european violins
4 x broken violins for me to repair
1 x new electric violin
1 x student cello
1 x hand made cello (my baby which I made)
3/4 of a cello which I am currently making
i have my violin plus one 1/2 size czech violin we found quite randomly at a pawn shop. add to that my little violin playing angels in various forms; candles, sculpture, photo, etc. and there is the string bass on which the infant sleeps by anne geddes. hehe
Seriously, someone owns 10-19 violins? That's a lot of dusting!
One, an Oded Kishony. Gave my old beginner violin to someone for the promise they would learn to play it.
Hmm, I'm kind of suprised that the majority of people own more than one violin . . . I thought it would be the other way around.
From Bob Annis
Posted on September 25, 2007 at 3:25 PM
C F Albert, ex John Hartford (!)
H Th Heberlein
19th cent German "baroque"
Hardanger fiddle
G M Kingman
Fake Sgarobotto
No-name possibly Czech, mouse-eaten
1/4 Suzuki
3 violas & a cello
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