What is an ebonised fingerboard?

September 13, 2015 at 09:40 AM · Also, for example this description

"The Granada MV016 Superior Violin 4/4 - Complete Outfit is a great intermediate violin. It is crafted of carefully selected and aged tonewoods from the Carpathian forest. This Stradivarius model has a carved spruce top with a carved flamed maple back, sides, neck, and scroll. It also has deluxe ebony pegs, purfling, and tailpiece with 4 fine-tuners, a chin rest, German maple bridge, and beautiful hand-rubbed spirit finish. This model comes prefitted with D'Addario strings, a lightweight case with bow holder, and Brazilwood half-lined bow stick."

http://www.bajaao.com/products/granada-mv016-superior-violin-4-4-complete-outfit

Can you tell me? is there a way to identify spruce and maple? I mean how to identify they are not lying in their claims that it is spruce and maple?

this doesnt mention that fingerboard is ebony- so should i assume it is a not ebony and painted black?

how is brazilwood for the bow?

and what is a half-lined bow?

September 13, 2015 at 07:37 PM · Ebonized refers to a process of colouring wood black so that it looks like ebony.

A half lined frog does not have the one or two piece metal plate that goes around the heel of the frog. One that does is called fully lined.

A Brazilwood bow can be good. But in general it is "less good" and is therefore used on less expensive bows.

As far as telling maple and spruce - experience?

September 13, 2015 at 09:16 PM · I have no idea what the price would be in USD, but if that fiddle is truly "intermediate" it does have a spruce top and the rest maple with an ebony fingerboard. Only some of the cheapest use anything else at this point in time.

Some of the "painted" fingerboards I've seen are actually harder on the surface than ebony. Difficult to reshape when needed.

September 14, 2015 at 10:54 AM · The identity of the woods as being spruce and maple is the last thing I would question. If anything (and my emphasis IS on the "if anything"), I'd be more skeptical about the "carefully selected" and "aged" bits.

September 22, 2015 at 09:31 AM · Thank you so much all.

John, I dont think i am going to buy from such websites because of high risk as I cant check and play it before buying. So perhaps i will buy from a shop (the only shop we have) which brings 3-4 violins of companies like First, and Hofner from china. I am not sure if those violins are going to have paper and description as to what wood, etc it is made of. So i think i need to find a way to recognize the wood as well. Bec most violins of the range I am having are made of cheap wood other than maple. And I need maple and spruce (tonewood as one mentioned).

The Granada MV016 Superior on the website seems very good with affordable prize, i m not sure if i would get similar prize of same quality violin through the shop. It even has D;addario strings which costs around 2000 Rs alone. I am not sure about the Guarneri kind of chin rest, but overall its great for prize but my only prob is the risk of buying from internet. I also need good chin rest and shoulder rest (Wolfe forte) but i cant get them here in india.

I am sure you guys would also advice against buying from website, wouldn't you? So i guess i will try to get and see from the shop if he brings violins having maple and spruce, which is my primary concern. Though i am wondering how to learn recognizing the wood. I can recognize if its real ebony or fake (ebonised). But cant say about maple vs non-maple pathetic wood.

September 22, 2015 at 09:41 AM · I had to carve down my nut and bridge of the cheap quality violin i have to make it playable. I made grooves for strings on the nut with a tiny saw; this way the string fits in btw the grooves and i dont have a shrill sound of the open E; and all open strings sounds fine which i think would not be same with a flat nut.

If you want to suggest whether should I go ahead and buy from the shop (few options) instead of internet then kindly tell me. I am confused right now. Perhaps i will be able to decide after i see some violins on the shop next time; so to get familiar with the price comparison.

September 22, 2015 at 06:40 PM · As has already been said and repeated, you do not need to worry about the wood. What you need is a good setup: well-fitted and positioned sound post, well-fitted and shaped bridge, pegs that work properly, properly shaped fingerboard, etc. If you can do those things (grooving the nut with a saw doesn't sound hopeful) then it doesn't matter where you purchase. If the local shop can handle good setup (unlikely) then that is the place to buy. If neither is true I'm afraid I can't help.

September 22, 2015 at 11:06 PM · There is nothing wrong with buying from the internet if you buy from one of the bigger Chinese dealers such as Old Violin House or Yita Music. However, the violin will still need to be set up and the sound post often falls over during transit.

It is always better to buy from your closest violin shop ie. a proper violin shop preferably with a luthier on site to do repairs and set-ups. But I know that this is not always possible ; I do not have a violin shop anywhere near me.

Where is the closest violin shop to you ?

September 23, 2015 at 02:15 PM · Lyle,

What kind of tools are used to groove the nut?

Thanks, Paul

September 23, 2015 at 08:11 PM · I use files, usually a small knife file to locate the grooves (and that's enough for the e string) and then a home made nut file that polishes as it cuts. Some people use acetylene welding torch tip cleaners. They work but are not really stiff enough for me. In a pinch I have used a small triangular file, rotating it some to round the bottom of a very shallow groove. No saw that I've ever seen will give you a decently rounded groove. Neither will a knife.

You can also use guitar-type nut files but they are expensive. I don't do that much work or charge enough for those.

September 24, 2015 at 08:00 AM · thanks for the names of those chinese online shops. I am checking violins on old violin house. They are so beautiful. I am going to email them to ask about price and details. The 200$ range is affordable and I am sure the violins of other companies in this range will be inferior specially from outside of China.

I have only one shop that is another city, that can do the work of a Luthier. Its one shop in the whole state actually, and he alone does repair and selling of all instruments. I myself can do minor settings and adjustments of bridge and nut etc if necessary, other than reshaping pegs and adjusting Sound post. I want to get that tool of adjusting the sound but its hard to get; if in future my SP falls off perhaps i will somehow have to get a tool likely from a dentist to do it myself, bec i have no choice but to do it anyhow. I am not worried about the setting issue; but the only problem with buying from internet is the uncertainty and price deal.

My indian violin has real ebony fingerboard but poor thick bridge and pathetic wood. The bow is having nylon hairs but works fine. I cannot tolerate a high bridge so i will have to slice it down even if in the new violin too; as I assume, they make the bridges quite high normally to maintain high string distance.

Perhaps i would buy from the Chinese websites after some time which will suffice for a long term, rather than buying a 100$ range violin from the shop.

September 24, 2015 at 08:12 AM · http://store.old-violin-house.com/collections/all-violins/concerto-violins

what does "Opera 1/4" or 7/8 stands for in those violin names?

==

Its strange that all of these violins are having only one fine tuner! even the standard level ones.

A) student level (cheap)100$ range

b) standard - around 200$

c) advanced around 300$

d) 3 categories above advanced.

September 24, 2015 at 12:00 PM · I have purchased a dozen violins from Old Violin House. They have all been of good quality, a few of them have been very good. And they all have real ebony fingerboards.

I have had the best results from their "Opera" workshop. But the others have been nice as well.

The Yang Wei I have from them is really very nice, a cut above the other workshops, but they also go for more $$$.

1/4 or 7/8 refers to smaller, child sized violins. You want a full size, or 4/4 size.

If you are using synthetic strings, you can easily tune from the pegs. You don't need heavy fine tuners on all the strings, just the steel E.

September 24, 2015 at 12:44 PM · I get it. My violin has poor pegs/ peg holes which keeps slipping and tuning them is very difficult. These are the basic things which makes difference btw cheap and good violins.

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you bought dozens, that mean you are a dealer, arent you? It must be so amazing to have such exotic violins with you. I spend hours just looking at their pictures. The old violin house has so beautiful carved violins with amazing purling. I am so fascinated by them. I also love seeing the videos of violin making. Most fascinating instrument in the world. If I were a dealing in selling violins, I would love to try my hands on making them myself.

September 24, 2015 at 02:00 PM · I'm a beginner.

I would buy a violin, try it out, see what I could do to get it to sound better (soundpost, different strings), then sell it off on the local craigslist. Ends up costing nothing as I could get what I paid for them.

Not really a dealer, just looking to acquire a feeling for the variety of individual characteristics of different violins.

I still have my two Yang Wei violins from there. I plan on keeping those for my kids when they grow into them.

September 25, 2015 at 08:24 AM · I received their emails. from old violin and yita. It becomes very expensive for me; as the shipping cost is 80$ and 58$(atleast, and shipping risks are bore by the buyer) (which is the prize of the cheap quality violin I can purchase here)

The prize for Indians will be same as everyone else, that is in USD. The shipping cost becomes almost half of the violin prize. I might try to get one from some relative if they go to China, perhaps then I can save the shipping cost and make it much affordable.