American Luthier made vs Old German Violin?

July 30, 2016 at 05:55 PM · Appreciation on instruments by a living maker tends to be minimal, unless that maker is in the very top tier of makers (Gregg Alf, Joseph Curtin, etc.). Appreciation on instruments in the student-violin price-range tends to be minimal, period, so I would not consider investment value at all in your decision. The only thing I might consider is trade-in value guarantee, but since you're planning to keep this violin until post-college at least, trade-in value will likely not matter to you.

Broadly, because there are so many instruments in that sub-$5k price range, I would go and play as many as possible -- in the Richmond/DC area alone you could probably play well over a hundred such violins. Don't make a decision until you have tried everything in your immediate vicinity, and if you don't love any of those instruments (or your teacher doesn't like what you picked), definitely extend your search to the DC area. I absolutely would not make a decision based on half a dozen instruments in a single shop.

If a luthier has four of his own instruments on hand, chances are they aren't actually selling quickly. Luthiers whose work is highly in demand often have nothing in inventory.

If you know you are getting both a violin and a bow in short order, definitely get the violin first, so you can match the bow to the violin.

July 30, 2016 at 06:05 PM · I adore antique violins, but I also like to support living craftsmen, so in this case /if they sound the same/, I would buy the luthier's own work.

Also consider: $5000 is not usually regarded as an 'investment-level' violin. The old German violin will always be worth that (or less). Now if this luthier gains recognition and becomes famous and all that, the value of their instruments can go up. But ultimately you should be buying whichever instrument sounds best and enables you to advance in your studies, so ideally you should have a teacher involved with this choice process to help you pick the one that will be best for you on the long run.

And get a violin first, then pick a bow (wasn't this asked a bunch of times before?).

July 30, 2016 at 08:41 PM · https://www.zaretandsonsviolins.com/violins/choosing-a-violin

https://www.zaretandsonsviolins.com/how-to-judge-if-a-violin-has-a-good-tone

https://www.zaretandsonsviolins.com/are-old-violins-better-than-new-violins

July 31, 2016 at 03:03 PM · "If a luthier has four of his own instruments on hand, chances are they aren't actually selling quickly. Luthiers whose work is highly in demand often have nothing in inventory."

While I agree this is true as written, I would not immediately jump to the conclusion that it is a reflection of quality. Selling quickly may have more to do with the maker's marketing ability and connections than the quality of the work. Unless a maker has a well-established reputation and/or marketing system, violins are very difficult to sell in this price range, regardless of quality.

I wouldn't worry about investment return at this level... just go for one that you like, assuming you'll be keeping it forever. Trying to re-sell is likely to be very difficult at this range, just like trying to sell in the first place.

July 31, 2016 at 03:13 PM · One the average, a well built old German violin will appreciate with inflation if not more, the new American may or may not, depending partly on just how good it actually is and just what reputation the maker has over time.

July 31, 2016 at 06:13 PM · Germans make excellent cars, pianos, and write great music.

You can find some decent instruments made in China for under $5,000. The 'Jay Haide' instruments made in China are quite good intermediate level instruments. For a comparable modern violin made in the US, you'll probably have to spend more. There are occasionally exceptions.

July 31, 2016 at 07:23 PM · Lets just say Germany has a much longer history of making great violins than America does, don't let you bad impression of the cheap stuff influence you against the really good grade German products.

August 2, 2016 at 11:16 PM · EH Roth

August 2, 2016 at 11:55 PM · There are good and bad violins made just about everywhere they are played. I will say that I feel that American violins are underpriced in the marketplace, but the Germans have had the opportunity to make many more bad instruments in their long history of making!

August 3, 2016 at 08:08 AM · I have a 1926 EH Roth, a bit out of your price range but I'm sure there would be some (other models etc) around 5k. Might be worth a look.

August 3, 2016 at 09:30 AM · Paul Knorr in east Berlin made fantastic instruments. Higher than your $5000 price range I'm afraid.