Hiroshi Kono 2017 vs 1927 Italian Masterpiece

March 15, 2017 at 05:08 PM · Unless the 1927 "Italian Masterpiece" has a back crack, a post crack, has been refinished and the scroll has been replaced, at $3750, it isn't Italian.

The Kono violins are nice at that price point.

March 15, 2017 at 05:09 PM · Violins are priced according to maker, not quality.

The delta between $2800 and $3750 is essentially trivial; these would be instruments in the same class, which might or might not sound better than another instrument in that category.

Kono is the brand name for a Japanese-based workshop.

March 15, 2017 at 07:33 PM · A $3750 violin isn't going to be an italian masterpiece. Try closer to $30,000 and then tell me your results.

March 15, 2017 at 08:12 PM · I tried a Hiroshi Kono VIolin at Bein and Fushi 4 years ago when I was looking at violins in the 10K range. They had the price mismarked, but it sounded better than all but one violin (Edwin Halloran) that I tried in the 10K range. For 2800.00, you are in chinese territory or the lower end of German workshop violins. I did a pretty exhaustive search in chicago at 5 different stores, and had to spend 10K to do better. My advice is if you like it, get it

March 15, 2017 at 11:04 PM · I have tried $150,000 Italian masterpiece. It sounded like a tin can -- just horrible. Kono violins are a great value.

March 16, 2017 at 12:01 AM · To get the same sound from an Italian "masterpiece ", you will likely have to spend at least $30k.

March 16, 2017 at 02:11 AM · One of my students has a Kono and it is quite nice.

I don't know what that other violin you tried was, but I am 100% certain it wasn't Italian.