Have you a tried a Maestro Vasile Gigla violin?

February 17, 2005 at 11:58 PM · Greetings,

I think it is really useful to have discussion about people`s experiences with instruments. tehy can certainly be helpful.

But. I can`t help feeling that recently the Internet and so forth has misdirected people away from the basic idea of buying an insturment. You give a few intruments a good try and buy the one that works for you,

Cheers,

Buri

February 18, 2005 at 02:34 AM · I play a Gliga Maestro. It is a solidly built violin with very good quality woods.

It is a very dark sounding instrument. If this is the sound you're looking for then the Maestro is a good choice. I've heard that the next level down (GAMA) is just as good without the certificate and higher price.

I've also played both the Bartok and Michael Todd II from Stringsworks. Very nice violins as well. They are brighter with a stronger projection than the Gliga.

My friend has an Eastman 305 and it has a great bright tone with good projection. A very good value for the money.

The key point is to play as many violins as you can.

February 18, 2005 at 04:51 PM · Ive heard good things about them but ive never played one, would like to hear one.

Liz who comes here sometimes sells them I think

February 19, 2005 at 02:02 PM · I have to say, get a Gama. These days we are finding very little difference in the tone between the Gama and Maestro. it used to be that the Maestro was a little brighter and had a little more projection but I am not finding that these days.

I consdier the gama to be next to impossible to beat in its price range.

Liz

February 20, 2005 at 12:49 AM · i have a Maestro Vasile Gigla. it's really good b/c it makes a really nice sound. it sounds great in concert halls

February 25, 2005 at 01:42 AM · Consider resale! The Maestro will probably do better than a Gamma.

Nevertheless, try different violins if you can. One of mine is an Eastman 305 which is fantastic and I recommend trying it out.

February 25, 2005 at 12:04 PM · Yes, but if you paid double for it in the first place, what advantage is there is having a higher resale value?

Actually, digressing a bit, i have to say i wonder why so many people seem to buy with a view to the resale value, when what they are buying is a full size instrument. It seems to me that there are many people out there, particularly adult beginners / returners, who just don't realise that 95% or so of the tone is down to them. These players keep on spending more and more money on different violins, often ending up with a large collection of them, because they can never find the one they want. And the resons they can't find the one they want is very simple: it doesn't exist. It would exist in the hands of a professional player, but not in the hands of a weak amateur player.

My old teacher has a very good philosophy on this. She herself is a professional standard player and has lots of money, but when the new pupil turns up for the first time, and Mum says "we realise we need to get her a better violin", she takes the pupils instrument, plays some impressive solo or other and hands it back saying "it plays all the notes doesn't it?"

Liz

February 25, 2005 at 04:27 PM · liz

thanks for the laugh

February 25, 2005 at 05:01 PM · Scott, I was perfectly serious.

Liz

February 25, 2005 at 05:56 PM · it was still funny though

:D

March 10, 2005 at 04:27 AM · I just ordered a gliga maestro from violinslover.com. I was at first very excited about it, but after having read more reviews, I am not so sure. Does anybody have a comment about my trial?

March 10, 2005 at 05:54 AM · I like Maestro Gliga. But I really know the same violin as Inna (read above her short comment), because I personally bought it for her:) It has bright, romantic, well-balanced, poverful and focused tone. G string has a deep, 'cello' timbre. E string is brilliant. (We use Evah Pirazzi strings). When you will get it, check for enclosed Certificate with authograph and photos of the violin.

Don't expect perfect sound from the first touch. Take a time... If you like to practice well, in 2-3 days you will probably know if you really want it. If you like to play romantic music like Bruch, Vieuxtemps, Brahms, you will be satisfied.

Good luck.

March 10, 2005 at 09:31 AM · I think you will find the Maestro difficult indeed to beat at the price, except perhaps to be equalled by the Gama .....

Liz

March 10, 2005 at 03:49 PM · I have a "Gama" Viola and I like it very much. It certainly was the best for the money. I compared it to about 8 total violas. It was much more nicely made, and lighter weight, than the $800 set-ups by some German and Chinese brands. It also has lower and smoother action--easier to play up and down the neck. I found that $1500 or more was required to equal it (and it was $900 for the whole set-up).

Of course I would never know this without playing it against all the others. And I might like something that others do not. For instance, I like to play it like a mandolin quite often, and so sustain is important.

Regards,

Bill

March 10, 2005 at 06:40 PM · Rita, thanks for your reply. I can't wait to try out the instrument! By the way, how would you evaluate the projection of the maestro gliga violin?

March 15, 2005 at 02:24 PM · Is there any place that sells the Gligas, that does a week or two-week trial of their instruments, like Shar does for theirs, or Stringworks does for theirs? When one is spending over 1K for an instrument, a 'money-back' guarantee is expected, not a sales point! One should be able to judge the instrument without having to buy it, if one cannot go to Pasadena (Violinslovers.com) to take a 'test drive.' Comments welcome

-John (singer, but 'recovering violist')

March 15, 2005 at 05:34 PM · Hi,

Violinslover.com allowed me to try for a week and send it back if I didn't like it. You pay the shiping both ways, so it is about $35 to try (Shar is $20).

Regards,

Bill

December 11, 2009 at 02:02 AM ·

 Did you like it?

December 11, 2009 at 02:18 AM ·

B. Platt hasn't posted in a while as far as I know?  You may should PM him.

December 11, 2009 at 02:46 AM ·

This is a year 2005 thread, 4 years old...

December 12, 2009 at 06:44 AM ·

 Oops. I almost never read the dates, only the information. My bad.

August 29, 2011 at 08:09 PM ·

I own both a Gliga Maestro and Gliga Gama.  They are well-built instruments and they sound like $10,000+ violins.  Maestro's sound is about 20% better than my Gama but its price is double of the Gama.  The difference in price is for longer and better aged wood, maticulous attention to details and better varnish and also a certificate and signature from the Christian or Vasile Gliga.  I beleive each and every Meastro quality instrument is checked personally by one of the Gligas.  I am supper happy with both violins and they are well worth every penny and more.

August 30, 2011 at 08:22 AM ·

Somebody please archive this. Its a dinosaur.

May 24, 2014 at 07:37 PM · Even though this thread is old, it helped in making my decision to purchase the gama violin. That's what these kinda discussions are for to help ppl right.