How do you know if a violin has good quailty?!
Question: I own a violin that was made in China, and I really want a European-made violin because I heard they sounded better. By the way, I have been playing the violin for nearly five years. I don't know what to look for in a good-quality violin. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. <3
Answers: I own a violin that was made in China, and I really want a European-made violin because I heard they sounded better. By the way, I have been playing the violin for nearly five years. I don't know what to look for in a good-quality violin. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. <3
Some of the worst violins I have owned were made in Europe. Some of the best violins I have owned were made in China.
The Chinese can make some beautiful instruments now.
Do not be too concerned about where the violin is made. Many European violins are actually made in China anyway. They import them as unfinished instruments ( in the white) ; they then varnish them and fit them with pegs, chinrests and strings then slap a "Made in European Country" label on the inside. This is legal under EEC laws provided a certain minimum percentage of the work is done in the European country.
You can't always believe the labels.
Buy a good Chinese made violin from a proper violin shop and you will not be disappointed. Listen and play as many as you can before you decide. The sound it makes while you are playing it is the only important criteria ; not where it was made.
Make sure it is fitted with good strings when you play it. Even a Stradivarius would sound bad with cheap and nasty strings.
And don't make price comparisons either. I have owned violins worth $150 that sounded better than violins worth $1,000. Most of the cheap violins are fitted with poor strings in the shops and are not really given a chance .
The fact that an instrument is made in China does not make it a bad instrument anymore than an instrument made in Europe makes it a superior instrument. Romanians can mass produce just like the Chinese ... and the Chinese can pull off some nice one-off instruments as well as the next guy. Europe might have an edge in raw material (tone woods), China will pull money from your pocket because their labor costs are low.
I'd suggest the thing to do is to ignore the label, and play several dozen instruments ... find the one that you like best in terms of sound, feel, looks and whatever other criteria you have.
Expect to shell out some bucks for a quality instrument; no matter where it's made.
ear the sound if its powerful and has a good name then u will know its a good quality