Books › The violin : how to choose one, 1893 › scan 53
Scan 53
The violin : how to choose one, 1893
8 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 49. See the scan on archive.org.
1at it." I became convinced from that moment that the violin was not above 50 years old—probably not so much; and this conjecture was afterwards confirmed. Some time afterwards a slight alteration was made in the lie of the neck, and the breast had to be removed, when it was discovered that the whole instrument had at sometime been soaked in oil, probably by the ingenious forger in an insane attempt to counterfeit the mellowness of old age.
3Let not the fiddle buyer expect any wondrous bargain, and he will have less chance to be cheated.
5Beginner's Violins.
7Any German violin below £2, 10s. in price may be considered a cheap beginner's violin. A very common price is £1 for violin, bow, and case—surely low enough. The beginner has usually no knowledge whatever of violins; and though it is scarcely possible for him to be cheated at these prices, it may be to his advantage to give a small fee to some professional player, and get him to try over a dozen or two of these cheap fiddles, out of which one of very fair tone may occasionally be picked. Such fiddles are only for those who cannot afford better, or who feel doubtful of continuing the study. All others should from the first get a good violin by a British maker. When his tone-producing powers have been drawn forth and developed by playing for ten years upon that, he will find himself all the better able to draw forth the powers of a fine old violin, and probably sell the one he has used for double or treble what it cost him, as such an instrument is bound to improve steadily. The time spent upon a new violin is thus not lost; it develops the violin, but, more important still, it develops the player, and those who in early life have had to grind away and tear at new violins, are frequently noted for the largeness and breadth of their tone.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.