SOLD! Antique German Violin, provenance unknown

Well, I have to tell you that this poor fella was beat up when he arrived at the shop. Frankly, I thought long and hard as to whether it would be worth my effort to restore this violin. It appears to be very old, perhaps late 19th Century, quite possibly Bohemian. I was encouraged by the excellence of the spruce top, which is a two-piece of very finely-grained and straight wood. The back is a two-piece of a nondescript maple, same with the ribs. A lot of restoration went into saving this fiddle. This includes the sealing of all cracks, new bass bar, re-graduation of the top and back, and more. All pegs holes have been bushed. The nut, saddle, end pin, (world class) bridge, and pegs (nicely hand-carved boxwood) are all new. The strings are D'Addario Zyex. The tailpiece is a Wittner carbon graphite piece with tuners built in. These new "space-age composite" graphite tailpieces are terrific. They are light, bring out tone, and are very well constructed. The tailcord is a Wittner steel tailcord. I use them on my own violins. They never stretch, are very light and thin, improve tone, and are very very strong.

If you like fiddles with lots of history plastered on its body, this one qualifies! At one point in the distant past, even the neck was removed and (properly) re-set, hence the ebony "crown" on the bottom of the neck heel. This fiddle has seen the decades. I had no idea what I would hear once I drew the bow across the strings. Whoa! Was I surprised!

TONE: This is a mellow, sweet, woody fiddle with great bottom and clear, bell-like highs. This is NOT an aggressive violin. It is one you would want to play in a small group or in church or simply if warm and woody rather than aggressive and bright is your preference. The intonation is wonderful, and the playability is smooth and effortless. This is a gem waiting for the right player.

Sound Sample: Please be forbearing and keep in mind that I am no Paganini! This was recorded with a humble iPhone; if you do not have a sophisticated sound system on your computer, try to use headphones so that you can hear as much as possible what is being played. (sorry about the pooch chewing a bone in the background) https://youtu.be/qHC2dJ7mPV0

**As a rule, we do not include chinrests when a violin is purchased. We've found that customers are very picky about that, as they well should be. There is nothing worse than an uncomfortable chinrest. Many players prefer their own chinrests, and there are hundreds of different models out there. If you are a brand new player or someone who would be happy to receive a "Guarneri style" chinrest, we will include one at your request.

TERMS OF SALE: Filius Fiddles, LLC guarantees all violins sold are functional and playable right out of the box. Any repairs done on the instrument are guaranteed upon arrival, less any abuse or negligence on the part of the owner. Starting from the date of delivery, you have two weeks during which to try out your new fiddle, let it settle in, make any string changes if so desired, and play it in different venues so that you can get a good idea of its ability. Should you care to return or exchange it during that two-week period, no problem! The buyer pays for return shipping. As long as there is no change in the integrity of the instrument, no sign of negligence or new damage, a full refund will be sent.

Also, after that two-week period, should you wish to exchange the violin for one of equal or greater value, that is doable. Simply contact me and we can make that happen.