Thursday, March 31, 2016

Choosing To Buy A Vintage Violin

By Dennis Perry


A lot of people enjoy playing musical instruments for pleasure and others professionally as a member of an orchestra. Beginners will usually start with a mass produced budget instrument before moving up to a better made model. Many experienced players will choose to buy a vintage violin and there is a little homework to be done before making a purchase.

Music teachers and professional players will usually say that the better quality your instruments are the better you will play. Each hand crafted violin will be different in looks, tone and feel. Prior to spending a substantial amount of cash on an antique violin you should try it out to ensure it is right for you.

Rare and valuable instruments are not cheap and will always cost more than modern mass produced models. A few different things will determine the cost of an instrument and some care is needed when making your choice. There are reputable instrument shops in Huntington Beach, CA who deal in older violins and will be happy to guide you in your search for one.

When you have worked out how much you want to spend you can start looking for your instrument. The price of these antique violins can differ greatly and they can fetch millions of dollars if they are particularly desirable or very rare. The maker, type of wood, the age of the instrument and the country where it was made can all influence its final sale price.

Music retail stores are one of the best places to source an old or valuable instrument and there are many of them on the market. One of the advantages of making a purchase from a store is that the instruments can be played before buying to ensure it is suitable and to your liking. Knowledgeable staff will also be there to help in your choice and offer helpful advice and your purchases will be covered by some kind of warranty.

Antique instruments are also offered for sale by a lot of internet retailers and auction sites. Some care should be taken when buying from these places especially if you cannot see your potential purchase before buying it. Any vintage instrument should be checked for authenticity by an expert as over the years many have been faked and many people have made costly mistakes.

If you choose to buy a vintage instrument you should always speak with the person selling it and ask about its history. Ask them where they got it, check serial numbers and try to get as much paperwork to prove its provenance. Ideally a violin should be offered for sale in its original case as this will add to its value.

A very important thing to think about is the insurance cover for your valuable instrument. Your basic home insurance will probably not cover an antique or an item that exceeds a certain value so you should check with your insurance company. Companies are available that specialize in covering musical instruments and antique items and it is worth contacting a few of these firms to get some quotes and compare prices.




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