I just recieved a violin offline from ebay and the fingerboard seems crooked. Is this going to affect the tone or playing ability of the violin? Is there anything else I should be worried about?
Thanks,
Laura

If the fingerboard`s crooked, get a new one. It might be cheaper to fix it though.
If the violin`s old, beware of all-metal strings. The pressure from the strings may damage the violin.
If the soundpost fell and the strings are still on, be thankful that the violin isn`t wrecked.
If the string grooves (anywhere) are too deep, change whatever it`s on.
So many more things to check, I can`t list them here.

Depends what you mean by crooked. I had one with a twisted scroll that plyed beautifully, the bridge accommodated the problem and it could not be felt in performance

Liz

Something you might want to consider is having a violin maker or a luthier trained in violin repair and set-up look at the instrument. If it is a brand-new instrument, chances are that it was never properly set-up. If it is an older instrument, the violin maker or technician can at the very least tell you the extent of the problem and cost for repair, if any.