http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2569569819&category=10180&rd=1

This sounds like an excellent deal! What do you think?

Well, I`d better elaborate-My friend bought this thinking that it`s a steal, but I`m somewhat skeptical. I play bass, and have had alot of experience buying musical insrument products off the internet, but with thourough research.The purchaser of this violin knows nothing about it other than a recognized brand name.

I was wondering if this is a great deal?

This seller has been commented on several times on maestronet, always in a positive light. As it happens, we have two of these violins on the way to us, for research purposes. expected any day. Will let you all know our verdict

Liz

On pure visual appeal alone, it does indeed look very good value. The one piece flamed back would normally set this above the $500US mark, and the case is far fancier than the run of the mill. If I got this violin for the price it went for I`d think I`d done well. Not too sure about the bow, I don`t recognise it, so I have no idea if it`s good. Still, this price for the violin alone w/o bow or case would be good.

Right then, the violins have arrived, and the verdict is: unimpressed.

The wood is nice and the varnish is nice, and so are the pegs. Beyond that it`s bad. The worksmanship is shoddy, noticeably so around the part where the (very thick) fingerboard joins the neck. There are trivial cosmetic faults all over the violins. The tone of the one where the soundpost actually stayed up (why O why do people insist on posting bridge down?!) is unimpressive, at least with the factory strings. BHetter strings may improve it of course. The bridge is as bad as any I have seen for a long time (even beginners` violins come with bridges that are playable at least these days, this one didn`t: it was very difficult to stay on one string. In short, I found the violin very hard to play. To be fair i was only able to try the two-piece back version (the other had the collapsed soundpost and i am not at all good at doing soundposts)

The pegs are loose enough to already be pushing through the opposite side of the pegbox. While this makes a change from stuck pegs, it isn`t a good sign: at this time of the year our house is damp (and we`ve no central heating) and pegs would be expected to stick: I`ve had two violins with completely jammed pegs this week and all have been stiff. I have a feeling these pegs would be slipping all over the place in drier conditions.

With a decent set up it may be OK and of course the case (assuming it`s of the sort of quality it looks) is undoubtedly worth a bit in terms of list price. Just don`t expect the violin to be any more than a beginner`s instrument that looks good.

We bought these with a view to seeing whether they would be a good source for us to buy from ourselves (especially if we could track down the China source). We won`t be bothering ...

Liz

hey. here i am, the woman of concern. i bought the violin in question. and so i have a question. Liz, do u happen to still have the link to the violins you ordered from this guy? like, could u show me which one u bought? cause I know this guy sells lots of unimpressive looking instruments for beginners and makes a big deal out of them, but i really thought the one i ordered looked nice...i hope yours was just a fluke and i`m sorry it happened but...do u happen to still have the link/ any pics of it? if u could give them to me i`d really appreciate it!
-Sara(the ebay dreamer)

Hi Sara,

Item numbers

2564879381 and 2564879988

should find them. We did not buy directly from the US seller but from a woman who bought three for her daughter in order to have the best one properly set up and keep it. She was selling off the other two. I asked where they came from and she told me the seller.

Still if yours is OK and you like it, why worry?

Liz

well, two possibilities: the people that bought those violins, according to them, are kinda inexperienced...and could have damaged the violins some how..and another thing, is that those two dont look that great; the one i bought is more flamed and has a grained spruce top...at least i`ll be able to sell it for more than i bought it for to the violin shop i usually go to. i`m pretty sure of it. thanks for all the help though!

Yes, Sara, but you don`t damage bridges ....

Could be an older version perhaps. Chinese bridges after all are improving all the time.

Hey if you`re happy with yours that`s great.

Liz