Reply To: Resisting the urge to upgrade

[Michael G]

Thank you for this thoughtful reply, Joanne. I too am lucky to have a good violin shop very close to me. They specialize in violins, and have a very large inventory of instruments at all price ranges. This is where I bought my bow. When I went there, they let me audition about 8 different bows at a range of prices. I asked them not to tell me the prices ahead of time, so I could let my ears guide me (I did tell them my budget ahead of time ;-). I will follow a similar process when it’s time to find a new fiddle. I did play one or two Chinese factory made violins when I bought my bow. However this was literally a couple of weeks after beginning, so my technique was atrocious and I honestly could not hear much difference from the old German fiddle I bought from my neighbor. (Truth be told, I couldn’t hear much difference in the bows either, but something in the carbon fiber one I bought spoke to me.) I think if I manage to hold out as long as you did, and am diligent in my practice, that by the time I go shopping for a different instrument, I’ll be in a better position to find one that will please me for a long time (hopefully for the duration). Who knows, maybe as I refine my technique, I’ll find myself happy with the one I already own!