![]() A current quip circulating around and between violinmakers and dealers is: “If the new violin is too perfect and symmetrical to be true - it’s Chinese.!!” Teachers and students used to snub Chinese-made violins, and it is known that the early violins from China in the 60’s and 70’s were not as good as the competition. But most all violin shops, given world trends in violinmaking, will, in order to be competitive and offer the buyer the best instruments at the best prices, also carry those better Master made and Master shop violins from China. They are literally producing, and you have the opportunity to buy, new instruments, bows and accessories which are actually duplicates in most every way, as a modern Italian or German violin, part, or bow.Īny responsible violin shop or dealer tries to stock a range of Italian, German, French, and American –made violins, from most of the representative schools of violinmaking. Today’s modern Chinese Master makers and their top apprentices function just as the schools of old -they use woods, tools, varnishes, techniques and all the methodologies just as they were trained to use by the Italian and German Masters. They are making as good violins as makers anywhere, meeting the same quality and craftsmanship standards held by the European Masters, and even setting some new standards. And those Master Violinmakers and bow makers are winning a “lion’s share” of Gold Medals in international competition. They then, are going back home and are making exact duplicate copies of modern “Italian” and “German” violins in their own violinmaking shops in China. All the finest skills, techniques and hands-on knowledge from those schools in Cremona and Mittenwald from the last 300 to 400 years of ground-up experience, are being passed on to this new generation of Master Violinmakers. Within the last 20 to 30 years, the best Chinese students have enrolled in and graduated from the World Premier Cremona Violinmaking School in Cremona, Italy, as well as from the Premier German Violinmaking School in Mittenwald, Germany. Some innovations have to come from around the world – and it has happened! What buyers will soon discover is that there is an ever-diminishing supply of the solid, restorable and well-made older and mature European violins and bows. It also forces good violinists and anyone purchasing violins to rethink the costs and elements of violins and consider the works of makers that would not have been given serious consideration 50 or 75 years ago. ![]() Such prices call to mind fabulous pieces of art such as a Picasso or Van Gogh. Recently, a Guarneri del Gesu fetched $9 Million at an auction. ![]() Mack has done extensive research into the world of crafting violins and offers the following article on ‘How to Buy A Violin.’ Whenever possible, he offers them to students and teachers who prefer the more mature, proven, European, as well as the few good American and other violins. For over 50 years Mack Bettis has endeavored to find, restore, trade in, and collect older and mature high quality European and other violins and bows. ![]()
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