Elida

The best value and finest quality for the price
ANYWHERE!

 Elida Trading
ELIzabeth and DAvid Ward
Email us  Tel: 01484 428518

GLIGA OF ROMANIA
Superb violins and other stringed instruments and outfits

We are best known for our Gligas. We have some sample comments but these are only a tiny fraction of all the positive comments we have received. We invite anyone who is sceptical to do a Google search to see what others think of Gliga. We are confident that their instruments will beat anything else you are likely to get at anywhere near the kind of prices we charge.

Gliga violins and other stringed instruments are made in Romania and sent to us from Reghin which is at the edge of the Carpathian Mountains from where Gliga obtain spruce wood as it is believed Stradivarius himself did.

We regularly send out their instruments as they come to us since unlike many makers it is unusual for them to need any real attention on our part. Despite that we never take anything for granted so everything is carefully examined and tested by us as we do our utmost not to sell anything in less than perfect condition and instruments leave us in good immediate playing condition.

There are four grades of instruments:

GENIAL

Typically sold to adult beginners or to child 'improvers'. This is the lowest level - and described by GLIGA as school instruments. All we can say is that we defy you to find anything remotely comparable in any school music cupboard! Perhaps the Romanians take music education in schools more seriously than we do. The Genial 2 competes directly with Zeller and Poller but we have yet to meet a teacher who does not agree that it is superior. We don't stock Genial 2 but we are willing to obtain them to order. Why don't we stock them? Well, our storage facility has no climate control and the Genial 2, like virtually all student instruments, has a sprayed-on nitro varnish. Cheap student instruments have a very thick layer of this varnish and they survive our storage facility perfectly well. European nitro-varnished instruments seem to have a thinner layer of varnish, which is better for the tone, but means they are prone to varnish cracks if subjected to extremes of temperature or humidity. The Genial 1 has an oil varnish giving it a matt finish and generally the appearance of a much more expensive violin (or viola, etc) and it also sounds better. Genial outfits include a student bow and shaped styrofoam case with blanket.

GEMS

Typically sold to adult beginners and returners, and children up to around Grade 5, on the basis that such children will be playing it for around two years before moving up a size. The Gems 1 and Gems 2 are a step up from the Genial 1 and the only difference between them is that the Gems 1 has more flaming than the Gems 2. Gems outfits include a better student bow with octagonal stick and shaped styrofoam case with blanket.

People frequently ask us about set-up. When we get the instruments from Gliga we lubricate the pegs, restring the instruments (except Gamas which already have Dominant strings), fit four adjusters and check the bridge height. Nearly always the bridge height is fine for most players. Some players have a preference for a lower bridge and a very few prefer a higher bridge. We are not able to deal with bridge height adjustments ourselves. Instruments are ready to play when they leave us.

GAMA

Typically sold to adult improvers, folk fiddlers, teachers, freelance professionals as a backup instrument, young players of Grade 5 up to Grade 8. We will not make silly claims and describe this instrument as suitable for first instrument study at a conservatoire but we will and do say confidently that it will be entirely adequate for anything below that level.

The Gama comes in a number of varieties, and is available in normal or antiqued finish. The standard Gama model has a two-piece back as does the Gama Super version which has an ebony horseshoe where the neck joins the body and a pin construction which is considered to be more accurate.  Whether any of these variations make a difference in tonal quality is something we have been unable to determine.  However it seems to us that with the smaller sizes the one-piece back version gives better sound.

A one-piece back version of the Gama is also available at extra cost.

The standard model is the Strad. Guarneri models are available for full size violin only. It is larger than the Strad (slightly over 14") and will not fit in all violin cases. The tone is very different - louder, darker (almost like a viola), more 'masculine'.

MAESTRO (MASTER)

Some players prize a violin with a certificate of authenticity with the maker's signature. Such players may wish to consider the Maestro. These are not kept by us in regular stock but can be obtained on special order and are not sent on approval. Please contact us for further information if interested.