Elida

Articles to inform or amuse

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

CHINESE VIOLINS: TIME TO THINK AGAIN!

When we started selling violins around the middle of 2002 we had a low opinion of Chinese violins especially those often bought by beginners. Based on her experience as a violin teacher, and the general opinion of teachers as a whole, Liz was very critical of Chinese violins and readers of the articles posted on this website could hardly have failed to notice that. Our comments and articles contained many disparaging remarks. The time has now come to reassess what we have written, and to admit that in the light of our subsequent experience, we did not get it entirely right! We admit our mistakes and will be addressing the issues again.

The fact is simply that time has marched on and the general accepted wisdom among violin teachers about Chinese instruments needs to be updated. There was a time when the word ‘Chinese’ was little more than a synonym for ‘rubbish’ but that is an assumption which it is no longer safe to make. Some Chinese instruments may still be of poor quality but that is no longer inevitable or usually the case. In recent years the industry has been privatised in China and the competition between factories and workshops has pushed up the general level of quality dramatically. It seems that many violin teachers are not properly aware of just how much things have improved.

When violin teachers talk scathingly about Chinese violins they invariably picture an instrument of the cheap, ebonised variety with pegs that do not work properly and a non-fitted bridge. Whilst it has to be admitted that such instruments are still to be found, it is a fact that many teachers give the impression that they do not even know that others exist!

Let us illustrate that point. Shortly after we started selling violins we ordered one described as ‘European’ from a US luthier. When we examined it, we found it was good and wanted to stock them on a regular basis, but the luthier was unable to supply us on a trade basis. As it happened, that turned to be not an entirely bad thing because on further investigation we discovered that we could not honestly sell them as ‘European’. They had been made in China! However, they were of a standard higher than we would expect of a Chinese violin, and that stimulated us to take a fresh look at what Chinese makers are now producing.

We found that there are readily obtainable Chinese violins in the UK that are of good quality and good value. Soon we contacted The Soundpost, a much respected importer of stringed instruments, and found that they have an extensive range which they obtain from China. At the lower end of the spectrum their violins were even better than the one which had impressed us. It was now obvious that we needed to take Chinese violins very seriously indeed. We compared them with some recent Stentor violins <violin teachers groaning in the background> and found that they also had playable bridges! Soon after we identified a maker in China who were prepared to supply us direct and ten weeks later three large cartons were delivered to us all the way from the other side of the world. The quality of these violins, especially at the price, was quite amazing. The fact is that standards have improved tremendously over the past ten years, and there is no reason at all now to automatically view anything coming out of China with suspicion. In fact at the top end, we are reliably told, young professionals are often turning to the best Chinese violins rather than going into massive debt for old instruments or master made ones from the UK or Germany.

There should be no concerns about quality now, and the prices are low, so they (especially ours!) really are good value. Why are they so cheap? Simply because costs and wages in China are very much lower than they are in the West, so much so that the increased shipping costs hardly matter. A UK luthier, for instance, using the same techniques and materials would always have to charge far more than his Chinese counterpart. The skill of a master luthier has nothing to do with his nationality or where his workshop is located. Similar considerations of cost apply all the way down the scale so even the most basic instruments can be expected to cost less if they come from a low cost country such as China.  English and German makers cannot afford to make the most basic kind of model at competitive prices. At which point, we should warn you off of Indian violins which of course are cheap too. They really are nasty and unplayable!

This welcome rise in Chinese standards means that it is increasingly difficult to find poorly made instruments (although one cannot say that there aren’t any!) as it has served to push up standards elsewhere too. The days of the machine-pressed violin made from laminated wood and fake purfling (imitation painted on) which was not confined to Chinese violins but also appeared on some Czech and French student models are all but over. The completely unshaped bridge seem to be a thing of the past too although the most basic models still tend to have bridges too high. Cheap models still tend to come with problem pegs but as the fitting of tailpieces with integral adjusters has become the norm the difficulties the pegs give rise to are really confined to the setting up stage only.

In short we believe the Chinese violin has ‘come of age’ and, above the most basic levels where they predominate, they also complete squarely with instruments such as the cheaper German ones which have generally been considered to be much superior to them. Our recent experience with Chinese violins is that it is unfair to assume that they will be of inferior quality, because there are Chinese makers and brands which are the equal of those from more respected countries and, given their lower working costs, they can be obtained at extremely attractive prices.

We have particularly noted the quality of the wood available locally to Chinese makers and believe it to be as good as the best used by European makers if not better. The violins they produce have the kind of loud and bright sound one would expect of a dearer German instrument. Having got to know them better we can say that they have ‘won their spurs’ and now compete on merit as well as lower prices. We have found, for example, that with ‘advanced’ student models compared to German equivalents that they play as well, cost less than half the price and are handmade, not mass produced.

We confess that our past unfavourable criticism of the Chinese violin, although it would have been fair comment at one time, is no longer justified by the facts. Like teachers generally, we failed to notice just how dramatically things have improved. The knee-jerk reaction that if it’s Chinese it can’t be any good is unfair. The Chinese have caught up, and are getting better.

We now regularly stock Chinese violins from The Soundpost range, as well as our beloved Gligas from Romania. We have also found an excellent maker in China and are now importing from him direct. We have been very fortunate in tracing him, and he has told us that we are the only outlet he supplies in the UK. They are therefore exclusive to us in the UK, and who it is will remain a trade secret!

Take a fresh look at the Chinese violin. We did, and were very pleasantly surprised. We believe you will be too!