
Ultimately, this means that vintage violins almost always originated in the hands of a world-renowned luthier. Whilst I have always found it incredible that anyone could hand-craft a violin, it is undeniable that some luthiers were better than others, with some of the best of the best existing hundreds of years ago. However, violins that are more expensive and high-quality will always be hand-crafted, just like the vintage violins of the past. This sadly makes the instrument somewhat uniform and takes away a lot of the magic. These days, modern violins are often made in a factory, manufactured in bulk to meet low production and purchasing prices.

The next important factor that contributes to the title of a “vintage violin” is the luthier that crafted the instrument. After all, this is musical history we are talking about! Luthier However, they absolutely do – music historians spent enormous amounts of resources ensuring that the oldest violins in the world are preserved to the best of their abilities. That can be difficult to imagine – it’s hard to vision people crafting and performing with violins such a long time ago, let alone them still existing to this today. If you can believe it, most violins that are considered to be vintage are actually at least 200 years, with some even dating 300 and even over 400 years! Age is an essential factor in deeming a violin as vintage – however, I’m not just talking about 25, 50, or even 100 years. This first point probably comes as no surprise due to the definition of the word ‘vintage’ being directly related to age. There are tons of expensive modern violins out there, but we’re not concerned about them today – we’re talking exclusively about vintage violins. However, you may be able to purchase a vintage violin at a reasonable price from your local violin shop or favorite online marketplace if it is around 100 years old and doesn’t have too much of a cultured history!īefore we take a look at exactly where you can find vintage violins, it will make sense to first explain exactly what makes a violin vintage.
#Vintage stringed instruments how to
Read on to find out how to find a vintage violin!īottom Line Up Front: Vintage violins that have been preserved for over 200 years can generally be found in museums and auctions. However, it can be pretty difficult to know where to start – where on earth are you supposed to find vintage violins? Whilst not many people reading this will realistically be able to afford a vintage violin (including me), the thrill of searching for them is still incredibly exciting, and I am here to tell you how to experience that for yourself. The history and culture behind them are sometimes utterly unbelievable, and it’s always been my mission to see them in person, even if only in a museum. However, I’ve always been particularly fond of violins, vintage violins to be more specific.

All of that is incredibly important, but for me, I have always found the rich culture and history of instruments to be truly magical.Įvery musical instrument has its history, from ancient drums to the modern synthesizer.

What’s your favorite thing about musical instruments? Perhaps it’s the fantastic tones they produce, the gorgeous aesthetics, or the skill that it takes to play them.
