1year 7months Workshop Amati review
My aunt, who is quite ill wanted to order a violin for my cousin who was only 7years old. She was concerned that she might pass on before he was old enough to use a 4/4. Hence she contacted Fiddlershop to make her purchase. I'm task to write this review as I'm more internet savvy and also am responsible to play and run in the violin. That's what nephews do right?
Ordering:
Communicating and ordering was easy enough. Clare recommended what she thought was the correct price bracket to purchase a good quality, professional violin. We went with her suggestion and asked questions about a few other violins in that price range. Narrowed down to, MJZ907, Workshop Amati and the Hiro.Kono.
Video:
Micahel OG played the violin for us on the video. He played very well and gave his professional view on the different violins. Its hard to hear projection, nuances and "colour" of the violin over a youtube video. So please be aware.
Packaging and Delivery:
We are in Asia, so the violin took about 4 to 5 days to reach us via Fedex. The violin came in a carton box, well protected, no physical damage. Physically all good, except the varnish had started to melt.
The Fedex van came early in the morning, but my aunt was not home, so they made a 2nd delivery around 1to 2pm noon. By then the violin had already been in the van, in the hot sun, for a while.
We contacted Fiddlershop and to be honest, located in another different continent, with shipping charges expensive, they was nothing much that they could offer to be counted as a viable solution.
We consulted a local luthier and he suggested light/gentle sunning in the early morning to let the UV lights dry the varnish. This prove to be effective and also validate the point that our copy of the Holstein Workshop Amati is indeed oil varnish. Within a week of light/gentle sunning in the morning, the oil varnish dried up and was no longer sticky.
Sound:
Our copy of the Holstein Workshop Amati has got excellent projection! Sometimes when I play too long on the violin, I do get ringing in my left ear. It a very powerful violin.
The tone is slightly sweet and warm. Easy to play and is capable to create the nuances/colors that more advance/professional players require. BUT it really sounded harsh and unpleasant to play for the first 3months. Did not enjoy it at all. Could be due to the varnish still curing. Violin is kept and played in a room where humidity is around 60% and stored in a cabinet with humility 45% to 50%.
After 6months, the sound mellowed somewhat but still not satisfactory.
Only around the 12months to 15months mark, and after almost 300hours of playing, did the instrument started to blossom like a flower. No kidding.
We pitted the violin against 3 Cremona Benchmade Violin which were in the Euro10k price tage and I'm happy to report that our copy of the Holstein Workshop Amati held its own very well.
Projection. No issue. Tone. Very very close. 90% there with the big boys. Playability. Very satisfied.
Final Comments:
Time cannot make a badly made violin sound good. BUT time and playing the violin for many hours can make a well made violin blossom into a great instrument!
Im not sure if I would be ready to pass the Amati when my cousin is ready for his 4/4. I have become attached to it.
