Old and Second Hand Violas



This page last updated 24th May 2010

  1. viola 376 Labelled 'Copie de Stradivarius 7 Made by Cyril Tucker Wilmington Kent 1976. Length of back 416mm. Two-piece back with moderate figure, full medium to high arching arching, golden-brown oil varnish. No repairs and in excellent condition. Tone is reasonable, but the instrument sounds very tight, and it's hard work to get it to go loud. Pro-Arte strings. The instrument shows virtually no signs of wear, and I wonder how much it has been played in the 30 years since it was made!

    2. Number 376 in my book. £725.00. To view the viola Click here
     
  2. viola 392 Unlabelled modern viola, possibly amateur made. Length of back 407mm. Two-piece back with moderate figure, quite low arching, golden-brown oil varnish. No repairs and in excellent condition. A decent strong viola tone, maybe a little hard on the A and D strings, and plenty of volume. Dominant strings. There is no sign of wear on the instrument so it could be quite new. It is very neatly made but the varnishing is slightly uneven.

    3. Number 392 in my book. £500.00. To view the viola Click here
     
  3. viola Unlabelled mid 20th Century German or Czech. viola. Length of back 392mm. Two piece back with a little irregular figure, low to medium arching, red-brown varnish. No cracks or repairs that I can see. The tone is reasonably full, a little 'steely' probably due to the Superflexible strings. This viola is sold with a nickel mounted pernambuco viola bow stamped W R Schuster (weight 64 grams) in good condition but needing a rehair, and a 1970's shaped hard case.

    4. No number, please quote 'Perkin'. £400. To view the fiddle Click here
     
  4. viola 429 Labelled 'Copie De Antonius Stradiuarius Cremonensis faciebat anno 1721' and also with a J. Thibouville-Lamy label. French, early 20th century. Length of back 407mm. Two piece back with a little faint figure, low arching, scratch line instead of purfling, brown varnish. One small crack at the lower treble corner. The varnish on this violin is starting to peel in places, and although I have carried out remedial work this may recur on the as yet sound areas. The tone is clear and strong on the higher strings, a little less clear at the bottom, nowhere particularly warm. Prelude strings.

    5. No. 429 in my book. £325. To view the fiddle Click here
     
  5. viola 369 Unlabelled Late 19th Century German viola. Length of back 394mm. One piece back with a little faint figure, low arching, light golden brown varnish. No cracks or repairs that I can see. The varnish on some of the ribs is poor and I suspect it has been kept in the damp in the past. The tone is unexceptional, rather quiet and 'dead', and the instrument is heavy for its size. A better than average second-hand case is included in the price

    6. No. 369 in my book. £200. To view the fiddle Click here
     
     
  6. viola 199 'Tatra by Rosetti, Stradivarius model', modern Czech viola. Length of back 392mm. Two piece almost plain back, lowish arching, light brown varnish, darker in the centre. Good condition, with no repairs. Reasonable tone for a cheap viola, but a little quiet due to the low bridge, itself due to a rather low neck angle. Piranito strings

    7. No. 199 in my book. £160. To view the fiddle Click here
     
     
  7. viola 456 'Tatra by Rosetti, Stradivarius model', modern Czech viola. Length of back 394mm. Two piece plain back, lowish arching, dark brown varnish, lighter towards edges. Good condition, with no repairs. Reasonable tone for a cheap viola, inofensive, a little hard on the A and a little quiet due to the low bridge, itself due to a rather low neck angle. Prelude strings

    8. No. 456 in my book. £160. To view the fiddle Click here
     

    I sometimes have violas available at less than £150.00
     
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