Chinese Violins

“Are Chinese violins worth buying?” is one of the most common questions players ask before spending money online. The honest answer is: it depends entirely on which Chinese violin you mean. The phrase covers instruments that have almost nothing in common with one another, and that is exactly why the question trips so many buyers up. The problem with the question “Chinese violin” is not a quality grade. It is a country of origin, and country of origin tells you very little about how an instrument was made or how it will sound. The same label sits on an $80 instrument assembled from pre-made parts on a production line and on a fully handcrafted instrument by a maker who has won gold at the world’s leading violin-making competitions. Judging either one by its passport leads you astray. ...

Over the past several decades, China has gone from a peripheral player in violin making to a center of it — producing makers who win at the world’s leading competitions. That rise didn’t happen uniformly. It grew out of distinct regional traditions, broadly grouped into three schools. Background Modern Chinese violin making took shape through the second half of the twentieth century, accelerating as makers gained access to international training, competitions, and tonewood. Today its leading workshops compete on equal footing with European and American makers. Understanding the regional schools helps explain the different lineages and styles you’ll encounter. ...