Excellent Older Violin “Made In Nippon” Japanese circa 1914-1921

click picture to enlarge

Label:

We have a violin that was imported about the time of WW I from Japan. The (SSS) insignia inside on the label stands for “Shinichi Suzuki School.” This is a beautiful violin in very good condition. We have completely gone over the violin in our workshop: cambering the fingerboard, carving a set of ebony pegs, Despiau bridge, new soundpost and nut, and adding a German Wittner tailpiece. The violin is ready to go for another 100 years. It is made well and has some slight playing wear. The company has survived all kinds of unrest and shutdowns, a world war, and government controls. Check out their timeline on their website. I found it remarkable. They are still in business and doing well. The back, ribs, neck, and scroll are nicely flamed. The varnish is a traditional color and shading of an amber golden base with an amber/brown clear topcoat. The instrument is well crafted and follows the Stradivarius model almost to a T. This violin was well worth bringing back to great playing condition. It will make a fantastic instrument for the up-and-coming intermediate player.

Corpus 357.0 mm. Major Width 210.0 mm., Minor Width 169.0 mm., Rib Height 30.0 mm.

The violin responded well when I laid into the strings and even when I used a light touch with the bow. The instrument has ample strength and recalls to me a wide and warm legato voice, smooth tone and easy to play. The G and D strings have a mature almost slightly veiled sound while the treble side is brighter with nice power. The treble is clean and clear in its sound. This violin may lend itself to being a great violin for a fiddler. The instrument has drive and clarity and I loved playing some Scottish fiddle music on the instrument. It produces nice overtones that will please many players. In short, a well-made classic violin that has a little bit of fire in its belly. It is ready for the advancing player who is looking for a violin with character, age, and a good sound.