[milkpowder]

Nice find Romanee. The problem is, a lot of the counterfeit Guarneris have very real-looking labels. Hence, the labels don't really mean much. That said, good copies of Guarneris still demand tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on luthier. Experienced luthiers recognise violins by the shape/location/size of the f-hole, shape/size/tooling/design of the scroll, shape/type/varnish/thickness of the wood making up the soundbox, etc... I would LOVE to own a Joseph Guarneri (aka del Gesu). Actually, I'd be happy with an Andrea Guarneri already.

Maybe even that is wishful thinking. OK... perhaps I should aim for an even cheaper one, say Amati? few hundred thousand... much more affordable than a few million bucks

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nice find Romanee. The problem is, a lot of the counterfeit Guarneris have very real-looking labels. Hence, the labels don't really mean much. That said, good copies of Guarneris still demand tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on luthier. Experienced luthiers recognise violins by the shape/location/size of the f-hole, shape/size/tooling/design of the scroll, shape/type/varnish/thickness of the wood making up the soundbox, etc... I would LOVE to own a Joseph Guarneri (aka del Gesu). Actually, I'd be happy with an Andrea Guarneri already. Maybe even that is wishful thinking. OK... perhaps I should aim for an even cheaper one, say Amati? few hundred thousand... much more affordable than a few million bucks

The labels and site were just a novelty. As you said, undoubtedly lots of good forgeries abound.

There seem to be a goodly number of master luthiers in Cremona today, and it seems that most name many or their creations after important instruments by Stradivari, Guarnerius, Amati, Guadagnini, etc. - and there are many gorgeous instruments to behold. I don't really know much about judging the quality and value of a finely crafted instrument, ancient or modern, but I can certainly appreciate the look, feel and sound. The only ancient instrument I ever got play was a Guadagnini. I was very young and didn't inquire about its name and history, but it had a big, rich, rather warm tone, and was heavenly to play. Much better than my lowly skills deserved, but I was thrilled to have the opportunity. It made my heart sing.

 

[milkpowder]

You got to play on a Guadagnini?! Incredible! For some reason, I really like his violins. A friend of mine has one (he's only 19) and I'm very envious of him... and he's not even going to do music, instead, he's going to do law at Harvard

 

[guitarman19853]

Except I don't have the Marshall anymore.

I sold it to get this:

 

[milkpowder]

guitarman19853: love the wood grain on the electric guitar!

 

[pne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitarman19853 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Except I don't have the Marshall anymore. I sold it to get this:

nice! why did u get rid of the marshall? I'm selling my crate cause its too loud. Its impossible to crank 50watts of tube power in a bedroom to achieve that overdriven sound.

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder /img/forum/go_quote.gif You got to play on a Guadagnini?! Incredible! For some reason, I really like his violins. A friend of mine has one (he's only 19) and I'm very envious of him... and he's not even going to do music, instead, he's going to do law at Harvard

And I went through musician, actor, graphic designer (still), and may filmmaker next?

Can you get to borrow your friend's violin sometime?

Yes, incredible that I had that opportunity. In my teens a wealthy fellow student, for some reason -- probably for the contrast -- liked my poor little fiddle's very bright/clear tone and great projection and offered to swap for a while one summer. His violin nearly played itself -- or so it seemed to me -- and put wings on my spirit. If I could afford it, I'd buy that Guadagnini now without blinking. I'm blessed to have that memory.

 

[Romanee]

WOW! Some beautiful guitars today -- and very nice amps. That Peavey looks like it was designed off the old Fender Twin Reverb style. Looks a bit like my FTR, but much better, though mine has nice beefy EV speakers. Otherwise, the Peavey looks much more solid, and better-crafted than my 64(?) Fender.

 

[milkpowder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romanee /img/forum/go_quote.gif And I went through musician, actor, graphic designer (still), and may filmmaker next? Can you get to borrow your friend's violin sometime? Yes, incredible that I had that opportunity. In my teens a wealthy fellow student, for some reason -- probably for the contrast -- liked my poor little fiddle's very bright/clear tone and great projection and offered to swap for a while one summer. His violin nearly played itself -- or so it seemed to me -- and put wings on my spirit. If I could afford it, I'd buy that Guadagnini now without blinking. I'm blessed to have that memory.

I'm afraid he's a friend that I've kinda lost contact with

I got to know him through a friend who went to school with him during high school. I heard him play in a concert on his violin (I think it was a Turin example, which is the more expensive of the three (?) Guadagnini "eras") and the sound was great! You do know that Guadagninis are known as a "poor man's Strad" right?

They're considered the best violins after dear Antonio and Giuseppe's God-like creations...

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm afraid he's a friend that I've kinda lost contact with I got to know him through a friend who went to school with him during high school. I heard him play in a concert on his violin (I think it was a Turin example, which is the more expensive of the three (?) Guadagnini "eras") and the sound was great! You do know that Guadagninis are known as a "poor man's Strad" right? They're considered the best violins after dear Antonio and Giuseppe's God-like creations...

Yeah, I know. Obviously not having experienced Tony & Joe's pizza boxes, I can't place Joe B. G's stuff in my mind. Purty tasty stuff he made, tho'.

 

[milkpowder]

HAHA!!!! I don't think I can go to sleep now...

It's 1:33am and I'm enjoying Head-Fi banter while listening to Vengerov play Schubert Fantasy in C

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder /img/forum/go_quote.gif HAHA!!!! I don't think I can go to sleep now... It's 1:33am and I'm enjoying Head-Fi banter while listening to Vengerov play Schubert Fantasy in C

{I had to pause for a second -- "It's 1:33am..." -- but it's 1:31am now in NYC and your post shows as 8:39pm… and … oh. Scotland. Right. So -- since you'll be waking up in just a few hours, GOOD MORNING!}

Haven't heard him play that … though, actually, there are still quite a good number of his works that I haven't heard. Love Ysaye sonatas (!!!), Brahms with Daniel Barenboim, the Virtuoso solo pieces of course, his master class broadcast on Ovation network, etc.

I've certainly seen him do some uneven and over the top performances (and sometimes all over the map and off the notes), but controversial and volatile tho' he is, I'll take the flamboyance (plus the great heart and muscular/mind-boggling technique) for the brilliance that often blazes thru, rather than pristine but safe ("correct") that his detractors would prefer. I even enjoyed his experimental interpretation/performance that included contemporary, blazing solid-body electric fiddle and tango (dance) duet, just for his courage to explore, extend and challenge himself.

Whatever the cognoscenti say about his showmanship and ebullience, I felt in watching his broadcast master class that he was able to actually confer his insights to his students and enable them to understand and play their pieces several levels above where they started, in just a brief session. He is possessed of a genius and great depth of understanding of music. Certainly his style is not suited to every composer, and I don't think I'd love hearing him interpret the Bach Sonatas & Partitas, but that not important. I thoroughly enjoy so much of his works, and his big Russian/global heart.

 

[Romanee]

BTW -- the many-layered background art I created for the birthday greetings I sometimes customize for various members -- is mostly instruments created by a variety of contemporary Cremona luthiers, found while searching to see what's being done these days. Beautiful stuff. (Of course I threw in a few fun pieces, like the Kun Bravo - top left below "un" and behind "from", a very pretty tailpiece, etc......) Sorry the fiddles & bows have gotten pretty well sublimated behind the glowing typography. I have the original art at work, with any type, that's often my work computer's desktop -- when I'm not using a closeup of my oh-so-pretty 1930s Gibson L5.

A FEW EXAMPLES (Sorry I don't have time to size the images down...) - Not my properties, but I can dream and drool:

David Somenzi - "Strad 1-2"

David Somenzi - "Strad 3"

DavideSomenzi - "Guarneri1-4"

 

[Schalldampfer]

Any Stradivariuses here?

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schalldämpfer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any Stradivariuses here?

Who knows, but I'd be willing to bet that if there are any Strad owners/players they will remain anonymous & mum.