How to buy a violin or other musical instruments

This argument is certainly very long to deal with, I will only give some guidance indications that can be an help especially to musicians, music lovers and parents of music students.

Giving value to old instruments, luthier’s services and other is an objective that Atelier Cesarini pursues from the beginning, the first step was to create a very detailed luthier price list of the most demanding services.
It was not a very first absolute, but certainly one of the first listprice to have a remarkable specificity, without leaving free interpretation.

Now let’s see which parameters are reliable to give a value to an bowed instrument or a bow, then we’ll try to figure out what we can buy with a certain budget.

Regarding old instruments, the process of attributing a fair value is longer and expensive, but it can be worth it. The expertise, made by one or more luthier, may be needed as well as the trust towards the seller of the instrument to which you are interested. At Atelier Cesarini, for example, we provide on request written proof that attests our historical valuation and market value.

At the moment of purchase, the “trust” parameter should not be based only on human comparison (as is often the case, it’s getting easier shopping “by sympathy” towards the craftsman  or trader)

Trust must be based on the seller’s transparency, in the case of a professional, while buying from private individuals, in fact, always runs a risk. Buying in transparency means having an instrument with all the original characteristics and true probabilities of being able to resell the instrument forward to a high value (without risk of devaluation).

Transparency means:

• having the instrument certification, the salesman’s one and possibly the original manufacturer’s (who are not too vague and who are of difficult repeatability)
•  having the receipt, even a hobbyist or a private lover can sell by issuing occasional receipt, which, for valuables, is the rule to ask. In the case of fraud or rethinking, without any traceability, you will not be able to prove your payment.
• If the instrument is used or old, having the instrument’s historical path (you must at least ask who was the last owner). Atelier Cesarini has the identity of the owners of their ancient instruments. 

Then always consider who is ahead.

Let’s see in this other blog “Children’s musical instruments, how to buy?” , how to buy a studio instrument.