The White Violin Myth

Please visit the Don Rickert Musician Shop. Brought to you by the Don Rickert Musician Shop Introduction Most musically inclined people who use eBay are aware of the vast array of unfinished violins, violas and related instruments sold by Chinese lutheries. Such instruments are called “white instruments” in the lutherie trade. If properly completed, most if not all of these low cost Chinese white violins can become very nice instruments. More serious craftsmen and craftswomen are usually able to establish themselves as plausible luthiers and obtain accounts with the major suppliers to the lutherie trade. With such an account, one has access to high-end German and Eastern European white instruments, some costing as much as $650 (that is for an unfinished instruments and NO fittings!). To the uninitiated, a white instrument could seem like a very affordable way of obtaining a violin ranging from intermediate to master level quality. Think again! Something that all professional luthiers know is that the cost of tools and supplies necessary to complete a white instrument is FAR GREATER than the cost of the base instrument. Read on… Minimal Supplies Tools Needed to Complete a Unfinished White Violin or Kit Violin The following items are NOT luxuries. They are ALL essential for setting up a new violin. The total cost for essential tools comes to about $750! Quality Bridge, Strings and Tuning Pegs High-quality white violins never come with these items. Cheap white instruments will often be supplied with a cheap bridge, strings and tuning... Read more →