April 7, 2011 11:22 p.m.

Something old, something new, something borrowed…..

I happened to mention to my neighbor friend, Gail, on the phone two weeks ago that Chips had just graduated to a full-size violin.  That was when she told me that she had a violin, but that it was still up in Vermont with a friend to whom she had lent it out for a few years.  The friend plays in a string quartet.  My neighbor was looking for an excuse, however, to request it back, and telling her friend that a young man next door might want to use it would be a perfect excuse.

Unbeknownst to us, her friend came down to our sunny state for a weekend getaway last weekend, staying at the beach with our neighbors, and at Gail’s request, she brought the violin with her.

Two days ago, Gail called to say she had the violin and was bringing it over to our house.  And she did, although there was a thunderstorm warning in progress at the time.  She got it to us, and ran back home in time for the downpour.  Her purpose in bringing it here was so that Chips could play it all he wants, thereby keeping it in good condition, because “a violin needs to be played to stay in good condition”.  Presumably, this could mean years, as it was for her friend in Vermont (5 years).  She spoke as if this was a win-win situation. 

Now let me tell you about this violin.  It is Italian-made, 1926, and comes with a beautiful octagonal pernambuco German-made bow.  This violin has nice warm tones and Chips reports that the bow handles very nicely, and is lighter and better balanced than his 3/4 carbon fiber bow (that we were so proud of two months ago, remember?)  His full size violin, that we already own, sounds to him like “ice” (his words) in comparison.  I tried to get a sense of the value of the instrument through Google, and let’s just say that although we don’t know the “price”, we do know we have been nicely blessed.  This is a fine, vintage instrument.  We can’t wait until our teacher sees it on Monday.  What will she say?  This is definitely a win situation for us.  Dare I say that it might sound even better than our teacher’s violin?

Here are the photos.  The new violin, the one we own already, is 12 years old but in violinspeak one would consider it to be “new”.  It is on top.  The vintage Italian violin is on the bottom. 

The cases (new one on top, old one on the bottom),

and the instruments (new one on top, vintage one on the bottom).

So I ask you, how nice (and trusting) is Gail, and how “cool” is this?  This is a very happy, happy thing for us.    Now, bring on the competitions!