Frequently Asked Questions

1. My violin has a "Stradivarius" label in it. Is it a real Stradivarius?
2. How much is my violin worth and can you tell me what it is if I send you photos?
3. What size violin does my child need?
4. How do I find a teacher?
5. Can I photocopy sheet music?
6. Do you buy used instruments?
7. My bridge is broken, can you send me a new bridge in the mail?

1. My violin has a "Stradivarius" label in it. Is it a real Stradivarius?

Stradivarius is by far the most famous name in the world of violin-making. Over the 90 years he was alive he made approx. 900 violins, 630 of which are still intact today. Most of these are owned by institutions or organizations all over the world and can be worth millions. Antonio Stradivari made violins in Cremona, Italy up until his death in 1737 - that would make his instruments over 300 years old!

During the 19th and 20th Centuries, instruments with a Stradivarius label were made in the thousands in Germany, France, Czechoslovakia and other countries in Europe. More recently instruments with similar labels have been produced in Asia. Some of these instruments are of reasonable quality, others are not. Today there are literally millions of violins and cellos with a Stradivarius label so the chances of you finding a real one in your great aunt's attic are very low. If you have an old violin with such a label it was most likely made in one of the aforementioned countries and is what we call a trade instrument. Not worthless, but not a Strad!

2. How much is my violin worth and can you tell me what it is if I send you photos?

The Sydney String Centre gives valuations for insurance purposes only. The cost is $150.00 for a written valuation. It is impossible for us to value or assess in any way an instrument over the internet or phone. This is always the case despite any photos or other information that you may have. For us to value an instrument we need to have the instrument in front of us. If you are seeking a valuation of your instrument please feel free to contact us and make an appointment.

3.What size violin (or cello) does my child need?

Violins come in a variety of sizes. As a rough guide a child will be on a full size violin when they are about 12 years old. Before that, they stay on one size for approximately 18 months, although everything depends on how fast the child grows. To complicate things even further, some teachers have preferences as to what size violin a child needs. Some teachers prefer their students to stay on smaller size violins for longer as it will be easier to play. Other teachers prefer their students to move on to larger sizes early as bigger violins produce a bigger sound.

If you're not sure what size instrument your child needs, the first stop should be your teacher. Most of the time they will be able to tell you straight away what size they need. If you don't have a teacher, we strongly suggest you find one before you even think about buying an instrument. At the Sydney String Centre we always like to see the child to be able to size them up. While buying a violin as a surprise or present is a nice idea, it can be a disaster if you happen to get the wrong size. Even though you can use age as a rough guide for size, there are vast discrepancies. Two children of the same age and height can be different sizes based on the length of their arms, the size of their hands or how broad their shoulders are. Ultimately we suggest making a visit with your child to our store where we shall be happy to advise on the best size for the player.

4.How do I find a teacher?

Having a good teacher is very important. We list some teachers in our find a teacher area. All these teachers are our customers and we can confidently recommend them. You can also check out www.musicteachers.com.au for teachers out of the Sydney area.

5.Can I photocopy sheet music?

If you wish to copy music which is still in copyright, whether by means of photocopying or otherwise, you may only do so with the prior permission of the copyright owner, with certain limited exceptions. Photocopying without obtaining such permission is an infringement of copyright and the copyright owner can sue for damages.

In certain cases limited copying is allowed, for example, for the purposes of private research and study and for use in examinations (other than those involving instrumental performance). Please check with the copyright owner in advance.

How do I know if a piece of music is protected by copyright?
(1) If the composer, writer, arranger or editor of the music is alive or died within the last 70 years the music is in copyright
(2) If the author of the words or libretto is alive or died within the last 70 years then the words are in copyright.
(3) If the printed edition was printed within the last 25 years then the edition is still in copyright. This applies, regardless of whether either the words or the music contained within that edition are in copyright or in the public domain.

This excerpt is taken from The Edition Peters website http://www.editionpeters.com/music/photocopy.php

6.Do you buy used instruments?

We rarely buy second hand or used instruments but we may sell your instrument on consignment if the instrument meets our requirements. As a rule of thumb we only accept instruments that were firstly purchased from our store and secondly over the value of $700. We generally do not trade-in or deal in second hand instruments under the value of $700.

7. My bridge is broken, can you send me a new bridge in the mail?

Each bridge has to be professionally fitted to each individual violin, viola, cello or double bass. There is much more involved with bridge fitting than just simply putting it in place. From the manufacturer, bridges are not designed to automatically fit. The bridge is always too high and too thick. As well as this, the feet will be flat and not at the same curve as your violin (the curve can vary greatly from instrument to instrument) and the curve at the top will be too flat. When we fit a bridge we correct all of these issues. Generally it takes about 3 working days and we certainly can not 'pre-fit' a bridge and send it in the mail. In EVERY case you will need to get the instrument to us in person for us to be able to do the work.