Frequently Asked Questions

1. My violin has a "Stradavarius" label in it. Is it a real Stradavarius?
2. How much is my violin worth?
3. What size violin does my child need?
4. How do I find a teacher?
5. Can I photocopy sheet music?

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

Stradavarius 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 1693 - that would make his instruments over 300 years old!

During the 19th and 20th Centuries, instruments with a Stradavarius 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 Stradavarius 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!

Back To Top

2. How much is my violin worth?

The Sydney String Centre gives valuations for insurance purposes only. The cost for these valuations is $38.50 for a verbal evaluation and $75.00 for a written valuation. It is impossible for us to value an instrument over the internet or phone. 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 feels free to contact us and make an appointment.

Back To Top

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.

Back To Top

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.mu for teachers out of the Sydney area.

Back To Top