Violin

I've been crossing things off my "nesting" list left and right. The only problem is that every time I think I've finished something, there are at least a couple follow-up things that need to be added to the list. Take, for example, the violin.

A few years ago, I got this bug in me about wanting to learn how to play the violin. I took lessons in fourth and fifth grade, but my interest was cut short due to public school budget cuts and my need to be cool. As an adult, I decided I wanted to start learning again and I was excited when my aunt let me borrow an old violin she had since she was in grade school. One day, I picked up her violin for my first practice session, but the thing was so old that one of the strings literally fell off. Argh.

That same year, Santa Claus gifted me with a brand new violin, for which I was especially grateful, since I no longer had any excuses for delaying the tapping of my musical talent. I have wanted to fix and return my aunt's violin ever since then, but life kept getting in the way.

Recently, I called Music Unlimited in San Leandro about the pricing for violin string replacement and was told it was a $20 re-stringing fee plus the cost of strings. Not bad. So, yesterday, I finally made a trip out to Music Unlimited to see what the actual cost would be, how long it would take, etc.

As it turns out, one of the repair guys there is a violin expert. I showed him my case and asked if he could help me with information about repairing an old violin. As he opened the case and took it out, he practically started drooling. He told me it was a beautiful old violin and asked me where I had gotten it. I told him I borrowed it and that all I knew was that it was probably about 50 years old. He said it was at least that old and started showing me how all the pieces were either real ebony or wood. Apparently, this is a big deal. He told me if I was ever interested in selling it, I could make well over $1000. He was so giddy, I got the sense he would have bought it from me right then and there.

I asked my questions about the repairs it needed and he pointed out a couple things I hadn't noticed (of course). He said he recommended using a high quality set of strings for the repair, which cost about $40. Then there was the bridge and another rolled thing that needed to be re-attached, and something else. The grand total estimate was $140. Clearly more than I had expected to spend, I told him I needed to think about it and that I would be back.

So now I'm stuck. I obviously want to repair the violin before I return it, but if it really is as valuable as he says, I don't want to skimp on the work. It was one of those times I wished I had brought a man with me, or at least someone who knew what they were talking about. Louis says I should have made a deal with him that he could do all the work for $100. I don't know how to bargain like that.

Instead, what I'm gonna do is get a second opinion. I posted an ad on the Berkeley Parents Network, which goes out to 30,000+ families in the Bay Area. I asked for recommendations on where I can find help with minor repairs for a vintage violin. We'll see what kind of responses I get. For now, "fix the violin" is still on the nesting list.