Violins, Old and New

Just sitting here listening to a client playing on one of our intermediate student instruments...there are some fabulous modern handmade ones between €595 and €1500 - including some Stamitz (Czech) and Hofner (German) A cut above the average student violin and suitable for the player who really doesn't want to spend over €1500 but wants a noticeably improved tone and timbre. Even those at the cheaper end, the six and seven hundred euro ranges, are handmade, and well made, with more tonal resonance and depth than the beginner ranges.
Of course for the advanced student there's also plenty of options; including older restored instruments from around €2,225 ; and a range of different "voices" - dark tones, sweet and light, rich and mellow. Maybe the present you buy for yourself this Christmas :)