Bulgarian Workshop and Bench Violin/Viola Testimonals at Fiddleheads.ca

Thanks for all your help and patience this morning! Enjoying my new [Rose Valley] fiddle all ready!

UPDATE: I have been enjoying my new [Rose Valley] violin. It has taken a while to get used to but it is really sounding great. I was in Sandy Macintyre's celtic class last night here in Toronto and he saw that I had a new violin and asked to play it. Boy did it ever sing...if I can ever make it sound even 1/2 that good I will be happy.

Any way he gave it his seal of approval and that meant a lot to me. Don't know if Sandy is a household name in BC but he sure is in Cape Breton where he has taught just about everyone who ever played the fiddle.

I have told many about the personal service you provided me in choosing my new violin. It was the hilite of my trip west this year!

The playing tips you gave me were valuable as well. I wish I lived out there, I would be able to take some of your lessons! Perhaps next year on my annual trip west.

- Gord, Toronto, ON

Hi Rhiannon, nice to hear from you. I'm pleased to send you this feedback on how I'm enjoying my [Bulgarian] violin. I don't think I'll ever truly do it justice as a player but that keeps me motivated!

I absolutely love my violin that I purchased through you at Fiddleheads! When I first played it a year ago, my teacher told me that I was very lucky to have a violin with such wonderful tone. It is so much easier than my old girl, and you're right, I do appreciate the more mellow tone.

- Leanne Copithorne, Deerfield Farm [Alberta] - See our Tone Guarantee for these instruments

The thought of purchasing a violin not only over the Internet but in another country was a bit unsettling to me. Rhiannon was friendly, accommodating, and answered all my questions. She provides a great service where one can take an instrument [on trial] and I quickly took advantage of the offer.

I received the [handmade Bulgarian] instrument within a week to Alabama USA. The violin was well packed. Once received the instrument was better than anticipated and sounded fantastic.

The more I played the more I appreciated the quality and sound of the instrument. I purchased the violin using Paypal.

I’m a very satisfied customer and would highly recommend Fiddleheads to anyone looking for quality instruments from an establishment with great customer service.

- John N, Trussville, Alabama, USA

After 2 lessons, my instructor was impressed with the look and sound of the [Bulgarian] viola. She liked the deep tone. She asked how much I paid for it, and said she paid more for hers and hers doesn't sound as good.

I have given her one of your cards so she can take a look at your website, she said they're always looking for good instrument sources.

So, in summary, your customer service was amazing and the viola is everything you said it would be, a great looking and sounding instrument for the price. Thanks again.

- Jennifer, Devonshire, Bermuda

Hi Rhiannon, I am really enjoying the instrument - it is a huge upgrade from what I was playing before. It's got great warmth and a beautiful look to it. The sound and quality of the violin is great and I know I will be playing it for years to come.

My instructor was also really impressed with the violin, especially when I told her I got it off the internet! I have passed on your name and website to her as well.

Thanks so much for all your assistance, buying a new violin seemed like a very daunting task to me, but you were so helpful and kind.

- Lauren, Etobicoke, Ontario

I was a complete novice looking for a violin when I came across Rhiannon's website. I had a previous bad experience with a purchase from a private owner so I was unsure of who I could trust.

After a few emails to Rhiannon I knew I would be buying my violin from her. She was not only a wealth of knowledge, but took the time to understand my needs, my budget and experience level.

My final choice was a new [Bulgarian workshop violin] that I am thrilled to own! Being a new student, I never expected to get such a rich sound at this stage, which will only get warmer and more mellow with time. My instructor was amazed I was able to get this beautiful instrument, prism bow, a case and extra strings for the price I paid.

Thank you Rhiannon for your time, expertise and patience. I will remain a loyal customer and would recommend you to anyone looking for a new instrument! If anyone wishes to contact me regarding my experience, please feel free to get my email address from Rhiannon.

Take care and I look forward to following your career and family! I'd love to hear you play live sometime, so keep your schedule on your website. Since I travel quite a bit, it would be great to combine my trip with a concert someday. Luv ya!

- Sandi Cerutti, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, USA

Brenda’s enjoying learning to play it (as am I) and we love the [Bon Musica] shoulder rest – it completely frees up the hands to do what they are supposed to! We will send your our quartet picture when we take one!

- Cynthia, Kanata Ontario

My son's violin teacher, Oleg Rutkovsky, is an honors graduate from the Moscow Conservatory of Music [Moskovskaja Gosudarstvennaja Konservatorija]. He recently advised me that my son's progress has greatly surpassed the quality of the student violin that we purchased for him and we should try to secure a better quality violin.

After several conversations with Rhiannon over the phone I was confident that she was not just trying to sell me a violin. As the parent of a violin student I had many questions and Rhiannon patiently discussed in details all matters that I needed answers to. After discussing my son's level of progress and my budget, we decided on a Bulgarian workshop violin.

When we arrived for my son's violin lesson his teacher inspected the violin and began to play it. He played it for quite a while and finally announced,"This is a very good violin." He asked me what was the price and when I told him he said,"It is worth the money, buy it." I'd done some researching online and saw another shop was selling the same violin for $1800. [Fiddleheads' price was $1300].

The teacher's still talking about that violin a week later. When we took it to the lesson to show the teacher he started playing it and wouldn't put the violin down. My son has these big round doe eyes and you should have seen them when his teacher kept on playing the violin; he was worried he wouldn't get the violin back!

[The teacher] also said that "He would feel comfortable in referring his students to fiddleheads.ca for future violin purchases. So for him to like the violin and give it a compliment, that's a big deal. And for him to recommend his students to go to Fiddleheads, that's also a big deal.

My son loves his [Bulgarian workshop] violin and he appreciates the improvement in the quality of sound in his playing.

PS: It was my pleasure to write this testimonial. These days having something good to say about a transaction is becomming a rare event. Fiddleheads is our official violin resource and we also consider you a friend.

UPDATE (6 months later): This violin really makes a huge difference to Reynaldo's playing. He hears himself better and it sounds so much better. Even the older songs sound far better on this violin than on his older violin.

- Raymond Hill, Bronx, NY [Watch Reynaldo's Youtube Videos]

Angela Moneff

As [the Moneff] plays-in it develops greater depth of sound and character with a range and scope which I strive to learn to properly utilize. In return it brings me joy, a deeper understanding and the realization that at age 57 I can so learn a new trick or two. HUGE value for dollar! Well done Ms Moneff, and thank you.

- Michael Sears, White Lake, BC, Canada [Read his full, very detailed review here]

I just wanted to thank Rhiannon for her EXCELLENT customer service! She was knowledgeable, fair and quick to respond. It is nerve-wracking choosing a violin from the internet (our first time), but she made this experience pleasant and worry-free.

We were looking for my 10 year old daughter's first full-size violin and had tried over 20 instruments locally, ranging in price from $2.6K to $7.5K. We wanted something that would take her all the way to high school and beyond. I'd heard about VSA's 2006 Gold medal winner for tone, Mr. Ming Jiang Zhu (MJZ)and wanted to try his VN-900 model.

After describing to Rhiannon what we were looking for, she quickly listed the merits of the VN-900, switched the strings to Obligatos [as per my request] and matched a competing website's sale price.

THEN, SHE DID SOMETHING UNEXPECTED: she advised me to look at the Angela Moneff violin from Bulgaria as well. This turned out to be a beautiful bench-made (by a woman!) Guarneri-style violin from the Kazanlak region or "Rose city" of Bulgaria.

The beauty of this instrument: it will STILL IMPROVE with constant playing over time! [My daughter's] teacher quickly noted that the sound was NEW but also recognized that it would open up with constant playing. Since my daughter practices 2 hours or more a day, we look forward to this remarkable instrument improving in the coming months. [See attachment for our detailed review.]

Thanks to Rhiannon's keen sense of matching the instrument to a player (even when we're SOOOO far away), we ended up buying a Moneff violin. If you are a serious violin student looking for great tone, clarity & projection from an instrument with the potential to open-up and do even greater things with time.... in addition to getting a good overall value, you should try the Moneff.

- Fe & Nina, Spring Hill, Florida

Read this Testimonial in French

I would highly recommend to anyone who wishes to shop for a violin should consider contacting Rhiannon at Fiddleheads violins. Her personalized service and research skills are outstanding.

I have been on the web for over a month searching for a violin upgrade from the one that I inherited from my grandfather over 20 years ago.

I have communicated to other sites with only what they were showing on the web site with no other information. It was only with Fiddleheads that I received lots of recommendations and other selections of violins available throughout her resources.

Rhiannon did help me thoroughly along within my budget restrictions and I ended up with a bench work violin from Angela Moneff.

Wow! Great work Rhiannon. I cannot wait anymore to get the shipment! I am like a kid the day before Christmas. I never thought I would get this feeling again.

Rhiannon exceeded my expectations and has very good knowledge and skills for personal service. She is a very communicator and very precise with details. You can ask her anything regarding the business of violins, etc.

I will not hesitate to recommend your shop to anyone and I am thankful for the services you have provided me. Believe me that I will continue to shop at www.Fiddleheads.ca for whatever you can provide me for my new violin in the future. Thank you.

Upon Receipt of Violin

I will write again because I received the beautiful violin, case and bow. Again I am happy with what I see and play with. I feel proud.

Thanks to you Rhiannon I feel that I will grow and become a far better player. I am in love again. With my new violin that is!!! Looking forward to write again and do business with you.

Thanks for the cookie cutter.

- Roger Charbonneau, Ottawa, ON

Ivan Stankov

Rhiannon, I wrote up a small recommendation of you for your site - it was easy though - you represent the easiest and most knowledgeable dealer I've encountered, and I think prospective buyers need to understand this as well!!

Perhaps one of the most difficult and daunting tasks facing a musician is purchasing a violin. Rhiannon has, however, turned this into a very positive experience by virtue of her personalized service, knowledge and honesty.

You are not simply purchasing a violin from a dealer: Clearly an astute business person, Rhiannon is also an award-winning violinist and music teacher. As a result, she sells instruments that actually meet the buyer's needs and expectations.

I purchased a Stankov violin from her, and after several wonderful communications, I made the wise decision to purchase this incredible instrument - I cannot thank you enough, Rhiannon!

- Glenn Boreham, Mississauga, Ontario

Wooo hooo. This is so cool. I like the way it looks in the pics. It looks better in person.

I like it!!!!! [Stankov] nailed the "looks" of it and it has just enough shine to protect it. The family likes this violin a lot - they like it better than the last [workshop] one. It's really nice - much nicer than the pics.

The G & D strings just sound awesome. Lots of overtones, volume, and confidence. The A & E strings seem muted or stuffy. I'm guessing they need to be played. Now that I say that - the instrument needs to be played. New strings. New violin. After playing the new one I picked up my other one and what a difference.

[The] violin vibrates something crazy - but it's cool. My other one doesn't vibrate all that much and sounds "held back." Also, I like the string sensitivity and volume control. So far I'm pleased and can't wait to break this one in. :)

UPDATE (4 weeks later): As for the violin - it sounds great now. Infeld Blue strings and I'm happy. The Evah's were way too high tension for me. My fingers were hurting too much. But the infeld Blue's sound as loud and nice without the high tension.

- John N, Trussville, Alabama

I got the Stankov in the mail very quickly. No extra costs from customs, thanks for doing the paperwork so all I had to do was receive it at my door.

Love the violin!! It's a beautiful thing. Beautiful woods, even better than the photographs.

I showed it to the finest fiddle players in the northwest and both of them played it and they both really liked it. It's a dandy! Thank you!

- Tom [Violin Teacher and Private Dealer], Oregon

Petko Stoinov

Just a word or two to let you know that by adjusting the bridge on the Stoinov violin, the sound on all strings became marvellous. The violin has a wonderful projecting sound and great sustain.

It's an easy instrument to play. The response is great. The bowing to achieve a great sound requires less pressure on the strings to achieve a very noble sound than other violins.

The Stoinov violin sounds better every time I play it. This guy is a well kept secret. His violins are in the $12,000-$15,000 class easily and get better with time.

I'm glad I bought the Stoinov and appreciate your speed in getting it to me. Best wishes for a great holiday season.

- Sydney, Lafayette, Louisiana, USA

Mitio Dimitrov

The Dimitrov violin arrived today safe and sound… and speaking of sound …it sounds great!

My daughter has nicknamed it "Boomer" because of its volume; it has impressive projection doesn't it? I don't think it will take long for her to break it in.

She was quite surprized and excited when it arrived; she had been showing your website to a friend to show her where we got her pink [Prism] bow from, and my daughter had zeroed in on Mitio's violin… never imagining I was going to actually buy it for her! This transaction seemed almost too easy - thanks for all your help!

Please let [Dimitrov] know we are happy with it, and it is being played by very capable hands! If my daughter uses it for a performance soon and I can get good footage, I will pass a video clip along to you.

- Jeanne, Regina, Saskatchewan

We have enjoyed having the violins over Christmas, and Lauren has taken a real shine to the Dimitrov. We have played quite a few, and she is still loving it. Thanks Rhi, you have been great to work with. I will be sure to post some clips of my daughter at her next recital with her beautiful new violin so you can hear her.

Lauren is loving her new violin, and was so happy when I told her we were going to purchase it. She is sounding really good! Let me know how I can put a comment onto your website, you have been great to deal with and I would not hesitate to recommend your shop to others!

- Kathy, Calgary, AB

Petko Petkov

Thank you so much for contacting Mr Pertkov and getting the information. I will buy a viola made by Mr. Petkov, because my daughter loves his instruments.

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