Kowalski

Before buying, the only thing for certain at the moment is that I think you're great, Rhiannon, and I want to buy a fiddle from you (despite our discovery that the import duties/taxes will amount to almost a quarter of the final price!!)

Your approach is so honest and open which contrasts greatly with the opaqueness of others in the trade!

My lovely wife Heather spent almost 2 hrs devouring your website last night. I have every confidence that this will be a perfect fiddle for my remaining years as a regularly performing fiddler.

[UPDATE: Jan 7, 2023]

Hurray, Hurray, Hurray!!!! The Messiah Kowalski is here and I'm/we are over the moon!

As I think I might have said along the way, we wanted to check out two main properties of the sound - "sophistication" and "will it sound raw and new" (not according to the sound clips you posted but you never know... until the instrument is under the chin) - as the sound clips suggest it is smooth and silvery!!!

It is a wonderful match to my wife's violin - similar tone, and loud enough for her to hear what I'm doing without being overpowered.

[UPDATE: Jan 21, 2023]

I have just put the Messiah to bed properly for the first time since it arrived...

I have bought 4 bench fiddles at around the £6,000 to £8,000 mark over the years, but never before have I had one so refined from the get-go.

What we have is a fiddle with a self-assured, rounded creaminess - no hint of that new fiddle rawness that requires a couple of years playing in, and certainly not a 'now' fiddle with that big open (but rather hollow) sound.

I'll certainly be letting the world know how pleased we are via your website etc. With massive, grateful hugs,

[UPDATE: Jan 22, 2023]

The fiddle continues to grow in stature and is so surefooted and sumptuous!

[UPDATE: Jan 23, 2023]

This afternoon we had a 3 hr. session with a great 83 year-old local mouthie (mouth organ) player who has been immersed in this music (fiddles and pipes) since childhood.

At the start of the afternoon he said it was a 'good sounding' fiddle' - halfway through he said it 'sounded really nice' the when we finished he said 'what a great fiddle'!! We have played together on and off for 15 years or so in this set up but have never sounded better!

[UPDATE: Jan 25, 2023]

The Kowalski... is singing magnificently.

I'm knocked out by the degree of resonance - not just in the obvious, expected places (fingered G, D and A) but in other associated notes the first finger E on the D string for example...

[REVIEW: Google, 5 stars] I have played fiddle for over forty years and bought (and sold on - usually at a loss) a wide variety of instruments from improver level to bench-made instruments.

In all these 40 years I have never come across anyone as helpful, patient, enthusiastic and knowledgeable as Rhiannon!

In October last year I gave my lovely Tarquin Bolton violin to my son in the erroneous belief that I could see out my final years (I'm 74) with a lesser instrument.... after 3 months I began the search for an instrument which would match the Bolton fiddle!

What won me over to Fiddleheads against the UK competition was the complete transparency of approach and detail on the Fiddleheads site.

I'm now the proud and delighted owner of a Kowalski Strad model which, as it happens, matches my wife's violin more closely in tone and expression and upped the overall effect of our duets. She can barely believe that an instrument only months old could have such a mature and beautiful voice!!

I have no hesitation whatsoever in giving a 5 star review to Rhiannon, her business and this amazing Kowalski violin.

[UPDATE: Feb 5, 2023]

I should have emailed much sooner but the fact is I've been besotted with this gem of a fiddle, and I've played it lots for lots of people; the comments are consistently along the lines of 'what a lovely sounding fiddle'.

As I've explained before I am not the best fiddler in the world, but am privileged to play alongside some excellent fiddlers and this fiddle allows me to add a beautiful, full, creamy sound to the mix.

After all these years of searching I have found my perfect instrument!

A thousand thanks again for your amazing patience and wonderful encouragement.

[UPDATE: Feb 14, 2023]

I'm besotted by this violin - stunning looks, stunning sound. My wife has a beautiful violin with a £30,000 sound, and this Kowalski matches it.

[UPDATE: May 7, 2023]

Just to say the Kowalski continues to develop and delight.

If I had the money I'd buy the lot off you, and give them to my friends to play- what a glorious sound that would be!!!!

Love and thanks, xx

I am an amateur involved in a community orchestra, an outreach quartet and octet. I am absolutely in love with [my Kowalski viola] instrument. I pulled out my violin after a couple of months on the viola and was disappointed in the sound. I thought I had a pretty nice violin.

I have to pay off my new viola. Afterwards I will be looking for my forever violin. YOU are wonderful and I am very tempted [to accept financing]!

Thanks so much for your wonderful email. I am so impressed with your website and reviews. I have learned quite a bit. Thank you again for your generous attention.

I played all day since the package arrived around 10:30 AM. I did my lesson with my online instructor and blew him away.

I played for another three hours. I can't believe the difference between it and my old Klaus Heffler... I knew there would be a difference, but I had no idea just how much. We're talking apples and oranges here.

The G-string on my Heffler sounds terrible, and I have tried two different strings (Peter Infeld, Dominant Pro), and there is just no "ring" to the G.

Today the first thing I did with my new Kowalski is play a D on the G string, and the "ring" was definitely there, a clear sign of sympathetic vibrations.

On my Heffler, the G string just sounded dull and "gravelly." The Kowalski sounds better when I play my Arcus T7 carbon fiber bow.

You did it again, Rhiannon - score another one for the Violin Cupid!

We certainly appreciate all you have done for us! We both consider you a friend and not just our instrument dealer.

This gorgeous violin is not just another violin, it's truly a work of art!

Where do I begin to start with how magnificent this instrument sings?

Effortless; every time I pick up this violin in my hands to practice its as if it transports me to another world, a dream realm, a concert stage. Truly a pleasure and a gift to play!

I started my musical journey when I was seven, but didn’t officially become persistent at learning until my latter teens. Technically you could say I had a later start in life to music; and throughout the years acquiring a few different violins.

The hunt for a new violin began once I realized my current intermediate violin was holding me back from progression or advancing in technique. I was becoming discouraged by the inadequate sound and playability quality of it. Out-growing the instrument

Reaching out to Rhiannon was the best thing I did! I had a few specific needs and wants in a new lifetime violin. At the time I felt like I was a bit vague, or still trying to find my voice in a superior instrument. Definitely not lost any more in this aspect thanks to Rhiannon! She went above and beyond helping and guiding me in finding exactly what I was looking for.

After narrowing it down, I had the privilege to try out two violins, one by Pawel Migiel and the other by Tomasz Kowalski. Both models were fashioned after Guarneri del Gesu violins.

Once my bow made contact with the violin, no lie, I began to shed tears. Not of sadness, but in awe of how a superior violin has no equal in craftsmanship, tone, comfort, and most important the power of its sound.

Initially, the Migel violin had a very quick response and warm up time. Projecting its sound quality straight away. With first impressions this drew me to consider that this violin was in par with my playing ability now. Making this violin feel like the proper choice.

Before I tested out the sound quality of the Kowalski I was astonished with the artistry and beauty of the violin. I didn't want aesthetics to be my main influencing factor of my decision. Sound and playability were most important.

At first the quality of sound was comparable to the Migel, but after a good twenty to thirty minutes of warm up it started to surpass, becoming superior. Upon examining this instrument further, I noticed it demanded perfection, or a soloist touch. In a sense I felt inadequate to play it.

Feeling confused I reached out to Rhiannon and shared my finding with comparing both violins. She didn't make the choice for me, but she helped me to see why and what I was experiencing when playing. Rhiannon's knowledge, input, and expertise were invaluable!

She offers a great, stress free trial period. If I only had an hour to chose, I would have made a grave mistake. Above all I had plenty of time to decide the prefect fit in the comfort of my own home.

After further playing I noticed that there were limitations with the Migel. An example of this was if my finger positioning happened to be slightly off the violin would hide those imperfections. I felt like there was a limit it would reach and could not pass. I was looking for an instrument with that above and beyond performance level.

The main qualities and reasons I chose the Kowalski violin as my musical voice happen to be its demand for preciseness. I had to play in tune for it to really resonate fully. It was teaching me!

After talking with Rhiannon, she, using her analogies and musical understanding, helped me to see that a relationship with this instrument would allow me to grow in tone, technique, and over all music ability. I was enthralled with the idea that this violin would teach me to become an advance player in the years to come.

Set up can make all the difference in your musical experience. Rhiannon takes the time to set up each violin to her clients needs and preferences. Outfitting them with high quality strings, bridge placement (whether you’re a classical or fiddle player), as well as chin rest adjustments; amongst other things.

Even if you're not exactly sure what you're looking for the fit and feel are comfortable while practicing or preforming. In turn her quality assurance puts the violin to the test to make sure its everything you were looking for.

Tomasz Kowalski designs his instruments to excel in superiority over time. Even now I can confirm that! I can't stress it enough, each time I practice on this violin it improves in sound; through its projection and tone harmony. To have only been made in 2018 this gorgeous instrument sounds like it has been around for centuries. Truly a violin fit for a soloist!

Enthusiastically I can say “I made the right choice”! with putting my faith in Rhiannon’s talented skillfulness and expertise in assisting and guiding me to find my unbelievably beautiful violin.

Fiddleheads is nothing but excellence in knowledge, stock and customer service.

Rhiannon in particular is delightful, knowledgeable and beyond helpful.

When I was ready to purchase a new violin, I wrote to Rhiannon and explained what I was looking for in an instrument. I was very specific about the tone quality, the finger/fingerboard feel and the responsiveness that I was looking for.

She answered very promptly, had a few questions for clarification and then mailed the perfect instrument for me even though I live 3,000 miles away.

This is significant given I was spending $12,000.00.

I am the happiest I have ever been with a violin, and will be able to enjoy this one for the rest of my life.

I highly recommend Fiddleheads/Rhiannon. She is extremely patient and fair; an incredible business woman who understands customer service and satisfaction, and works hard to deliver the best experience out there.

Thomasz Kowalski "Guarneri del Gesu" 2012

Cosmetics: lovely to look at, though appearance means little to me, with sound and structural integrity being most important. Apparently, however, appearance is important to many buyers.

Playability: certainly one of the easiest, smoothest-playing violin I have tried.

Sound, taking into account it's a new instrument: the Kowalski's fundamental sound is tightly-focused, sweet and ladylike, probably will blossom in that direction with more playing. I do like that sort of delicacy for certain material, though finger position and bows use can accomplish the same thing.

My sense is that it will never have a lot of "bottom end" to its sound, which is not necessarily a criticism, rather an observation.

Weights: Kowalski = 509 g, 909 = 500 g, 905 = 440 g. Slightly smaller than my other violins, but heavier.

Whether that ultimately will affect power/volume or is affecting the instrument's present sound, I don't know.

[Fiddleheads regrets to share that dear Robert passed away on March 10, 2017]

Violin arrived today in perfect condition.

Looks very nice, sounds incredible.