Got my great-grandad's violin, bought in 1921 for £21 (we've still got the receipt!). Sounds lovely, and the back is beautiful, but it's needed some major repair recently and may need more too. When I learnt violin as a kid, I needed to trade up from a 1/2-size to a full-size, and my gran said "I think I've got one in the loft". So that's what I got, and that's what I learnt on.

My mum got it valued at Sotheby's, and they didn't want to know - they told her it was worthless. I just got it repaired, and the repairer had a fit when I said it wasn't insured! Anyway, I got it valued, and it _is_ worth insuring (not Strad territory, but nevertheless the price of a small car). There were some jokes from my wife and friends about getting someone to sit on it, but I don't find that too funny really - as far as I'm concerned, it's my violin and my gran's before me (and maybe my great-gran or great-grandad or some other family member - we don't know) and I couldn't bear to lose it.

I don't get too emotional about most possessions - they're all just stuff. But instruments are one thing I really do get attached to. I'd rather have my house and car burned out than have an instrument stolen or broken beyond repair.

Graham.