Speaking of Finnish......

Sandy, you're damn lucky that it was only money as there are some seedy folks out there anymore and Bob's Finnish reference reminds me of Emos Laer Parc, a Scandanavian Violin maker in upstate New York who apprenticed in Germany and had a business in N.Y. building a very high dollar and high quality violin.

Parc was killed by one of his customers about 5 years ago. Actually, it was the father of a young man who was known to be an up and coming violinist. They had sought out Parc and he made them a very custom model which by all reports was exceptional. The boy was quite satisfied I guess but about a year later he failed to take a first place in a junior competition in New York City. Evidently the father couldn't believe this was any fault of the boy and blamed it instead on the violin.

The father and son went to Parc's shop on numerous occasions and although the boy was polite according to others who witnessed these scenes, the father was adamant that Parc's fiddle had been the kid's undoing and that he should have purchased one of the better known European models. Parc offered to make any adjustments the son might want, but refused to refund the money. I guess he had several well known violinists play the instrument and they all confirmed it's quality and sound.

The final meeting came one night when the father showed up unexpectedly and shot Parc with a .357.....in front of witnesses. The trial was pretty quick and the guy got a life sentence for Second Degree Murder as a result of domestic violins.

   
   

   




   
   
   
   
   

   
Sorry.......(Emos Laer Parc = some real crap)

Spaw (I'd send some money but I'm as broke as $10.00 Ford and the only thing I can do is throw in a bit of levity....Glad it wasn't any worse Folk Fogey!!!)