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22 Nov 02 - 05:45 PM (#832941) Subject: My new (Fairfax) violin From: Stewart Hi, I just purchased a new violin that I'm quite excited about, and would like to share the news with you. I play Irish music in Seattle. I had an old late 19th cen. "Duke - London" fiddle - not a real "Duke" but a low quality German inport set up by the Duke shop - with lots of "character" and a sweet, but not great sound. So, in looking for a better instrument in the 2 - 3 K$ range I decided on a newly-built violin. After much searching I settled on one built in 2001 by Fairfax Abraham in Arkansas (Ozarks) for 2.5 K$. It is copied after an early (Amati) Antonio Stradivari. It has the high arch and more narrow shape of that design, and a strong rich tone. The back was made from one piece of Bosnian maple and the top and sides of Northern Italian spruce. These are very strong woods and should take at least a year to play into their full tone. The finish is slightly antiqued varnish with a moderate gloss, and it has attractive boxwood pegs, tail-piece and chin rest. Fairfax makes mostly violas now at the rate of about one a month. In talking on the phone to him, he was very proud of his craft and explained in great detail the building of my violin. He has been building violins for over twenty years, and David Stone's shop in Seattle has sold many of his instruments. Needless to say, I am quite excited and pleased with this new instrument and am spending a lot of time playing it. Does anyone else play or have experience with a Fairfax? Dale Russ, an Irish fiddler in Seattle also plays a Fairfax. Cheers, S. in Seattle |
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22 Nov 02 - 05:53 PM (#832947) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: Sorcha Jaysus, you paid $2,500 for a fiddle???? I certainly hope you love it a lot, and don't let anybody spill beer on it. |
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22 Nov 02 - 06:06 PM (#832963) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: wilco Doesn't matter what you paid for it. If you like it, that's all that matters. As a normal person, we'll ridicule a musician that pays thousands for a good UME banjo or a Martin guitar or an Orthey autoharp, etc. But, as musicians we are so frail!!!! We fall in love with these insturments, and we have to have them. Have lots of fun. I bet you really like the new fiddle. Keep us posted! PS: I have a good friend who plays banjo. If you ask him about his grandchilren, he lovingly tells you aaaaallll about them. But, if you ask him about his new banjo, get a chair and bring your lunch! |
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22 Nov 02 - 08:19 PM (#833065) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: Stewart That's okay, I have a Martin D18 that I only paid $100 for new (in 1956). And I expect the violin will appreciate as much in value. And I'll enjoy it in the meantime. Cheers, S. in Seattle |
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22 Nov 02 - 09:28 PM (#833110) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: Willie-O I'll give you $200 for that D18, strictly for sentimental reasons (it's the same age as I am). It's probably all old and worn out and you sound like a fella what could use a new guitar...You can get a lot more for $200 now than you could for $100 way back then. Because the technology has improved so much... No, no, don't thank me...just ship it to Bill Cameron RR1 McDonalds Corners ON, cheque is in the mail already. W-O |
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23 Nov 02 - 01:42 AM (#833251) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: NicoleC That's pretty cheap for a master-made instrument, or is he just a good amateur? At one a month, the guy must be broke if he doesn't have a day job. Then again, I know a bow-maker in the $20k range, and he pays the mortgage mostly by doing rehairs. I'm considering the top-o-the-line Gliga's myself, in the $1k-ish range, but I'm kinda worried... they're just too darn PRETTY. Wow, they're beautiful! What are they hiding??? I'd rather spend $1,000 on a great-sounding, no-name, ugly beater. Even better if I could find one cheaper. I was offered a pretty nice one for $1800, but that's out of my league. |
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23 Nov 02 - 02:03 AM (#833263) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: JenEllen Congratulations! (For 2.5K do you also get a dozen bubblegum cigars that say "It's a Fiddle!" on them?) Well, being one who has heard Stewart play a "low quality German inport", I can tell you, it did sound sweet. The Fairfax sounds like a heckuva deal, and I hope you enjoy getting to know each other. Happy Sawing, and hope to hear you both soon, ~JE |
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10 Mar 06 - 07:16 PM (#1690343) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: GUEST Can someone tell me how to get in contact with Fairfax Abraham? I can't seem to find out where he lives other than Arkansas. |
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10 Mar 06 - 07:22 PM (#1690345) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: Sorcha PS....if it's a 'Strad' model, it's NOT an 'Amati' too.....one or the other... |
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18 Aug 11 - 08:10 PM (#3209160) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: GUEST I, too, am needing to know how to get find Fairfax Abraham in Arkansas - does anyone have information? I'm not finding anything on the internet. I know he used to be up in the northern part of Arkansas in the Marshall area. |
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18 Aug 11 - 11:09 PM (#3209199) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: Stewart Contact Lasley & Russ Violins in Seattle they can give you contact information for Fairfax Abraham Cheers, S. in Seattle |
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18 Aug 11 - 11:18 PM (#3209201) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: GUEST,leeneia Congratulations, Stewart. You have bought something that will give you joy for years and will give joy to future generations as well. I know that warm glow you are feeling. I feel the same way about my piano, which now has one grand worth of new hammers. When the fiddle wakes up all the way, (after that year you spoke of) please post some videos of your favorite tunes and let me know about them here on the Mudcat. |
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18 Aug 11 - 11:47 PM (#3209215) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: Stewart Hi Leeneia, I am still playing the Fairfax violin as my main instrument. It's mellowed out some, but the tone is still a bit too bright in my opinion. It originally came with Pirastro Obligato strings. They are good strings and I stayed with them until the price went up to $75/set. So recently I tried the Pirastro Violino at $32/set. To my ear, they're just as good, perhaps a little less bright (more mellow), and much more affordable. I'll see how they hold up. A few years ago I was given an older violin by a friend. It had a sad and traumatic history. It was in pieces and I paid $500 to restore it. It's a ca. 1900 German student violin, but I think it's probably worth three times what I paid to restore it. Not as nice as my Fairfax, but not bad either. Here's an article I wrote about it - Soul of a Violin. Cheers, S. in Seattle |
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15 Dec 13 - 04:58 PM (#3584378) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: GUEST,SBailey As far as I know Fairfax L. Abraham is still making Violins in Marshall, Arkansas. |
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05 Jul 14 - 04:56 PM (#3639406) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: GUEST I own two instruments by Mr. Abraham. One violin and one viola. He is a philanthropist for selling his masterfully made instruments for only $4-5k. I bought both instruments directly from him. The first time I played my viola for my college professor he went over to his desk, pulled out his check book and offered me over $10k on the spot for it. I politely declined as Mr. Abraham had told me over the phone that the viola was meant for someone else but he felt that "god" intended for me to have it. He is somewhat difficult to get in touch with. I found out about him through my violin instructor who's husband is a bow maker at the Amati Violin Shop in Houston. Currently my viola is in the shop with a card that has Mr. Abraham's contact information on it. once I get it back I will post his information. I believe the wait list for his instruments are about 1-2 years. but well worth it. |
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06 Oct 15 - 03:30 PM (#3742123) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: GUEST,Guest The last poster - were you able to get your card with Mr. Abraham's contact info on it? We are not just interested in purchasing from him...we are old friends from back in the 80's/90's and have lost touch after his mom passed. We've been to his place in Marshall once years ago but forgot how to get there. And no phone number. Yes, he takes his Christian faith very seriously and always has. We have grandchildren now who are wanting to learn to play the violin. I played in grade school and my mom played from K thru 12 grade. My dad also plays - but by ear and in a fiddler style. He was never taught. He has a violin that was his grandpa's. My dad is almost 95 now so that violin is pretty old. Dad also plays guitar and mandolin by ear. I picked up the flute in 7th grade and dropped the violin. I want to help my grandkids get a violin or viola from Fairfax because of our history with him. We also used to breed and show goats together (Nubians). Boy, I have stories about him and his goats...LOL! He was living south of us in Arkadelphia when we first met him, on family property there, with his mom. |
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06 Oct 15 - 03:41 PM (#3742126) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: maeve Guest Guest- This is possible contact information. |
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07 Oct 15 - 02:09 PM (#3742318) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: GUEST,Arkie Fairfax offered to give me a violin back in the 1970s and I would not take it because I thought I would be taking advantage of him. He said it was a tradition for violin makers to give away early instruments. But I still thought he would be able to sell it. In those days, Fairfax made fiddles in the Ozark Folk Center instrument shop and I played in a makeshift band that Fairfax put together for Folk Center performances. We were good friends in those days, but I have since lost track of him. He was a memorable character. I am glad to come across this post and very happy to know he still works at the craft and has success in selling the instruments. I will try to track him down if the info linked above does not work. |
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15 Feb 18 - 05:13 PM (#3906000) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: GUEST,Clio Robbins My son has a Fairfax violin and he loves it.He has had it for the last 3 years. The moderate gloss is fading, do any of you have any idea what kind of polish he could use on it to improve appearance. Some say Nicko-clear, but he is just reluctant. What have you all used? Can you email me at clio_r@hotmail.com It just would be great to find the correct polish. Thank you. Kind regards. clio_r@hotmail.com |
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16 Feb 18 - 03:52 PM (#3906213) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: leeneia Clio, go to the Fairfax website, click on Contact, and ask them. http://www.fairfaxviolins.com/ |
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16 Feb 18 - 11:27 PM (#3906264) Subject: RE: My new (Fairfax) violin From: Stewart The above url for Fairfax Violins is not the correct one. Your violin was made by Fairfax Abraham. I sent you an email with some suggestions and the name of a violin shop in Seattle that deals with Fairfax Abraham violins. Cheers, S. in Seattle |