On Wedneday a child handed me a new violin which had recently been purchased at a local supermarket. On opening the case I found the bridge lying flat wrapped in tissue paper and a 'manual' (small sheet of paper with a set of instruction) on how to mount the bridge. Needless to say, the wafer-thin piece of wood snapped at the first attempt to tighten the unbelievably thin strings (which will almost certainly snap next time).

This 'manual' also had instructions for use of the bow:
"Before using the bow, you have to wax it.
Make sure that the bow is covered with wax before use.
NOTE: The faster you move the wax on the bow, the hotter the wax gets, and it will be easier to use."


W

Do you feel like naming the supermarket?

OMG!!!!!! Wow the mind boggles at how some poor folk are going to approach their first attempts with a violin!!!!

It's a wonder it wasn't shrink-wrapped and microwaveable!!

(Mind you, I could use some boil-in-the-bag vibrato technique... off to Tesco.... )

Nettos

Good heavens. Did they tell you how much it was? I don't know what netto's returns policy is but I would have thought "snapped the first time it was played" was within the category of "unfit for the purpose

Liz

Probably supplied to Nettos from a cheap labour source in a Far Eastern country? Hence the poor translation of instructions about 'waxing' the bow. There may be no real translation for the word 'rosin'.

In all honesty, Netto would probably claim these are being supplied along the line of toys, rather than truly playable musical instruments. However, that doesn't absolve them from the fact that the wafer-thin bridge snapped.

I think a safety - thin wire strings, wood that snaps - might be even more of an issue than 'fit for purpose'.

I would go to customer service and inform them that it is a danger and unfit for sale, then ask who supplied it to them and tell them exactly what you think of it. If you can't put it up, then what will happen when someone who doesn't know what they're doing gets hold of one?

Supermarkets might be better staying out of the musical instrument business!!

Was the wax supplied??? Obviously they don't know depilatory creams shouldn't be used on violin bows, or are they starting a new trend?! *goes to get wax for her bow*

I know you can buy a 3/4 size Antoni violin from Argos, but I never dreamed of being able to get one at Netto!



It's this kinda thing that makes me rather pleased to study a 'seldom learned instrument'. No-one would think of getting a viola along with their frozen peas and sliced loaf!