Players Have Trusted Rhiannon's Expertise and Honesty for Over Two Decades

[This article was originally published in 2009 and has been updated in 2023]

four Zhu violins in a row leaning diagonally

 

The Shop that Started it All

I'm Rhiannon Nachbaur, Fiddleheads' owner and a recently retired [for health reasons] professional symphony violinist and Concertmaster (lead violinist) of two orchestras. I previously taught violin for 25 years and earned several awards for my musicianship and for this business.

I identified the Zhu workshop violins as an unknown gem in 2003, well before most other sellers now offering these instruments. I forged a professional relationship with Mr. Zhu directly and have played some of his rare handmade models by him personally. At one point, not long before his death, he generously gifted me with a beautiful pernambuco bow as a symbol of My enduring friendship.

As I am highly selective of the violins I keep in stock (rejecting and returning those that don't live up to my perfectionist standards), the manager of the Zhu workshop carefully picks through their entire offering himself to provide Fiddleheads their best possible quality instruments in each release.

Over the past two decades I've become a foremost expert in the violin community on this particular series. Simply put, I know these instruments inside and out.

Thus Fiddleheads had a tremendous impact in taking these formerly unfamiliar violins from relative obscurity to a popular, mainstream model now sold by all sorts of sources (many of them less-reputable options).

By reading the reviews of these instruments alone you can see the impact Fiddleheads had on the Zhu story. This is why you should buy a Zhu violin from Fiddleheads, a shop who has loved these musical instruments for decades, and not from yet another reseller moving mere stock.

 

My Prices are Not Inflated

In the early 2000s, before many most other shops had discovered Mr. Zhu or his workshop violins, the prices at the few shops that carried these violins were insanely inflated, with a suggested retail then of $5500 that was followed by most shops, and some asking far more! Yet, owing to my efficient business operations, I was charging only $2699 USD for the VN-909 model and later held my price at $2990 for nearly 7 years.

In one case a player contacted me and said:

"I was told by [a northern British Columbia violin shop] that Ming made my violin himself, but the label reads VN-900* from the workshop of Ming Jiang Zhu, 2004. I paid $10,000 for it."

Fiddleheads sells the same model for far less than retail and at the time my price was $2990. I am always truthful in telling customers it is a workshop instrument.

I also don't dubiously change the name to say VN-900 or "AAA" model when, in fact, it is actually a VN-909 from the source, the makers themselves.

(*Note the "VN-900" he bought came from a distributor that changed the model number from VN-909. More on model number changes can be read below.)

Zhu signature and date in his handwriting

On a note from Mr. Zhu three years before his untimely death

 

No Confusion, No Fraudulent Labels

You can also rest assured you are never buying a fake when you shop with my shop!

As with some furniture stores selling mattresses, some music stores and online sites change the model number to add confusion in comparison shopping. This also creates an artificial scarcity for a made-up model only their shop has.

This is why you see some shops selling the VN-909, others call it the VN-900 or AAA model, some call it a "Maestro," etc. See the chart below for more details.

Important Note: It is not just shops who do the switcheroo. I know of at least two major USA wholesalers who change the Zhu models to names only, like “Master Artist."

Proper Model Number from the Workshop Misleading Model Number Switches by Other Sellers
VN-903 VN-350 - VN 113 - Young Artist
VN-905 VN-500 - VN 115 - Artist
VN-907 VN-700 - VN 117 - Principal Soloist
VN-909 VN-900 - VN 119 - Premium Master

I purchase authentic Zhu violins directly from the workshop, not middle-men resellers. I don't change model numbers to add confusion in comparison shopping and would never switch labels up a level or two, as is a practice with some shops. I can spot these discrepancies from a mile away, but most buyers sadly wouldn't know the difference.

That said, Fiddleheads has access to the best violins in the series owing to my long-held relationship with them and my high standards. They know I will send the instrument back if it's not to my liking, and it only took doing this once early-on for the quality and attention to detail to rise to the occasion. Coupled with my world-class setup, the Fiddleheads series of these instruments really does stand above all others.

Note also there are lesser grades of each model, but I don’t deal in the lower grades as they are not the best work they craft. I only buy the A grade models, which is indicated on the VN-909 certificate as an "A" after the model number (such as "VN-909A"). Some shops buy B grade but it's hard to find one advertised online, which is concerning as the sellers may be passing them off as the top quality models. I have never ordered a B grade Zhu instrument so I cannot comment to the decrease in quality there.

Do understand the Zhu workshop can sell violins with or without labels, and labels with or without the model numbers on them. Any retail shop can ask for a blank label and leave the model numbers off if they like or they can use their own labels, ideally for good reason.

For instance, for a while I also ran a small distribution division selling these violins wholesale to other shops and thus used labels with my distribution name on them. However, I never changed the model numbers as that is highly unethical. Having my own label made sense at the time as to track it to the original distributor, but in selling these violins without a distributor now, direct from the worksop to my retail clients, I saw no need for a distribution label moving forward.

Zhu label from inside a violin's F-hole

More on So-Called Zhu Violins Lacking Identification [Added January 2023]

An American client contacted me concerned about a "custom Zhu violin" that a well-known shop in their city was selling.

They wrote:

"It does not have a model number or a serial number. I was told that it was a custom-made workshop violin that is superior to any Zhu models available elsewhere. The price is $5,400. The way the seller limits my risk is to say that I can trade in the violin and bow I get from [their shop] for the full value. Of course, that guarantees continued business for them."

Yikes! Red flags galore!

First of all, if it really is a Zhu workshop violin, why the heck doesn't it have a label? And how can its maker/source be proven without it? That's violin sales and consumer acumen 101.

Second, I have dealt directly with the Zhu workshop since the early 2000s and know they only sell their set model numbers (905, 909, 912, 925, etc). The Zhu workshop has never crafted models outside their product list. I cannot order anything different than their usual offering, despite being one of their oldest clients. For instance, when the workshop cancelled their 901 violin, no amount of pleading saw them willing to craft something outside their standard lineup for my shop.

Third, most clients would feel unsure with an instrument that lacks the model number. You simply cannot compare it against others of the same model because you don’t know what it is! (which is the whole point of doing this). Plus, without the certificate it is monumentally more difficult to sell a violin lacking some kind of pedigree or guarantee of what on earth it is you are selling.

I told the client I assume, without a certificate, the violin is either not from the Zhu workshop or it is below the 909 Certificate level (907 and below don't have a certificate) because it seems bizarre that a violin issued with a certificate would be sold without that important document the workshop issued to combat fraud.

Fourth, if this client did buy the mystery "Zhu" violin from that other shop and wished to sell it later, they are promised the "option" to trade it in with the shop that sold it. But that also significantly limits their purchasing options moving forward; they are stuck shopping with this shop unless they manage to find a private buyer who takes their word that the violin is a real Zhu workshop violin. Most reasonable people don't want to feel obligated to shop with a seller who put them in this awkward situation in the first place.

 

After my detailed explanations the appreciative client replied:

"THANK YOU so much for taking the time to explain how the Zhu workshop works. You confirmed many of my suspicions. Two other things bothered me. One: They told me that the shop received six of these violins from the workshop in China of which she selected the two better ones for us to try. There was a marked difference between the two, which showed a lack of consistency.

"Two: [After complaining how there was a part of the violin that was poorly carved and was poking the player]. The shop said the luthier at the shop would fix it. Maybe it is my personality but I expect luthiers and violinists to be extremely picky people. I always say good violinists (and makers) are never sloppy. I like the high standards you set for the products you sell and the care you put into your website."

Maybe authenticity or identification is not of concern to some buyers. As I said to the client in closing:

"If you are happy with the mystery violin’s sound for the price and totally comfortable not knowing what actual model it is, I would not want to get in the way of your purchase and happiness with that violin. There are many violins out there with no labels that players love to play. I even once had an old violin lacking identification, but I bought it and later sold it for considerably less than $5k so it was a safe gamble to me. ~Rhiannon"

Zhu certificate and envelope splayed over golden piano strings

Workshop-Issued Certificates

Due to the enormous popularity of Zhu's violins there have recently been many fraudulent violins bearing fake Zhu labels sold on the internet. This is the reason for the workshop to start issuing a certificate for their most popular VN-909 (also called the VN-900 or VA-900) model. Be sure the Zhu workshop violin you are buying, from VN-909 level and up, comes issued with the certificate from the makers as this safeguard protects your purchase and potential resale of the instrument.

Be very cautious if you are considering buying anything over the VN-907 model and it doesn't come with a certificate, as was the case with the $5400 USD violin in the story above.

And note that even though some websites, Amazon sellers and other "sources" have popped up claiming to be the actual workshop selling direct to the public, many of these are not who they claim to be. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is!

For additional peace of mind, for us and my customers, know that I purchase Zhu instruments directly from the actual workshop so I can absolutely guarantee there are no fakes. I know anyone can claim that, but I think my reputation in the industry for over two decades as well as my customer reviews speaks to my truthfulness.

Hand with a soundpost setter adjusting a post in the F-hole of a Zhu VN-909 violin

My Setup is The Best in the Industry

Setup makes all the difference to the playability and performance of any violin. [Read my article on my setup here]

Yes, most reputable shops add their own setup to their instruments, including the Zhu workshop violins and violas. But not all setups are the same, and the testing that happens afterward is crucial and often skipped.

I see that all my instruments are meticulously setup then tested and tweaked at my studio by me personally, so that doesn’t necessarily warrant a higher asking price than a comparable violin sold elsewhere, it’s just differences in setup.

To a point.

You see, some shops go with the setup as it came from the workshop but I, as a (former) symphony player, have deeper understanding of the fine settings and tweaks needed than most shop owners do (such as non-player shop owners or stores with various staff members sharing feedback with far less consistency than that from one person.) Many clients have reported their frustrations with an instrument that was approved by a pianist on staff because "the violin guy wasn't in that day."

Fiddleheads' Zhu violins are the only ones you'll find which are precisely setup in Canada to very high and demanding professional criterion and tested individually by a retired symphony-level violinist.

As a seasoned classical musician and fiddler, plus an expert in a focused offering of contemporary violins, I understand and endorse the importance of a good setup.

From my observations, most shops take the workshop setup as it is, or may claim they set it up in-shop. Unfortunately, this usually means simply standing the bridge after shipping with it down for the shop to consider it their own “setup.” (Ridiculous).

I always find things to improve because I am very picky by nature and feel responsible to do right by my clients as a trusted professional providing top service and goods.

For instance, in addition to the normal tweaks as needed of post placement, bridge height, nut, fingerboard, pegs, and the like, I see that the fingerboard is properly oiled as well as a very fine, minute amount of protective clear finish on the neck as I find the clear coat the workshop uses dries far too quickly prior to shipping to be effective. No protection in these oft-handled and crucial spots means bare wood exposed to oil and dirt from our hands.

These are important steps that the finer makers take and are done, in my opinion, in haste at many workshops, including the Zhu workshop. Thus I make a priority to put in this extra effort to benefit my clients and uphold my endorsement of this brand.

My shop also makes improvements to the varnish and fittings that are not good enough from the workshop by my standards (albeit, I don't encounter this much in recent years owing to the manager's selection of violins for my shop). This in addition to the usual tweaks and adjustments leading up to my playing and testing before the instrument is ready to ship. I personally work with the makers and my local Canadian luthier to ensure the setup is exactly as I would want it for myself and my students

Customers purchasing a Zhu violin elsewhere will not receive setup at nearly this level of quality or precision, and it shows. Time and again my setup always beats out competition because setup matters. You can trust that Fiddleheads provides the finest setup so all my Zhu violins will have the optimal adjustments to make the best playing experience possible for my customers.

As an added perk, Fiddleheads' prime wood seasoning environment is superior to that of other violin shops, especially those located in humid regions of the southern USA. Do keep these considerations in mind when comparison shopping.

 

Rhiannon wearing a sequinned teal ballgown and holding a handmade Zhu violin on the symphony stage

Photo: Rhiannon plays a rare handmade Zhu "bench" violin (2012 Stradivari "Tuscan 1690" model) with the Kamloops Symphony in their 2013 Vienna New Year's Celebration Concert. Her personal favourite to play was his bench 2008 Guarneri "Plowden 1735" model.

 

A final few reasons to deal with Fiddleheads and Rhiannon

So, you're looking to spend a couple or more thousand dollars on violin; it's a pretty big deal! At Fiddleheads your decision is not taken lightly and I understand that the service you receive will make all the difference to such an important purchase.

Simply put, Fiddleheads' service is absolutely exceptional. I operate my shop with integrity and strive to create close relationships with my customers through honesty, quality products and fair pricing. 

Visit my About Us page and my growing list of hundreds of testimonials from many elated customers with detailed positive feedback on my exemplary service, matchmaking players to instruments, my in-home instrument trial process, and other Fiddleheads perks by topic.

See customer feedback on Fiddleheads' Zhu models themselves here: VN-903 - VN-905 - VN-907 - VN-909

Thank you for considering my little shop for this important purchase.

 

Rhiannon Nachbaur signature

Rhiannon Nachbaur, Fiddleheads' Owner