Articles by Kevin M. - Nelson, BC

Articles by Kevin M. - Nelson, BC

With this violin my daughter's playing has notably improved, and it takes far less cajoling to get her to practice.

Your violins arrived on our doorstep today! Thanks so much. They arrived in perfect condition.

Don MacDonald [a professional violinist and film composer] is going to swing by and help us tune them up, and give each one a wee test drive, before we do the "big reveal" with my daughter Caitlin this evening. She still has no clue that all this is happening. We'll keep you posted. So exciting.

[UPDATE: 6 hours later] Well, Rhiannon. Don came by to try all 3 violins (before my daughter), and thought there was no question: the Zhu 907. Hearing him play all three, I'd have to say I agree.

The richness of sound is remarkable, and stands out head and shoulders over the other two [905 and Rose Valley].

Certainly was more than I'd budgeted for, but it's hard to argue with the difference in quality and sound, when the instruments are played side by side.

Don, by the way, was so blown away that he is now on a mission to find a new violin. He thought the 907 he tried today was a finer instrument than the one he has been playing for the last four decades. Expect to hear from him soon...

Thanks so much, again, Rhiannon. It's been such a pleasure doing this with you. You've been so responsive, so thorough, and so patient.

We couldn't be happier with the violin, too! Hopefully we get to meet you in person sometime.

[Review: 2 weeks later] My daughter had outgrown her student violin, and was in need of a significant upgrade. A trusted friend (who happens to be a professional violinist and composer) recommended we check out Fiddleheads.

Although a bit nervous and skeptical about purchasing a violin online, my concerns were immediately allayed after my first conversation with Rhiannon.

It was clear that her priority was ensuring that my daughter got matched with the right instrument, and she went to great lengths to understand what "the right instrument" meant to us.

She was informative, patient, understanding, and extremely timely and responsive to our many questions, over the course of [a phone and some email] conversations.

She ultimately shipped us three different violins to trial, all of which met our criteria, and all well within the price range we'd discussed. (The shipping was surprisingly hassle-free and quick.)

We ultimately settled on a Zhu 907, having been blown away by the instrument's richness of tone, warmth, and playability.

Rhiannon's expert efforts in setting up the violin prior to them being shipped out were immediately obvious, as the violin came "out of the box" performance-ready.

Since acquiring the instrument, my daughter's playing has notably improved, and it takes far less cajoling to get her to practice.

We are so grateful for the incredible service Rhiannon provided us, and thank her deeply for the joy this new instrument is bringing all of us.

I recommend her services 100%.

[Read Don's review of this violin - Read Don's Review of the VN-909 he purchased a year later]

March 12, 2021