Good news, the fiddle has arrived! I have had a little time to play it, and it is certainly lively, especially the G string. Great setup!! So I am very favourably impressed. Thanks again for the good service.
[UPDATE] Every few years I get the urge to try out a new violin. So this spring I ordered a Ming-Jiang Zhu 2013 violin, Guarnerius model. The recipient of many awards, Ming-Jiang Zhu has acquired something of a cult status in the couple of years since his death, and his violins are becoming a bit harder to find.
However, I was able to obtain one – with a certificate of authenticity, even – from my colleague Rhiannon Nachbaur, at Fiddleheads violin shop in Kamloops, B.C. This is an excellent choice for online shopping, by the way. Rhiannon carries a very extensive product line, and gives personal service like a champ).
[Read Richard's blog post about his instrument]