Kallo Bartok violin review

"It's everything Edmund promised about the instrument. I received the KB Dec. 31 started with the opening bars of the Figaro overture. The violin played very clearly on the lower strings and an energetic pp that sounded effortless was achieved.
The violin sounded more spectacular as the music opened up to the fuller orchestral sections. The descending scales in the overture played beautifully (the Coda classic bow is great) and all four strings had a very even sound, as Edmund said it would. I went through my repertoire of orchestral and chamber works for the next four hours and achieved a new found love for playing the violin again.

The KB is not as loud as my old violin volume-wise, but the clarity and beauty of sound make it a much more powerful sounding instrument. This is true for the works spanning from the baroque to 20th century. After 40 years of being an avid amateur violinist in various ensembles, I find that the real challenges are not Tchaikovsky symphonies but rather the elusive ensemble technique required for playing very transparent music such as Mozart. The KB seems to fit very well with Mozart.

The very next week after receiving the violin, the KB was put to test in an 8 day period with 5 days of 3 hour rehearsals and 2 performances of Verdi's Otello. The violin held up beautifully through the rapid orchestral outbursts followed by sudden tempo and textural changes to ppp accompaniment. I'm sure it will play with ease in an upcoming concert of Gorecki's Symphony 3. The comments by other violin players and conductors have all been very positive. Many are impressed by the appearance and finish as well as the sound of the violin.

For me, this was the perfect violin. I was at a loss in seeking a new instrument at a violin shop without the guidance of an experienced teacher.  Your web site and staff were both very helpful in this search. The KB represents everything that I wanted in a violin. I will certainly enjoy playing this instrument for many years to come. Thanks again." - E.C.