1930s Unmarked Suzuki 4/4 Violin

This instrument is one I've had in storage for years and completely forgot about. Andy did it over for me -- fixing some seams, planing and dressing the fingerboard, fitting a new bridge, tailpiece, and chinrest, and setting it all up. It's got a "Made in Japan" label on the inside and no other markings and, considering the build, I'm pretty sure it's a Suzuki-made instrument and probably dates to the '30s but might be an early '50s fiddle failing that. There's glue residue from another label but it's missing.

It was going to be up for sale but I our band, The Peavine Boys, has been adding extra instruments into the rotation and I mentioned that I can play some fiddle. Rob and I jammed a bit and it was decided that I should play a bit on a few tunes now and then, so (after this pictures were taken) I had Andy fit some nice old guitar-style violin pegs (they were common in the early 1900s) to it for convenience's sake and now it's drafted.

It sounds great for double-stops and works well for the sort-of faux-Cajun style I tend to play backup in. I also like the fact that he left the fingerboard's maple "natural" after planing. It originally was "ebonized" to a dark brown-black.