Review: Fraley's Klotz

Sulli said I had to introduce myself, so... Hey everybody! My name is Faith, and I am a violin major at UNCC. I am also the manager at Davidson Violins and have really enjoyed learning over the past couple years about various violins, their makers and their merits. When I was asked to write a review of something interesting in the shop, I knew exactly which one I wanted to write about. (I also desperately want this violin for Christmas, but I don't think that's gonna happen.)

Hanging on the wall at Davidson Violins is a very unique violin. At first glance, it doesn’t look much different from the dozen or so other violins on display next to it. But as you stop and take another look, you start to notice the things that make it so special.

The wood is obviously old and has a fine grain of light and dark brought out by the smooth varnish. But it’s not just the wood that catches your eye. Something about the body is a little different. Chubby even. And that is what sets this instrument apart from the others. While the rib height is fairly standard, the arch of the belly is much higher than that of a traditional Stradivarius copy. This violin was made almost for sure by one of the Klotz brothers.

This family founded a violin making school in Mittenwald, Germany, in the late 1600’s. Their popularity brought fame and fortune to Mittenwald, and the town celebrates their patrons with a memorial and statuary. Their violins are so unique, and so well liked, that there has been an epidemic of badly made Klotz copies and knockoffs. So much so, that any instrument labeled as a Klotz comes under suspicion.

This particular instrument, however, carries nearly all the marks of a genuine Klotz. While there is no 100% guarantee, experts have agreed that it is, most likely, not a copy. The label inside, while not the original label that came with the instrument, is a copy of a genuine Klotz label. It reads proudly:  Aegidius Klotz in Mittenwald…1771. Aegidius (1733-1805) was a third generation violin maker in the Klotz family, and son of Sebastian, one of the more famous members of this family. Aegidius’ violins were considered quite excellent work. In fact, it is said that Mozart’s own personal violin was made by Aegidius Klotz.

This violin is in excellent condition for being over 200 years old. There is very little obvious cosmetic damage, and the imperfections around the edges only lend to its charm. There have been a few top cracks repaired, but there is little evidence that there was any damage at all. When you look at the instrument from the side, the arching is so high that you can actually see through one F-hole and out the other. While a regular violin has a body that is a little over 2 inches deep, this Klotz has a depth of 3 inches. The back of the instrument, made of a single piece of wood, has a zebra stripe flaming pattern with an obvious wear spot there the player’s shoulder would come in contact with the instrument.

A modern neck has also been grafted in with the original scroll in order to compensate for the change in string tension as violin designed moved away from the Baroque setup to the now standard classical set up. This is standard procedure for any violin made in the Baroque period.

This extra space in the body makes for a deep resonant tone. The G string isn’t as powerful as one might expect, but it has a very sweet sound. The A string in particular is clear and strong. A typical classical musician might find the setup fairly low, as this violin has been used as a fiddle for the last several years. However, it plays smoothly and responds well to any player.

While this is an excellent instrument in its own right, there is also some more modern history that may lend an extra attraction for some. The most recent owner of this instrument was the late Kentucky fiddle player J.P. Fraley. Fraley used this instrument for years, and won many awards while playing with this fiddle. Since his passing, this decision was made to put the instrument up for sale, making this unique instrument now available to the public.