RARE: Suzuki Violin No. 720, 3/4, Japan 1978 (Professional Grade), with Case

Description

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Suzuki Violin No. 720
(Professional grade).
Level: Professional.
Size: 3/4.
Year made: 1978, Nagoya, Japan.
Condition: Near-mint, defect-free. Very minor traces of prior use may be detectable.
Fittings: original (high grade ebony).
Strings: brand new Pirastro Evah Pirazzi.
Accessories: Includes a matching vintage case made in Japan in very good condition.
The No. 720 was one of the top models in Suzuki Violin's line-up during 1970s. These violins were built to the customer's order by Suzuki's best luthiers and were priced at 3.0x the price of their flagship No. 540 model. While the 700 series has not been produced since 1980 - when Suzuki replaced it with its new "Eternal" and "Heritage" line-ups - the No. 540 model has survived through the years and effectively provides a pricing benchmark for the No. 720. Suzuki's website shows the list price of 198,000 yen for its current No. 540 model (roughly ,900, using a realistic exchange rate). This suggests that the No. 720, if it were still produced today, would have a list price of approximately 600,000 yen (or roughly ,500). Based on this price extrapolation, the No. 720 would probably be positioned somewhere between the current No. 1200 "Eternal" and the No. 1400 "Heritage" (both are high-ranking professional models).
The No. 720 model was built using the best seasoned old maple and the finest Ezo spruce. They were fully hand made and hand finished. These violins are rare and are characterized by exquisite workmanship and artful finish.
The violin you see in the images is perfectly preserved and is a beauty to behold. The tone is rich and complex, with a plethora of delicate overtones. Decent projection and very good balance across the entire range. This instrument will offer a rewarding experience to the advanced student.
The violin is equipped with brand new Evah Pirazzi strings and is play-ready. Comes with its original case. (if you need other accessories - bow, shoulder rest, rosin, spare strings - please inquire, I would work with you to meet your needs.)
This is the opportunity to own a high quality vintage instrument in near-mint condition at a moderate price - a fraction of what one would have to pay in a strings shop for an instrument of comparable grade.
In the event you are not familiar with Suzuki's model line-up, their model numbers are very easy to understand:
- the 200 series (such as 200, 220, 280, etc.) are high quality and very popular beginner models;
- the 300 series (300, 310, 330, 360, etc.) are "intermediate" violins for progressing students;
- the 500 series (500, 520, 540, 550) are "advanced" violins;
- the Eternal series (1100 and 1200) are targeted at professional musicians - "orchestra" grade models;
- the Heritage series (1400s and 1500s) are targeted at professional musicians - "soloist" grade models.
Within each series, models with the higher number tend to have greater value.
While Suzuki violins are relatively rare in the U.S., they dominate the domestic market in Japan and are highly regarded. Brand new, Suzuki 300 series violins are typically priced in stores at levels similar to Yamaha's AV7-AV10 models. Store prices for Suzuki's higher 500 models appear more comparable to Yamaha's AV20 violin. I encourage you to make a brief research on price points for Yamaha violins, for benchmarking purposes - they are readily available on the internet.