My Alan Copeland violin has been wonderful for two reasons. First, it plays so well. A very fine violinist played my violin and played the same piece on a Strad for a group of about six other violinists in the same orchestra. The Strad was on loan to a person in the group. The group agreed that there was hardly any difference in the tone quality.

Another expert violinist, Deby Benton Grosjean, who belongs to a Scottish fiddle club that I belong to, played it and liked it so much that she asked if she could borrow it to make the title track for a CD. The CD is O’er the Moor, Among the Heather, and includes a “thank you” for the loan. A year or so later she borrowed it again to do another CD which has not come out yet.

The second reason it has been so wonderful for me is the perfect craftsmanship. This is because I also make violins and I use this one as a guide for my own making. It has helped the quality of my violins.
~ Don Homan, retired physicist and violin maker

I love my Alan Copeland violin, which I have been playing since its completion in July, 2005. My previous violins were old, and I had thought that my next step would be another old one. But as soon as I put the bow to this Copeland violin, I knew I’d found just what I’d been seeking: it has a full, sweet tone, it is nimble and responsive; it is truly a joy to play.
~ Harriet Spiegel, Professor, English Department, California State University Chico

I purchased my Copeland violin in 2007, when the violin was 11 months old. It is a Guarneri model. I had at first been attracted to the Strad model of Alan’s, due to its big tone and rich lower register, but found it was a little larger and heavier than what I was used to. The Guarneri model was the perfect alternative due to its size and weight. I have owned several violins, both old and new, over the years and had been playing on a violin made by a California maker in 1986, but always had to try really hard to produce enough tone to match the tone of friends when playing chamber music.

When playing Alan’s violin I don’t have to work so hard. The tone comes pouring out with little effort, and I no longer have to feel my sound does not compete with my friends who own much higher priced instruments. I had looked at just about every violin a local violin shop had to show me, and compared to those, the craftsmanship of Alan’s violins is noticeably far superior, too. As I have played the violin, it has improved, and the tone has gotten richer and richer. I am extremely happy with this violin, and feel very fortunate to have a violin of this quality for such an amazing price.
~ Cynthia Alfaro: BA in violin, Cal-State Hayward; retired music teacher, Alameda Unified School District