Pictures Of Violins

Music man hopes to make good first impression

John Hagedorn wants his new musical instrument store in downtown Westmont to be something more than just another music store.

“We want to stand out in the community, and be something that you can’t find anywhere else,” Hagedorn said. “That is our goal.”

Hagedorn and his father, Al Hagedorn, will be opening their new store called Mission Music at 216 N. Cass Ave. within the next two to three weeks, as they put the finishing touches on the store.

Mission Music will sell only stringed instruments such as violins, cellos and stand-up bass guitars, and will cater to both beginner level and high-end violins for musicians and collectors.

“We picked Westmont because there just isn’t anything like that around the area,” Hagedorn said. “We are not going to be a big-box music store, we want to be unique store that people will come to from all over the area.”

While Hagedorn has been in the retail music business for more than 30 years, and has owned stores throughout the Chicago area, he credits his father, Al, as being the musical person in the family.

And Al Hagedorn, who played and performed many instruments for years, believes there is a market for people who want to learn.

“We are surrounded by a number of high schools who offer violin and cello as part of their school bands,” Al Hagedorn said. “They are popular instruments, and there is a big market for them. And just like any musical instrument, with a little practice, anyone can learn.”

The store has already become a big hit with the violins and other instruments in the big picture window.

During the Taste of Westmont in downtown Westmont earlier this month, many people were attracted to the instruments in the window, and used the display as a background for many pictures that were taken.

“We had a lot of interest in the store, as so many people were really attracted to the instruments that were on display in the window,” John Hagedorn said. “We had so many people coming up, asking when we were going to open. It was amazing, and really nice to see so much interest.”

To make Mission Music something unique, Hagedorn has invested substantial money into rehabbing the old building that will house the store, complete with wooden floors, original shelves and cases from the early 1900’s, and unique lighting and displays that will make it stand out.

Maggini violin - Discussion Forums - Fiddle Hangout

Need some help to identify and maybe value a violin. My grandfather was a Toronto violin maker who in about 1955 gave me a violin. The plan was for me to learn how to play it. After about a year of lessons the 7 year old said nope this isnt gonna happen and the violin went back into its case where it has remained basically undisturbed ever since. My wife finally bugged me enough to get rid of the thing that I brought it out for a look. I had always assumed that my grandfather had made it and so I looked inside to see if he had maybe signed it but no all there was was a label that said it was a Maggini. oops. I dont really believe that this is a genuine Maggini but I know diddly about violins so here I am and with my family pretty much anything is possible. I can post photos (at least I think I can post them) if someone will tell me what needs to be photographed. I can provide a description if someone can tell me what to describe. The Maggini name is on what looks to be a paper label tucked well under the bridge and while I can read it with a strong flashlight I seriously doubt I could get a decent photo of it

If it has basically no value I can polish it up and use it as a wall ornament but if it has decent value I would want to sell it. I live an hour north of Toronto. I understand that there is a good violin outfit in downtown Toronto but I am reluctant to spend a day battling traffic to take it to them if it looks like the thing is worthless. People tell me that even if it is a knockoff it can still be a high quality instrument that might bring a decent price. All suggestions welcome.

Tha odds of it being an original are almost nil, though many copies are good violins & worthy of consideration.

He was an experimenter in his later luthier life and his violins reflect it. Two distinguishing characteristics of his violins are their low arching and over size ( as much as 3/8" longer than tha standard 4/4 ).  

I have one of which I'm not particularly fond of playing.....( mainly because of it's oversize ), which makes it a little hard to adapt to after playing on a standard 4/4.

Post some photos if possible. There's some accomplished luthiers on here who can help ya.

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