A borrowed instrument

Trying out a borrowed violin to use at the rehearsal tomorrow, as mine is in for repairs: it doesn't 'ring' nearly so freely as mine, despite being supposedly a high-quality vintage instrument, and I think the bridge is flatter. A very nasal quality to the sound compared to what I'm used to.

But the most disconcerting thing is that it has no shoulder-rest, so has to be played Paganini-fashion by supporting the weight of the neck on my wrist. If only I'd known, I could have kept back the shoulder-rest from my own violin...