I think you should have taken the offer to bow on the violin that they had on show. They offer it to you to try because it's a showroom violin, and they probably don't mind beginners bowing it.

It's ok if you didn't, but next time a store offers you to try a violin, take them up on the offer, it's ok to not buy it! Just give all kinds of violins a try so you have a baseline of what things might sound like.

I also have a real, serious suggestion if I might be so bold (and if you might listen).

Forget about the "surprise" idea and just go straight to your family's violin. Go with purpose - go grab it from your parent's house and just take it - ask for it, take it without them knowing, whatever - I think as much as the "idea" of surprising them sounds appealing, what is infinitely more appealing is being able to start learning on that violin itself, and being able to enjoy this part of your journey with that specific violin. You only get to start once, and the struggles you'll have - if you struggle with that antique violin it will be more meaningful for you, and perhaps for your family.

My personal violin has meaning. It's a violin that my grandfather bought for me from China when I was in high school, about 12 or 13 years old. It's the first full sized 4/4 violin I got after graduating from fractional violins. I stopped playing violin in high school when I got frustrated and wanted to play computer games all day. I left it alone and my brother inherited it and as kids we all had tempers. He smashed the violin such that the entire neck snapped, the soundpost fell out, and all 4 strings were in a bad shape, the bridge fell. My mother took it to a luthier for repair, but you could still see the scars, where the luthier glued everything together. The repairs were so extensive that the luthier put his own name inside the violin, next to the original label because by the time he was done it was as much the work of his workshop as it was the original Chinese workshop. My brother stopped playing and it gathered dust for a decade.

When I was 30 I had a bad breakup and got my mom to send over the violin. I got a local luthier to restring, and re-set up the violin - it took about $100 for them to check it over and to make sure everything was set - got new strings, a new case (that's not shabby and broken), and I intended to start learning.

It wasn't until last year - when my grandfather passed away - did I really start treating it seriously and started classes. Everytime I play it I remember my grandfather, and that memory makes it easier for me mentally to play, to practice, to push through the screeching and the bad tempos to make better music.

The violin itself is nothing spectacular. In fact, I'm actually saving for a new violin that hopefully sounds better. In about a year I think I can buy my new violin, but my grandpa's violin will always be the one I started, stopped, and restarted on. It's my musical home.

For you, you should get that antique violin checked out. Regardless of whether you want to learn on it or not, depending on how it was stored and maintained it might or might not be in playable shape. If it's playable, just use it and learn. Forget about surprising people - that's kinda bullshit - I call bullshit when I see it. The thought counts, but what counts even more is investing in yourself - invest in lessons, get your practice time in.

Hope I'm not being too harsh, and thanks for indulging me in telling my story.

I'll go practice some more tonight.