Tips For Buying A New Violin?
How do I know what size I need? And what is a good violin for a beginner? Someone bought me one for Christmas a few years ago, but it is SO cheap, that I can’t at all get it to tune without breaking a string. I am now looking for one that is good enough quality for a beginner, but not so expensive that if I end up hating to play that I waste a bunch of money (plus I am a poor college student).
February 8th, 2010 at 7:21 pm
ask your music teacher. i named my flute francis
you should buy one on ebay. me & my friend abuse francis & eugena are flutes hehe
February 8th, 2010 at 11:59 pm
See:http://beststudentviolins.com/violins.ht…
February 9th, 2010 at 1:40 am
well, if youre in college, & of the normal stature, you would be playing a full by now.
umm. i have a franz werner, but thats a little pricey, maybe a klaus mueller? idk if thats good quality, ive only seen them in the catalog i get.
February 9th, 2010 at 6:26 am
First of all you need to be measured to see what size violin you need. My daughter is 5′6″ & uses a 17 inch viola & it is almost too big for her…You should be able to curl your fingers around the scroll as you hold the instrument at your chin/neck. Second, if you have an instrument that the strings are breaking on the problem is the strings, not the instrument itself. For a beginner you shouldn’t invest lots of $$’s , either get the one you have re-strung or rent one from a music store near you. (In our area a violin rental is about $40 a month). Good music stores will apply your rental fees towards the purchase of a new instrument if you keep the instrument for a year or more. I found very good instruments on ebay for great prices….good luck!!
February 9th, 2010 at 8:01 am
Violins: (fully set up, but without case & bow)
* Entry level student, US$300-$600
* Intermediate student, US$600-$1500
* Advanced student, US$1500-3500
Above this level are semi-professional & professional instruments. Once instruments reach & exceed about US$10,000 or $15,000 & more, the value is largely influenced by collector value, which are often a good investment for the musician, as they do appreciate with time. In other words, from that level & above, the increments of performance are very small considering the large increases in price. A musician may choose a more expensive instrument than what we have recommended above; a beginning student is not limited to a violin in the lower end. On the contrary, a serious student is encouraged to purchase the finest instrument that they can comfortably afford, as it will give them a lot of room to grow.
Recommended sizes for choosing a small size violin, measured from the students neck to palm of their extended left hand.
Adults use 4/4 size.
3/4 size: 56 cm/22 inches
1/2 size: 50 cm/20 inches
1/4 size: 47 cm/18 1/2″
1/8 size: 42 cm/16 1/2 inches
1/16 size: 35.5 cm/14 inches
Hope this helps