I'm looking to buy a violin. My price range is up to $300. Any recommendations?

Question

I played the violin for years but I have always rented the instrument and now I'd like to purchase one. Money is pretty tight and ideally I'd spend $200 but I'm trying to get at least half way decent instrument.
Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Does the place where you rented for years allow you to apply a percentage of the $ paid in rent towards a new instrument? The cheapest, most decent sounding instrument I have ever come across is a Yan Qin. They have it at Southwest Strings for five hundred something. I agree with the people above me. Unless you want a real piece of junk, you will have to find a good deal from a friend of a friend. Stay away from ebay! I have had students come in with ebay instruments and they are terrible! The pegs don't stick and they sound like strings attached to a 2x4.
Why don't you check out craigslist.com? Maybe you'll come across some poor person that is selling a good instrument for less than it's worth because they dont' know any better. I found a fixer-upper grand piano on there for $50.00

Answer 2

Yeah. Used. Most likely broken.

If you're serious about playing violin, a good violin can cost thousands of dollars. Start saving. For the meantime, if you're in school, I'm sure there are school instruments you can check out to use while you are saving money so you can keep the money you would spend on renting the instrument. If you have special needs, there are funds out there to help you get a good instrument. And special needs can be a lot of things, so look into it.

Answer 3

inexpensive violins are no longer sturdy violins by skill of any skill. once you're a newbie you may want to coach to spend approximately $a hundred thirty-2 hundred. of direction, sizes do be counted and the cost does exchange too. i be attentive to this via fact i'm a nicely experienced first chair violinist at school point. do no longer settle for a whole sized violin it is $50! The violin is going to grant a sharp, steel sound. you're no longer likely to need a violin of intense high quality only one which suits good and isn't any longer poorly made. inspect your community strings keep and examine in inclusive of your instructor in case you have one. do no longer use Ebay! you don't be attentive to what the tool sounds like and how sturdy the violin is. photos are deceiving. in case you like, use Craigslist for the reason that way you may circulate to the owner's residing house and take a inspect the violin out. ensure you examine the violin for cracks, injury, or something that looks suspicious.

Answer 4

Find a shop that stocks a range of instruments, and try them. Since you're already a player, your search will be much easier than if you were just starting (or a parent buying a violin for a child). I hear that some Romanian instruments (the Gliga line, for instance) are pretty good and reasonably priced. Play some of the music you know you play BEST as you try them. Then follow your heart.

Answer 5

If you have an Andersons or Wilsons Fine Violins near you, then try checking them out. Or Target or Walmart have some cheap ones, but they arent that good.. or as so ive heard.

Answer 6

www.stringworks.com

They sell very good, handmade instruments. I have a violin from there; my teacher (who used to be concertmistress of a major symphony) said it was worth several times it's price. They have a two week trial period as well, so you can't go wrong.

Answer 7

You might want to look at the Cremona's at:

http://beststudentviolins.com/violins.html

Answer 8

Start saving 'cos you're not going to get anything decent for that sort of money..........