Well, since you said all thoughts are welcome, never buy an instrument on-line unless you've had a chance to play it. Let me ask this, what are you going to be using the instrument for? Just for fun? With an ensemble? Violin makers who put time and effort in to make a good violin would not sell a violin that cheaply. If I were you, I would not buy it. I totally agree with your mother. It looks cheep. I'll bet you my life savings it plays and sounds very poor. But again, what will you use it for? If you're just fooling with it by yourself, then let me just emphasize again that that will be $80 worth of a cheaply made violin. Also, do you have a long neck? It had a lower chin rest, so if you have a long neck, your posture will be terrible. I know that's not what you were looking for, sorry.
Tell you what, that looks a hell of a lot like the one I have and mine cost around $60.. so, personally I wouldn't bother unless you're willing to pay out again for a better one after a while of playing, because it doesn't sound the best.
I want to buy this violin:....My mother won't let me because she says its "too cheap".
Now wait a minute. Are you proposing to buy it with your own money or with hers? If it's your mother's money and she's willing to spend more, I think you should let her. If it's your own money, I'd say, "This is what I can afford. If you want me to get something less 'cheap', are you willing to contribute to the fund?"
I really have no idea whether this violin is worth it (others might), but I do have some more or less related observations.
Buying stuff from the Internet is almost always a gamble. I bought a cheap bass guitar I'm perfectly happy with on the one hand and a cheap cello bow that turned out to be worthless on the other hand. I wanted the cello bow as a back-up, particularly so that I could practice while I had the good bow rehaired and generally just in case. I tried the bow once, loosened the hair and put it away, and when I got it out again I couldn't get the hair anywhere near sufficiently taut.
(I believe in patronizing music stores, by the way, but at the time I happened to be mad at the one I would normally go to for these sorts of things.)
Anyway, whatever you do, I'd very much like you to play some violin because you seem enthusiastic and it's a great instrument. I hope your mother feels the same way.
That IS a cheap violin. Its that simple about the quality. Any instrument you buy for $200 wont be great quality nor will it produce a wonderful sound, but if all you want to do is play and have fun then it might work for you. As you improve though, eventually you will possible want an upgrade thats higher quality with better sound, and might spend some more money on another violin. If you think that might ever be the case, it's probably best to follow your mom's advice and spend a little more money now then buying another instrument in a few years. If it were me, I know that would be the case.
Well, you said you want it for fun and nothing else. so no, I wouldn't buy a $600 violin just yet, but I wouldn't buy this one either. I know people who have bought musical instruments online, and it turned out to be horrid for them. And in any case, when I was starting, I went to a local music store and got a decent beginner's violin, case, bow, chinrest, with some rosin and a shoulder strap, for not a dime over $150. And I got to inspect it myself to see if it was right for me.
Okay, so I guess the gist of this message is; don't buy this, go to your local music store. It'll be less of a gamble, and probably higherquality AND cheaper too.
Well, you said you want it for fun and nothing else. so no, I wouldn't buy a $600 violin just yet, but I wouldn't buy this one either. I know people who have bought musical instruments online, and it turned out to be horrid for them. And in any case, when I was starting, I went to a local music store and got a decent beginner's violin, case, bow, chinrest, with some rosin and a shoulder strap, for not a dime over $150. And I got to inspect it myself to see if it was right for me.
Okay, so I guess the gist of this message is; don't buy this, go to your local music store. It'll be less of a gamble, and probably higherquality AND cheaper too.
!!!
GUESS WHAT!
MY MOM BOUGHT ME A VIOLIN FOR CHRISTMAS!!!
YEAH!
It's not this one, though.
It's a Yamaha!
AND I LOVE IT!
(even though I can't play it yet )