I'm a beginner at the violin, I'm getting classes soon but I need to find a violin. I heard people say you can ask your teacher but I still want to know what to look for to know whether your getting a good violin?

Hi! Well, I don't know (nearly) anything about violins. But if You are really starting now, the best option is maybe to rent one from Your music school if possible. In the first few Years even if You havea Stradivari, You won't play as the professionals :-) Probably it is worth spending that big amount of money later, when You have a better knowledge about all this.

(Well, this is only an option to consider of course. I did actually quite the opposite with cello. but I had my reasons.)

At the price you would wish to pay, check all the bits are there, the pegs turn and stay put, check the action (height of strings above the fingerboard). Try and get decent strings, if for no other reason than they are kinder to your fingers. If possible, try and buy from a violin shop then you shold not need to worry to much. Do not under any circumstance buy from a sale at "MegaLowMart". A usable instrument can be had for 100 quid (and bucks presumably). Then start saving for a proper one. It will probably take at least 2 years before you are in a position to care.

Hope that helps

Thanks, I'm probably going to rent from the school if they rent instruments. I've been saving for a violin and have a decent amount of money but i'm just going to save more for right now. I just didn't want to buy a violin that would break or sounded scratchy no matter how you play it (cause i've heard that happens to some people)

If I can add my opinion into this too

I've played violin since I was 5 years old. I'm 30 years old now, and have made a career in the musical instrument industry.

You have a couple of options for getting into the violin. Of course there is the rental option. You can go to a local music store and inquire about renting an instrument for either a short period of time or on a rent-to-own program. Typically the rental option will get you a little better than the bottom-of-the-line violins you see typically all over Ebay, but not always. Renting your instrument is a good option if you are unsure if you will continue with this instrument. However if you continue with the instrument long term, a rent-to-own will typical have you paying a lot more for the instrument than you could've buying it outright.

Your second option would be to visit a store that sells instruments outright for a considerable savings off of the average Suggested Listed Price. Most manufacturers will sell to a store and give them their "listed price" being the highest price they feel a store should sell this instrument for. Most rent-to-own programs will charge you the listed price + interest fees. Buying outright you typically will get the instrument anywhere from 20-50% off the listed price. Even going this route if you only keep the instrument for 1 year and give up, most likely selling it on your own will get you about where you would've been doing a rental, but if you stick with it you will have saved a significant amount of money.


I know this is a lot to read, but I do this for a living and am very passionate about violins

As far as a "good" violin to start with. Expect to spend between 300-500 for your first violin. A lot of times those violins can last you until you decide to make a more professional career out of the instrument. I'd also say not to be as concerned where the instrument is made nowadays, since even most European and American made violins are actually crafted in China to begin with. As long as a manufacturer can prove they put 40% of the crafting into the instrument, they can say it was made in their country.

I would recommend looking at one of these manufacturers for a violin:
Yamaha AV-5 or AV-7
Johannes Kohr K500 or K515
Samuel Eastman Model 100

I've found these instruments to be very consistant in quality from one to another which is good for a beginner. My personal favorite of these being the Yamaha's which you can purchase for $400 and $600 depending on the store you to go.

Shop around! Everybody wants the best deal possible. Even if you fall in love with a violin at one shop, still see what you can get that same product for from another store. Stores that offer low price gaurantees will typically beat any competitors pricing and save you money!