Best Violin Reviews

There are no two ways about it, learning to play a musical instrument well costs a lot of money. Many dabble as youngsters then give it up, mainly due to the cost involved. Lack of enthusiasm is another factor, but the ever increasing cost of lessons, instruments etc. certainly adds up. When you need to buy violin accessories such as a case or shoulder rest that adds to it even more, and before you know it you are shelling out a small fortune to try and help yourself, or a loved one, to achieve their full potential as a virtuoso of the violin.

The costs start totting up from the very beginning, as you have no choice but to buy violin lessons to be able to play properly. Forget the self-teach guides and DVD’s that claim to help you learn to play the violin, lessons are the only way to go. Another problem that can occur is when you discover that you have a real talent for the violin and that you need to find a better teacher or purchase a better instrument to reach your full potential. This has left many a parent in a quandary, but the majority are prepared to make major sacrifices to support and encourage their child’s development.

It’s a simple fact that everything you need to buy violin wise costs money, and if it came down to cash or talent, which way would you go. The top violinists invariably, in interviews, mention the sacrifices their parents made to help them accomplish their goals, and how they can never thank them enough. There is something very special about a violin, is has a unique sound like no other instrument, and despite the fact it had been modernised with electronic version, a bow being drawn across the strings of a tradition violin is one of the sweetest sounds you will ever hear.

Whether or not you are a virtuoso of the violin, there is one name that is synonymous with these musical instruments, that is the small town in Italy where Stradivari hailed from, and who first presented to the world a Cremona violin. Antonio Stradivari was born in Cremona in 1644 and, as far as anyone knows, remained there until his death in 1737.

He is rightly regarded as the master of violins due to his skills as a Luthier, and an original Cremona violin, which has been crafted by Stradivari, will sell for millions. The name Stradivarius is the Latin version of his name, and mention a Stradivarius violin to any musician and their eyes will light up. It is estimated that during his lifetime, Stradivari hand crafted between 1000 and 1500 stringed instruments, and that approximately 650 still exist. Among these, there are an estimated 500 violins whereabouts are known

They have also achieved renown in great works of fiction, the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, both owned and played a Cremona violin made by Stradivari in the series of books. A film called the ‘Red Violin’ was inspired by a Stradivarius violin, the Red Mendelssohn’ and have been mentioned in many songs over the years. One of the most recent nods to these majestic instruments in in the video game ‘Fallout 3’ where the players task is to retrieve a Stradivarius from a vault.

Cremona still produces quality instruments to this day, and while they may not have the famous Stradivarius name, owning a genuine Cremona violin is still an aspiration of many great musicians. These are top notch violins, and many are based on original designs from the great Stradivari, and there is a saying that as long as we have Cremona, we will have violins.

If you are a budding virtuoso on the violin, you will want the best instrument that money can buy. The price of a new, top quality violin can be an absolute fortune, so many take to browsing the classified ads in search of their perfect instrument. If you are very lucky, while you are browsing you many come across the magic words Stradivarius Violin for sale.

Seeing this will make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck and your hands go clammy. Take a deep breath and read the rest of the ad, and obviously the price. Finding a genuine Stradivarius violin for sale in the classifieds is, to say the least, rare. You are more than likely to discover that this is a copy and while that is all well and good and will no doubt be of good quality, it won’t be a patch on an original.

If you have several millions of pounds to spend on an instrument, and will only satisfied with the real thing, typing the words Stradivarius violin for sale into an internet search engine will bring up a plethora of results and you can sit and sort the wheat from the chaff. Many listed will be, again, copies, but also listed with be specialist dealers who have these much sought after violins to sell.

The difficulty with buying online is that you don’t get to try out the instrument first, and get a feel for it. Look for dealers that have premises where you can go and see the violin before handing over a large chunk of hard earned cash. You will be able to find a Stradivarius violin for sale, well a good copy anyway, it’s just a case of knowing where to look and being sensible, if a deal looks too good to be true then it probably is.

Whether you are a beginner or an expert violinist, at some time or another you will pay a visit to the violin shop. Whether you are looking for old, new, second hand or just to gaze at the ancient and priceless instruments which will invariably housed in a glass case, a violin shop is a place of calm serenity and that elusive element, magic.

There will also be other instruments to admire once you are in the violin shop, such as cellos, basses, violas and many others. You will also be able to buy sheet music, bows, shoulder rests, and anything else you need to improve your prowess as a musician. The shop will also repair, restore and restring instruments so it really is your one stop shop for anything you could possibly need.

Wherever you live in the UK, you shouldn’t have too far to travel should you need to take a trip to the violin shop. They can be found in most major towns and cities so its well worth having a look online to find the closest to you that also has a good reputation. Online shops are a good source for music, shoulder rests and the like but you need to try a violin and get the feel for it before you buy it, and for this a violin shop is essential.

If you are true lover of all things violin, you want to treat yourself and visit the violin shop of all violin shops, and take a trip to Cremona in Italy. The home of the legendary Antonio Stradivari, Cremona is the place to go if you want to know anything about violins. Synonymous with stringed instruments since the 17th century, just walking around the town there is evidence of the rich heritage it enjoys, and there are quality violins for sale at every turn.

Online shopping is the biggest revolution in shopping since the electronic till, and you can literally buy everything without stepping foot outside your front door, and get it delivered within a day or two. It started with groceries and clothes and quickly mushroomed until everything was available in just a few clicks. Even buying a violin online is now an option, with highly respected stores dragging themselves into the 21st century by opening their own website and selling online, giving their business a huge boost and reaching millions of potential customers.

Apart from instruments, you can buy anything you need to play your violin online. You can get your sheet music, a new bow, a case, shoulder rest, anything you need in fact. By checking out the various websites you will be astonished at what they carry, they will invariably cost less too as there aren’t the overheads like you have in a shop. Shopping online is a thoroughly relaxing experience, you can go off and make a cuppa and come back to it when you want to, and there is no battling your way around the crowded shops at the weekend.

If you aren’t in the market to buy anything, why not check out the music that is free to download for your violin online. If you want to put some classic violin playing onto your MP3 player, you can do this also. The internet opened up a whole new world, and musicians in particular have benefitted from the technological breakthrough that we now just accept as a part of life.

You can find out the latest on your favourite musicians, see where they are performing and purchase tickets, all within a few minutes. Why not join one of the forums and chat to other players of the violin online, new friends with the same interests are always welcome.

Learning to play a musical instrument is a costly business, especially if you are young and are learning to play an instrument that needs to grow with you, such as a violin. As with everything these days, violin prices vary wildly depending on age, quality, the type of wood used in the construction and many more factors besides. There are some good deals to be had, especially in the second hand market, but you should really only go down this route if you are an experienced violinist and can spot any problems with the violin before you hand over your cash.

The most popular place to but violins is from a violin dealer, or Luthier, these are professionals who can repair or make stringed instruments. Luthiers need to make a living too however, and it will be worth your while doing some research on violin prices before you go so you have a rough idea of what they should be charging. Never enter a shop and tell a Luthier your budget, many violins won’t have prices on them so take your time to browse and then when you find one you’re interested in ask them for their best price.

If this falls within your price range, all well and good, but it is always worth trying a bit of haggling. Don’t forget to ask them the history of the instrument and what wood is used; this is something you should always check out when researching violin prices.

Trying out the instrument is a no brainer; violinists will tell that even if they have the correct sized violin, they have to have a certain feel about them, and the ability to meld with their instrument so when they play the musician and the instrument become one. Try to stick to your budget where violin prices are concerned, but if you find a real gem that suits you to a tee, there are times that money just won’t come into it.

If you, or someone you are close to, are learning a musical instrument, you will already know that the costs involved are pretty hefty. If you are in this situation, walking past a music shop and seeing a sign declaring violin sale will have you skipping inside pretty sharpish to have a look around and see if you pick up some bargains. Invariably, as with all sales, the chances are that the things in the sale aren’t what you want, but there may still be some bargains you can pick up.

There will always be somebody somewhere having a sale, and if you are looking for anything violin related, typing the words violin sale into an internet search engine will bring up a plethora of results which you can browse through at your leisure. As there are many things apart from the instrument you will need, such as a case, shoulder rest, bow, sheet music etc. getting any of these in a sale will save you money, which in this day and age is more important than ever.

If you have a youngster learning the violin, you will sell as many instruments as you buy as they need new instruments as they grow. A successful violin sale depends on several factors, such as age, quality and condition. The latter is especially important as it’s very expensive to restore and repair violins and medium to serious damage will greatly affect what you can get for it.

Before you sell your violin, you should do your research so that you don’t under or over valuate the instrument, thus giving you a much better chance of selling it quickly. You then just need to decide if you want to go for a private violin sale, or sell it through a dealer. Remember that if you choose the latter, they will charge you a commission so you may end up with less than you wanted.

When it comes to playing an instrument, there are few as user friendly as a violin. This is due to the fact that there is a great array of violin sizes available and if you know how to measure one properly, you will always have the correct size for you. It is the length of your arms that determine what size violin you need, and they are available for everyone from tiny tot to adult.

Starting from the bottom, there are three violin sizes for youngsters in the 3-5 age group, 1/16, 1/10 and 1/8. These cover the arm lengths of 14-15 3/8 inches, 15 3/8-17 inches, and 17.1-17.5 inches respectively. This is the age that is generally considered the best to take up the violin, so it makes sense to ensure that you can get the perfect sized violin for your budding virtuoso.

The next in the range of violin sizes is the 1/4. Intended to be used by children aged 4-7, the arm length for this size is 17.6-20 inches. Children aged 6-10 with an arm length of 20-22 inches will need a ½ sized violin, while those aged 9-11 whose arms measure 22-23.5 inches will feel perfectly comfortable with the ¾ size.

The full size violin, or 4/4 is for violinists of approximately 9 years upwards, with an arm length of 23.5 plus. This is the largest of the violin sizes available and is the size all adult violinists use. By going to a reputable dealer, you can ensure that whoever is playing the instrument will be properly measured and given the correct sized violin for them. This clearly isn’t an issue if you are an adult, but it is vital that youngsters get the right size so they can progress with their learning and reach their full potential.

Whether you live with young children that need their naps, neighbours next door that do not enjoy fine music, or simply do not want to disturb anyone around you on a regular basis, the Yamaha SV-130 Concert Select Silent Electric Blue 4/4 Violin is an excellent choice when it comes to getting excellent sound that only you can hear. Through the headphones of the violin you will feel as if you are playing in a resonant hall, but to others only a whisper of acoustic sound will drift out when you are playing.

Suited perfectly for all levels of professionals, the Yamaha SV-130 Silent Electric Violin is great for allowing people to practice at any point. It is also easy to play immediately given the fact that it comes equipped with a ¼ inch output jack that makes it possible to plug the electric violin into any amplifier given this is the standard outlet size. In addition, the violin offers a high quality circuitry inside which makes it able to reduce its output without changing the quality of what you hear as the actual player of the violin. On days when you are more confident about your playing, simply pull out the headphones and you can easily radiate sound throughout the house via any standard amplifier.

While all this is enticing enough for most people to take a second look at the Yamaha SV-130 Silent Electric Violin, another reason that the electric violin is so desirable is due to the fact that it also can be mixed with a CD player or MP3 player simply by making use of the aux-in jack. This way you can play along with some of your favourite concertos or simply as a practice tool making the options you have when you pull your Yamaha violin out much wider than you may have thought when you first took a look at the slim, lightweight, electric blue sound machine.

The Yamaha SV-130 Silent Electric Violin provides violinists of all levels with the ability to practice confidently without disturbing others. Though the acoustic sound produced is barely a whisper, you will hear yourself in the rich, virtual environment of a resonant concert hall. The SV-130 allows players of any level to play or practice anytime. The SV-130 Silent Violin enables players of all levels to practice silently, anyplace and at anytime. With the inclusion of a 1/4 inch output jack, this instrument can be played through any standard amplifier, and the violin’s improved circuitry produces higher quality sound while reducing noise output. The SV-130 may also be used along with an MP3 or CD player through the aux-in jack, useful for practice or just to play along with your favorite tunes. The beautiful silent violin screams Yamaha quality!

Features at a glance:

• This Full Size Yamaha SV-130 Silent Electric Blue 4/4 Violin is easy to hold and play
• Controls include: Master Volume – Reverb Type Select – Aux In – Aux In Volume – In-Out Jacks – Headphone Out – Line In – Piezo Sensor
• Spruce Body – Maple Neck – Ebony Fingerboard – Ebony Pegs – Maple Aubert Bridge – Molded Plastic Side Body, Tailpiece
• The aux-In 1/8 inch jack with independent volume control allows connection of an MP3
• The Yamaha SV-130 Silent Electric Blue 4/4 Violin is simple one of the most versatile violins ever made.

What people on Amazon had to say:

eViolin: Highly recommended. I’m an experienced violin player (I have several decades of experience playing this instrument) and this violin plays, sounds and feels just like a regular acoustic violin. I use it a lot to practice at night so nobody hears me, it’s IDEAL!
Also important: the strings and bridge are regular components. So you can go to any violin shop to replace them should you need to do so at one point.

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L. Baughman: This violin is used by a professional violinist I know and she loves it – can highly recommend the make and model. But the price is not usually $995 at other sources. Regular price here is a huge mark-up, so the “sale” of $695 is actually just the regular price.

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Monika Tahiri: What should i say about this item more than “i am happy to receive this treasure of tecnologie in my hands”. The sound is clear,and it has all the qualities of an accustic violin, it sounds very good in live performances and from the begining it gave me the comfort, like i used this violin for years, it became mine from the very begining. Im stronger and more comfortable now in my performances.

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When a young child announces they want to start to play a musical instrument such as the violin it can be hard to embrace their vision, especially if you have a child that switches interests on a regular basis. A fine musical instrument is not a cheap investment, which is why some parents drag their feet deciding if their child is truly interested in the violin or not. However, if you explore the musical market a bit more you will stumble onto the Vinci 4/4 Size Student Violin which is an affordable option for students designed to introduce them to the musical instrument to see how long their interest lasts.

While the violin is not designed to produce the high quality sounds that a Yamaha will, to a non-professional musician the device will most likely sound the same as it is able to produce a suitable acoustic sound that makes it well worth the time to learn. If after a few years with the Vinci 4/4 Size Student Violin your student decides they enjoy playing the violin, you can invest in a higher model. Given the affordable price, the Vinci violin is often considered a stepping stone instrument and is a great tool to introduce your child to the fun of playing a stringed instrument.

Made of solid hardwood with a laminated finish to protect the violin from scratches or any damage it may receive at the hands of a young student, when you order the Vinci 4/4 Size Student Violin you also get a carrying case that offers both a shoulder strap and handle for easy transportation and protection. In addition, the violin also comes with a bow and rosin allowing for a student to immediately start playing it once you receive it. While you will not get the professional finish that your student may desire, when you purchase the Vinci 4/4 Size Student Violin you will get a suitable learning tool that will help decide just how serious your child is before you make a serious investment.

Features at a glance:

• Includes: bow, bow rosin, deluxe carrying case w/handle and shoulder strap
• Laminated top, hardwood back and sides, poly coated, steel strings – includes: bow, bow rosin, deluxe carrying case w/handle and shoulder strap

What people on Amazon had to say:

Vocaloid: Very nice violin. First musical instrument brought from Amazon. Violin works fine, all string are in place and violin is in new condition. Excellent for the price, only piece that was missing is the cleaning cloth. Shipping Box that it came in was long and slightly bent near the bottom (possibly due to delivery?) Violin case is in perfect condition. Will buy again for replacement if needed.

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Toni Moore: My daughter needed a second violin to leave at school. This violin came unassembled; however her teacher was able to assemble it. The markings are present to align the violin strings, some violins do not have this and it costs a lot of money to have this process done. It plays very well; my daughter is in honors orchestra A very good purchase.

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Ted e Bear: Looks great. Great sound quality and material. Has It is a great buy for a beginner and if you want to learn the violin.

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