HollyDay Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 Dd has started violin lessons as part of her music classes. She is currently using the violin her teacher loaned her temporarily. But, I will need to get her one. We only have 1 local shop and they are not helpful and expensive. Where can I order a good but not too expensive violin for a student? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 When my dd was taking violin and needed a bigger size, but we knew she'd grow out of it quickly, we looked on E-bay. There were lots of violins on there! We found a violin in her size for $19.99 plus $30 shipping :) Okay, whatever. But at any rate, it was a decent violin for her level and her age, and at $50 was pretty much a bargain! She used it less than 6 months before she outgrew it! But, we sold it at a yard sale for $50, so we weren't out anything for that 5-6 months of violin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 I'd try used violins. We're going shopping for one this summer and a used one will probably be our best bet. We bought a new but cheap one ($120) last fall when Catherine started lessons but it has been an absolute pain in the butt. The only way to really make it decent (as I've learned in research since) would probably be to take it to a local luthier to have it properly "set up", that is, get the pegs replaced with good quality ones, get a sturdy bridge, etc. By that time we might just as well have bought a good used instrument. Plan on spending at least $400-$500 bucks - the cheap really does come out expensive when looking for a violin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 It also depends on age and level. My dd was late 5, early 6ish when we got that violin. It actually had quite a decent sound, we never had trouble with it, and the teacher said it was a good one for dd, especially since we knew she'd need a larger one soon. When she did get to a larger size, we had a better one ready for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddhabelly Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 In our local school music program, a lot of the instruments are owned by the school and it is expected that the children will borrow them for a semester or whatever. Are you sure she has to give the loaner back? Now, if your daughter is planning on continuing with the instrument, her private teacher could help you select the violin. Just yesterday my son's teacher was grousing that one of his students bought a violin without consulting him and it is terrible. I wonder what you mean my expensive, and what size violin your daughter is using. In my opinion, a good violin would cost at least $400. But you can buy excellent ones for that price, and terrible ones at that price. So don't go by cost alone. Would your daughter's school music teacher be willing to go with you? We have to go to Portland, Oregon to buy ds violins. He recently began playing a 3/4 size. He is 10, but quite tall for his age. They have an excellent violin shop there (David Kerr), and they give us a variety of instruments to try and a variety of bows as well. We ended up bringing three bows back with us (to Alaska) so that my son's violin teacher could choose one. He spent 20 minutes choosing the bow, using all sorts of techniques. Now, I realize that my son is an advanced player and this is not (yet) your situtation. But if you get the wrong violin, she won't be able to get a beautiful tone even if she does everything right. And you get to listen to it every day at home while she practices! Take all this with a grain of salt. I've been working all day at the computer and am quite loopy. Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 It also depends on age and level. My dd was late 5, early 6ish when we got that violin. It actually had quite a decent sound, we never had trouble with it, and the teacher said it was a good one for dd, especially since we knew she'd need a larger one soon. When she did get to a larger size, we had a better one ready for her. That's true. After I wrote my post and then read yours that occurred to me. My daughter is 10, has a full-size violin and loves playing. If she had started a few years earlier and needed a smaller violin then I think your advice would have been best for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisN in NY Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 My dd's violin teacher recommends NEVER buying a violin via eBay. She teaches part-time in a public school (besides teaching one day a week at a Christian school, along with a few private students), and every violin that a student has brought in that came "from" eBay has been no good. Not one has been suitable. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisN in NY Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 I should add that sharmusic.com has a good variety of violins for all levels. I believe a beginning student package starts at $250. They offer "trial" programs as well, sending you up to 3 violins and up to 4 bows to try out. Check out their website http://www.sharmusic.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 My dd's violin teacher recommends NEVER buying a violin via eBay. She teaches part-time in a public school (besides teaching one day a week at a Christian school, along with a few private students), and every violin that a student has brought in that came "from" eBay has been no good. Not one has been suitable. HTH We have two mom's who teach music (violin, cello, viola) that started a group here called "Homeschool Strings". We talked to the teacher my kids were taking from and she okayed the purchase. When we got it, we were pleasantly surprised at how well it sounded, and never had a problem with it, ever. Other kids/parents from that same age group bracket, in between sizes, then did the same thing, and none of them had problems either. These were new violins that were made well enough to sound decent---not as full as the more expensive ones, but certainly very suitable! I wouldn't pay $400-$500 for 5-6 months of playing a good violin for a 5-6yo beginner! But I do agree with what was said above---if the kids are older, have taken lessons for awhile, have progressed well and are wanting to continue, then I wouldn't buy from ebay either! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissa123 Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 When my daughter outgrowns her violin, we "trade it in" for a larger one. A better violin is definitely worth the price (we had purchased an inexpensive violin in the beginning, and it was a mistake.) When you get a larger violin, it's more expensive, but it doesn't seem so bad, because you only pay the difference between the purchase price of the old violin and the new one. Just a thought... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohdanigirl Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 So do any of you know the names that we should avoid? I checked out that website and it looks very interesting. I plan on taking my ds in to get a violin in the next few weeks since we are currently in the US. It looks like ds8 wants to do Guitar though and we have to discuss it. It would be nice if all three do violin, so we can get more bang for our buck. Wishful thinking. Danielle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen the RD Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 My dd has been taking violin for 3 years and I have just bought her a violin. Prior to that, I rented one for about $15/month. DH and I wanted to be sure that she would stick with it, because violin is one of the most difficult instruments to learn to play. She has done that and she has gone through 3 violin sizes in 3 years! At age 11, she is now in a full size, so that was another reason to purchase. The man we purchased from offers great terms for buying plus he also offers trade-ups where you can get full value for another size or type of violin. If you're really serious about buying, don't buy cheap--expect to spend at least $400 for good quality. Trust me when I say that the quality makes a difference in your student's progress. If you can't afford to spend that much, then I highly recommend renting. Check out www.sharmusic.com. They sell violins and it seems to me they may offer rentals. The customer service via phone is excellent. HTH, Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara in WA Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Our violin teacher suggests Shar Music and Southwest Strings, both found on the internet. Often if you rent then you can apply that money toward a future purchase. I would rely on a teacher to help you figure out the right size. We have four kids and three of the four (the youngest is 3) all take violin. It is great to have them hand down the different violins. Maybe one day they can specialize, but for now everyone doing the same activity brings me some sanity. Happy playing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Often if you rent then you can apply that money toward a future purchase. This is exactly what we did -- we rented for the first six months to make sure DD6 (who was then 5) would stick with it, then at the end of 6 months we applied the rental money ($90) towards purchase (~$400). A year later she has moved up in size, so we traded the old one in for full value and got a larger one for about $30 more. I think most good music shops let you do that. Both of her violins have been excellent quality, with a beautiful tone. My DH bought a really cheap violin in England a few years ago and there is a huge difference in the quality of sound. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Dd has started violin lessons as part of her music classes. She is currently using the violin her teacher loaned her temporarily. But, I will need to get her one. We only have 1 local shop and they are not helpful and expensive. Where can I order a good but not too expensive violin for a student? Sam Ash and Musician's Friend have violins. I bought my daughter's violin at Sam Ash. It's really nice. They have free shipping and you can return it and get your money back if you don't like it. :) http://www.samash.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/search_-1_10052_10002_UTF-8___t%3A3%2F%2F%3Assl%2F%2Fsa+bundle+taxonomy%2F%2F%3ABand+%26+Orchestra%3AString+Instruments%3AViolins__DollarsSold%2F%2F0_-1_20__________0_-1__DrillDown___182427_ http://band-orchestra.musiciansfriend.com/stringed-instruments/violins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandmama Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 My dd's violin teacher also recommends Shar Music and Southwest Strings. Any good violin shop will offer trade ups. Also, if possible, I would avoid any outfit made in China. I would pay a bit more for one that is hand crafted. Your violin teacher should have a recommendation. Ours offered to meet us at the violin shop, which is an 1 1/2 hours away. I know for us, I let dd rent one until I knew for sure she wanted to stick with it... Same goes for any instrument in our house (except the piano). Oh, and I think the online shops may offer a payment plan too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choirfarm Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Hello everyone, My daughter started violin and there is a man down the street that buys and refurbishes violins. I think he is in his 80's now. We bought our first one in August for 200 dollars. It is a Cremora. She outgrew it by March and so we traded it in for the next size and he gave me 100 dollars in credit, so I only paid 100 dollars for it. He tends to give you about that much credit. I thought that was pretty good. That way I will only be paying around 100 for each new size. I figure I will spring for a really good one if she is still playing when she needs a full size one. Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 If you're in the Northeast, try Johnson Strings (near Boston). They have a good supply of rentals and apply the first year's rental payments to the purchase of a new instrument. Their sales people are top notch and know what they're doing. They supply instruments to schools, music schools, etc. as far away as New York City. Website address: http://www.johnsonstring.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loupelou Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 I agree with the above posts concerning the child's age and quality of the violin. At your daughter's age I would likely look for a quality used instrument or rental. We bought our daughter's first violin off of eBay and it was cheap! I then researched manufacturers before buying her a good used instrument, the difference in sound quality was incredible and it helped her to recognize that she was playing better. Here are a couple of good sites with some great information. Good luck!:) http://www.stringsmagazine.com/issues/strings96/coverstory.html http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/instruments/violin/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shasta Mom Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Don't buy - RENT! I've been through this starting with a 4 yo who is now 10. We started in a 1/10th then 1/8th then 1/4 then 1/2 and are now in a 3/4. Ifshins in Berkeley is good - you don't have to be onsite to rent. They ship everywhere and do it all the time. They are an excellent shop. I'm sure there are others.......seriously - children grow, and do it fast - it would be silly to buy. A lot of the cheap CHinese violins are awful - but they are beautiful to look at....don't get taken. Rent a quality instrument from a good shop...........BTDT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverfront Headmistress Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 We rent to own, with a trade-in policy, from New Cleveland Group. We've used the company for 3 years and have had no complaints; I currently have 3 violins and 1 cello -all great sounding instruments. New Cleveland Group uses Fed-ex to ship the instruments to your home. Whenever I need a new size, I call them, order a new one, and they send it before I have to send the old one back, just in case there is sizing issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violin69 Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 As a former violin teacher, I highly recommend trying and having her teacher check the instrument she gets. Bad violins waste lots of time and money. Ever minute spent on retuning and messing with a bad violin is time taken from lessons. Overall, Strunal violins are my personal favorite for beginning student violins but really it comes down to the individual violin. Many companies allow a trial period. Here are 2 websites, SHAR and Southwest Strings . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testimony Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 I would continue with the borrowed violin until your child grows out of it. My violin teacher said that we should not buy a violin until it was a full size or 3/4 size violin. She said that the smaller violins are harder to resell when you want to sell them. So, rent them or borrow until your child grows into a full or 3/4 violin since they are more marketable. Just a thought. Blessings in your journey! Sincerely, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisN in NY Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 We have two mom's who teach music (violin, cello, viola) that started a group here called "Homeschool Strings". We talked to the teacher my kids were taking from and she okayed the purchase. When we got it, we were pleasantly surprised at how well it sounded, and never had a problem with it, ever. Other kids/parents from that same age group bracket, in between sizes, then did the same thing, and none of them had problems either. These were new violins that were made well enough to sound decent---not as full as the more expensive ones, but certainly very suitable! I wouldn't pay $400-$500 for 5-6 months of playing a good violin for a 5-6yo beginner! But I do agree with what was said above---if the kids are older, have taken lessons for awhile, have progressed well and are wanting to continue, then I wouldn't buy from ebay either! :001_smile: Do you have a favorite seller on eBay? The $20-$50 instruments were the ones I was strongly warned against, but it seems to be working well for you. That's good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elw_miller Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 I got my daughter's violin (when she was 3) off eBay. However, I watched and watched until I found one being sold from a school music program. I had also heard about the terrible quality of most inexpensive violins. My daughter's violin teacher thought the 1/10 violin was excellent quality--much better than what she usually saw for that size. A local luthier was also impressed with the quality. So, if you can find one being sold by a music program, they should be pretty good. My daughter's cost $125, I think. A private seller for larger sizes should be pretty good, too. You might also look to the rent-to-own programs. A portion of your rental fee gets saved up towards purchasing an instrument. We'll be doing this for the cello. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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