Hi, I'm Melissa, I wanted to play the violin since I was young.  This past September my oldest daughter started viola for elementary school orchestra, so I gave her rental a try and realized it wasn't so hard to squeak out a few notes.  I became obsessed with learning to play the violin and decided that it was worth $65 to try out a Mendini violin and if I didn't stick with it, no big loss. 

Turns out I instantly fell in love with it.  After a week I switched to better strings and after a month or 2 I got the Fiddlerman carbon fiber bow (wow, night and day difference, so that's what a bow should feel like?!).  The more I played, the more I loved it and realized this junky instrument wouldn't let me truly enjoy myself.

I decided I would save up and next Christmas buy myself a Fiddlerman Concert.  While watching youtube videos and reading reviews I saw that the Cecilio 600 and 700 were pretty good choices too, and when I went to look them up on Amazon, there was an open box CVN 700 for $200.  There was only one in stock, and knowing how great their return poilcy is I decided to take the risk.

My CVN 700 arrived yesterday... the sound post was in place and everything looked pristine.  I don't really know why it was returned, I just know I have a pretty decent violin for $200!  I immediately switched out the included Red Label strings for my Pirastro Tonicas I'd been using and am so pleased with the improvement over the Mendini.  I'm still toying with the idea of better strings and also considering taking it in for a sound post adjustment to make sure it's living up to its potential, though I'm not sure if I should break it in first to see how the sound will change or get the adjustment done ASAP.

I've really enjoyed the Fiddlerman videos, forums, etc. and playing just for the pure enjoyment of playing.  And one of these days I'm going to get past the first 5 bars of Fiddlerman's double stop Amazing Grace!