toidi said
I am considering upgrading from my current Scherl & Roth model R102E4 beginner violin to an intermediate violin. I am not very knowledgable on the subject. My wife purchased my current violin in 2014 as a present to get me started. Now 4.5 years later I'm looking to move up. My teacher who took me on as an experiment, he has played for 60 years in not into buying and selling violins.. there aren't many violin stores in the area. Any Ideas? I assume Ill need to get a bow upgrade. Im not sure a set is a good idea or not.

  

You made longer than I did kuddos for youre patience in working with what you have.  I held off for a year or so and made the jump.  With the time you have on one instrument it would seem to me that subtle differences are going to stand out to you more between your instrument and others.  That fact, in my very limited experience, would tend to make me say make a trip to a shop or at least get several from say fiddlershop to try out.  Not saying someone with less time wouldn't be able to tell subtle differences..its just that from what Ive read on the forum most are somewhere between 6 months and a year when they upgrade.  Don't know if that makes any sense..I probably just stepped off in it. :/  Its all a thing you know best of course.  Maybe a bow upgrade alone would be something you could investigate?