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Hi guys, my name is Leon (Almost 25 yo). I'm from México and the options in the city where i live are very limited if none hahaha, I'll tell you a little bit of my history with violin.
I started playing violin when i was around 16-17 yo and I could make some achievements and also learned to read partitures. Sadly because of my carrer and other circumstances I stopped learning violin and it was difficult for me to keep on practicing so the little things I accomplished now are gone cause as it is said "The practice makes the master", but I have always wanted to learn so now I'm in a stage of my life that I can allow myself to re-take violin lessons, so here I am looking for your help.
Nowadays I own a very cheap chinese violin that I bought over those days when i was younger it was around $60 dlls but I have found that is very difficult to tune it (I use a e-tuner) and that frustrates me a lot.
So now I have the chance to get a better violin to begin the learning path.
My options are:
-Fiddlerman Concert
-Yamaha V3SKA
If it is useful in anyway I really like the sound of Guarneri's.
Maybe you can recommend some strings or bow to get this sound in these violin cause I know they are far far away from Guarneri's sound but maybe I can get something alike changing the strings xD
Hope you can help me and also to learn more from you guys and this wonderful forum I just found.
Thanks in advance!!
Regulars
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@LeonUberElite welcome to the Fiddlerman forums. This is really the most friendly place I've found to learn and improve violin/fiddle skills. There are a lot of people that are willing to help us beginners (although you've got an earlier start than a lot of us).
I'm not familiar with the FM violins or the other brand, but if you send Fiddlerman a PM I'm sure he can help. You get great support from them.
Bob in Lone Oak, Texas
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Thanks @bob. Yes I've been exploring the forum and is really helpful! I really like this, hopefully a lot of people can see this post and maybe based on their experience can recommend me the best violin. 
Regulars
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LeonUberElite,
Welcome to the forum and learning the fiddle,
One thing to think about is Fiddlershop takes trade ins allowing you to upgrade in the future if you want to, I have delt with them and there good ppl to work with and stand behind there products, having one's fiddle set of up to an optimum standard set up is a huge benifit in playability and enjoyment of learning and playing. Good luck with your decision.
Mark
Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.
Albert Sammons
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Thank you @Mark, I love there are such polite ppl here
.
The trade point you mention about trading is very interesting but I wonder how difficult or expensive it will be for someone like me living out of the States. Maybe someone who has been in a situation like this has done a trade with success!
Or maybe I just have to wait and save more money and go directly for a Master or Soloist or even further with a Ole Bull or Ming Jiang Zhu 905 or a Scot Cao and never look back!
But maybe I'm precipitating and should enjoy my learning curve/path and evolve my instrument with my skills?
Regulars
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LeonUberElite, thats a question only you can answer, if you want to continue to learn on your current fiddle and wait till you have saved up enough to get Soloist, Ole bull or fill in the blank fiddle then start saving, however if you having difficulties with your current fiddle, I went back and listened to several recordings of concert fiddles and they sound good to me. Perrie is a wizard with the bow and violin, but it shows the potential they have.
Good luck on your decision.
Mark
Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.
Albert Sammons
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Welcome to the forum @LeonUberElite !
You say
But maybe I'm precipitating and should enjoy my learning curve/path and evolve my instrument with my skills?
Well, yes, there are two sides to this. On a very "cheap" violin it is quite likely that little attention, if any, has been paid to its overall setup - nut height, bridge shape/curvature, fingerboard contouring - all of which (and other things) will have an impact on playability and how well you can progress. Of course I am not saying that you cannot get benefits from such an instrument you can certainly still work on intonation and scale exercises and so on.
However - at what I would call an "intermediate price point", I would go with what @Mark said -
I went back and listened to several recordings of concert fiddles and they sound good to me. Perrie is a wizard with the bow and violin, but it shows the potential they have.
I believe Mark is referring to the FiddlerMan Concert violin. I too own a Concert to overcome the issues I was having with a cheap 1980's Chinese fiddle (which is (I still have it, restrung as a viola!) NOTHING like the fine fiddles that come out of Chinese workshops nowadays I might add). The point I'm making is that FiddlerShop perform a detailed inspection and professional set-up on all the instruments they ship - whichever instrument you choose, it will be playable "out-the-box". As regards the FM Concert - I loved it, and I sort of expected I might, if I continued my "journey into fiddle playing", upgrade in maybe 5 years time. As it happens, I play a lot, and after two years, although these was nothing in particular wrong with the Concert - ( which I also still have ) - I decided to upgrade to a MJZ 905 - it's a nice step up in its overall responsiveness and tonal quality. At my level, or any level I might hope to attain in the future, I'm pretty certain I won't ever need, or want to upgrade again.
I would definitely set your "price-point" initially at something classed as a "good intermediate player's instrument" ( even if you ARE a beginner/re-starter ) - the benefits are many in terms of playability. Have that in your mind, and use the FiddlerShop chat window to speak to Mike or Alex or indeed Pierre. They're all really helpful, will listen to and understand your requirements, and there will be no pressure ! 
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
Regulars
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Hello @LeonUberElite I’m just a beginner so I can’t help you with your question, but welcome to the forum. I learned and still learn a lot here ? And I read a lot of positive reactions about the fiddlershop! Good luck and lots of fun ?
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about dancing in the rain!!
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Mark said
LeonUberElite, thats a question only you can answer, if you want to continue to learn on your current fiddle and wait till you have saved up enough to get Soloist, Ole bull or fill in the blank fiddle then start saving, however if you having difficulties with your current fiddle, I went back and listened to several recordings of concert fiddles and they sound good to me. Perrie is a wizard with the bow and violin, but it shows the potential they have.Good luck on your decision.
Mark
I think you are right, at the end is a personal matter but I'm looking for some orientation and due to your replies I've decided to start with an intermediate violin so I think I'll go with the Concert because I've read the Yamaha model I saw is very basic and I feel worried about getting an instrument just like the one I already own. 
But I would really like to read the experience from someone who has own the Yamaha.
So yes, I will enjoy my journey and in the future make a good choice for a better violin (and also have time to save some bucks :P)
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Well, yes, there are two sides to this. On a very "cheap" violin it is quite likely that little attention, if any, has been paid to its overall setup - nut height, bridge shape/curvature, fingerboard contouring - all of which (and other things) will have an impact on playability and how well you can progress.
This is exactly what I want to avoid and I have a worry about it with the Yamaha model cause is an entry level violin.
I decided to upgrade to a MJZ 905 - it's a nice step up in its overall responsiveness and tonal quality. At my level, or any level I might hope to attain in the future, I'm pretty certain I won't ever need, or want to upgrade again.
I've read a lot of good things about the MJZ and the Holstein violins, I would really like to afford any of these violins and never think about upgrade! Hahaha but I will save money and one day 
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mookje said
Hello @LeonUberElite I’m just a beginner so I can’t help you with your question, but welcome to the forum. I learned and still learn a lot here ? And I read a lot of positive reactions about the fiddlershop! Good luck and lots of fun ?
Thanks @mookje I knooow!! Is a very very nice forum. I'm in love hahaha
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Leon, the MJZ instruments, as well as the Holstein, are outstanding. We sell a heck of a lot of MJZ violins and get great phrase from their owners. You just let us know when you are ready and I'll help you the best I can.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Fiddlerman said
Leon, the MJZ instruments, as well as the Holstein, are outstanding. We sell a heck of a lot of MJZ violins and get great phrase from their owners. You just let us know when you are ready and I'll help you the best I can.
Ohh Mr. @Fiddlerman, you are like a celebrity in this violin world. I think I will go with the concert but if you have the chance to play both violins (Concert and Yamaha) that will be very nice 
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Leon, you are not asking too much. I'll be happy to play both. In my opinion the Yamaha AV5 isn't on the same level as the Fiddlerman Concert Violin but I'll be happy to show you.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Fiddlerman said
Leon, you are not asking too much. I'll be happy to play both. In my opinion the Yamaha AV5 isn't on the same level as the Fiddlerman Concert Violin but I'll be happy to show you.
Well in fact I'm interested on Yamaha V3SKA cause the V5 for a reason I don't understand is not for sale over here :s
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