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Hey all,

Total noob here.  All I know is you tube and musescore.  Played horn in high school.

Started out with the mv300.  Honestly, this is the best $45 I think you can spend.  I may have gotten a better one than others, but it sounds "fair" and takes work to play it, but it does play.  (And had I hated the violin I was only out the cost of a dinner out, could donate the violin to a school).

The fit and finishe are horrible, and it took 2 months for it to hold tune.  But it did "play in" a bit so that now 3 months in it is not too shabby.

Just got the mv500.  (Used on ebay for $75 shipped).

As much as I hate to say it, not the same value as the mv300.  Yes, it does sound better, and is easier to play.  But its not 3 times the violin as the cheaper one ($45 vs $145 or so new).  Does come with a tuner and extra bow.  But a tuner is like $5, and 2 only fair bows are as a good as 1 fair bow.

In its defense, the mv500 I have is beautiful, I do love looking at it.  A lot!

So, if I were doing it over again:

Buy the Mv200.  Value wise nothing is close.  If you find you like it, get some better strings for it.  Then save all your $$ for a fiddlerman apprentice, as from all my research that is the next step up, and the value is there too.

Hopefully pics and a video/sound file to come.