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Hey all,
A while ago I posted a topic asking about electric violins (don't got bother looking for it as it is quite old) and I am finally getting around to making a selection. I was wondering if anybody had any feedback concerning either of the following electric violins: the NS Design WAV-5 or the Fender FV-3.
Right now I am leaning towards the NS Design WAV-5 as it has five strings which I really want to try as for my entire time playing I have only used a regular four string acoustic. Not only this but it also looks like from the pictures I have seen is that the chinrest either is on the center or can be adjusted to lie there which would be a huge plus for me as I modified my acoustic violin a long time ago to use a center-mounted chinrest which was highly beneficial for my wacky playing position. I tried to see if Fender makes a five-string version but as of yet I have been unable to find one. Additionally, the NS Design WAV-5 package I am looking at comes with a hard case which will be handy and as an odd plus side, it doesn't come with a bow. That to me is actually a good thing as I already have a very good bow and it is a guarantee that the bow I already use will be leagues better than whatever basic bow the violin would otherwise come with.
My main concern with these two violins is the actual quality and construction of the instrument. I have bought a guitar recently and generally you can get an acceptably good guitar for seven hundred dollars whereas the crappy ones go for around two-hundred. With the ultra-niche market of electric violins it seems that just to get in you need to drop at least seven-hundred and you are not guaranteed to get anything good until you drop two grand from what I have read. I am quite spoiled by my acoustic, a beautiful bird's-eye maple violin constructed by Anthony Wrona, and I am wondering how much of a buzzkill it is going to be to play on something that I have read has a rough fingerboard and loose tuning. Do any of you have an "entry-level" NS Design/Fender/etc. of any kind? Can you allay my fears concerning the quality of the instrument?
Are there any other companies that manufacture electric violins that I should consider? I suppose if I really had to I could spend more on a "good" electric violin but right now this is more of an experiment for me and if the experiment fails I'd rather be out seven-hundred than two-thousand.
Thanks!
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Hi Aether, several months ago I did a crap-load of research before I bought my EV; I looked at virtually everything on the market, including the NS WAV and Fender.
I finally decided on the NS NXT; it is a DREAM to play; can't imagine a better choice. The WAV is lacking a few features of the NXT but still a great product and sounds really nice; the Fender, for me, was a bit weak; just not the same quality feel.
Funny thing is, at NAMM this past Friday I made a point of playing the Wood Viper which is a fretted 7 string. I wanted to play this before making my decision on the NXT, but I couldn't get my hands on one in a timely manner.
I am SOOOO glad I didn't get the fretted Viper! Anyway, NS is a great choice in my opinion.
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I had an ns wav-5 here for a few weeks before I bought an rv-5.
The wav-5 was more than satisfactory for me and I only returned it because of a defective internal connection (it crackled an popped because of an intermittent) and I would have just taken another wav-5 because
- I liked the tone
- it played well
The only thing I did not like about the wav was the shoulder rest and the replacement for it is known to fix the problem (for another $65).
After playing the rv-5 for a couple of weeks (it's about twice the price), I decided to stick with it, partly because of the unamplified sound.
I'm going to get a wv or nxt the next time I buy a violin.
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richyankee said
After playing the rv-5 for a couple of weeks (it's about twice the price), I decided to stick with it, partly because of the unamplified sound.
I'm going to get a wv or nxt the next time I buy a violin.
Could you describe the difference between the tone of the acoustic electric and the purely electric? Currently I am leaning fully electric as I already have a very nice acoustic and I don't really need another acoustic in any way, shape, or form, but I am open to suggestions. I have read that the acoustic electric is good for traditional/folk music, but besides Bach concertos and very long etudes by obscure eastern European composers I am not too into traditional/folk. I have read that the fully electric is better if you are going for more of a rock sound which would be what I would be trying to accomplish, but surely the sound of an acoustic electric can be messed with with various pieces of equipment as the fully electric can, right?
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The reason I went solid-body EV is two-fold,,, I wanted a violin that I could practice anytime, anywhere without bothering anyone; you can't do that with an acoustic electric. Secondly, if I wanted the qualities of an acoustic electric, it's very easy to attach a pickup to any of my acoustics. It was a very easy decision between solid v. acoustic, for me.
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Fred is right but there is no comparison in sound between a solid body and an acoustic body EV. The acoustic body will almost always sound better. It all depends on what you need it for.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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