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Member

Hi folks
My son wants to play violin and I am looking to get one of the following for him. Not sure how long he is going to stick to it and if he does not then I may pick up violin at some point soon any ways. That is why I am planning to buy one.
Does any of the following sound reasonable for a beginner?
http://www.violinslover.com/ge.....ins4_4.php
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Specia.....2edd88a55f
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Specia.....487a707868
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gliga-.....#038;rt=nc
Thanks a bunch

None of those would hold interest to me. Paying $60 shipping is a ripoff. Buying from an individual gets you no warranty and no technical help. Buying online is iffy because it is the sound that you are looking for. You need a seller that will make it easy for you to return a violin that does not sound good to you.
At the top of this page is a link to "violin shop". That is where you will find the appropriate violin backed by honest, friendly and knowledgeable people. The journey you are on is an exciting one, have fun with it.

Regulars
I second MrYikes' opinion. Fiddlershop is great, check it out.
Skype: augustoad Email: augustoaguieiras@hotmail.com Phone number/whatsapp: +55 42 9861-4084. I'd be happy to talk anything fiddle-related to anyone! :)

Member

Thanks for all the replies. I am new to violins as you can see. I tried to read up on these and the yita and gliga had decent reviews and that's how I ended up with that list.
So none of the ones sound good to you folk. What about the fiddler man apprentice package. It seems fairly affordable as well as the concert one, both under 400. Are these manufactured by fiddler man or do they belong to some other brand?
I am not brand conscious and as long as the tool is good I don't mind.
Thanks

Honorary advisor
Regulars

sxk said
Thanks for all the replies. I am new to violins as you can see. I tried to read up on these and the yita and gliga had decent reviews and that's how I ended up with that list.
So none of the ones sound good to you folk. What about the fiddler man apprentice package. It seems fairly affordable as well as the concert one, both under 400. Are these manufactured by fiddler man or do they belong to some other brand?
I am not brand conscious and as long as the tool is good I don't mind.
Thanks
Someone else may be able to answer this better, but what I understand is that Fiddlerman is only a reseller. He doesn't build them. The Apprentice and Concert violins are made in China (like most instruments under $1,000).
However, Fiddlerman is also a violinist and not just a businessman. He has years of experience playing and knows what makes a good a violin and what doesn't. He has gone through dozens of different instrument makers and companies and has picked these particular models out because they impressed him whereas others did not.
One top of that, he will set up and adjust each instrument so you know that it is in the best possible condition when you receive it. Plus, he has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. And, he has review of these instruments online so you can see and hear what you will be getting:
Never mind maneuvers, just go straight at them.


micra said
oh yea, and by the way that Gliga Grottano? did anyone else cringe looking at all those shots of the violin resting on a pile of rocks?! gee whiz!
Good Lord, yes. I would definitely NOT purchase a violin from a seller who didn't know better than to set it face-down in the gravel to take pictures of it. No thank you.
As to the others, the 'GENIAL 1-Oil' Violin Outfit is from a real-live brick and mortar store based in Pasadena, California in the U.S., so if you live in the states, that might at least give you bit more confidence in purchasing it. A quick Google search turned up a handful of positive reviews of dealings with that store. Not a LOT, mind you, but I didn't see anything negative in my brief search.
The other two are from the same E bay seller, yitamusic. They seem to have a very high positive feedback rating (99.8 %) with only 2 pieces of negative feedback (and 11 neutral) out of 1548 over the last 12 months. That's pretty good, I must admit. On the downside, though, they are based in China, so if you have a problem with your purchase, you are most likely dependent on their good graces to sort it out for you.
One other niggle about yitamusic...their over-hyped advertisement copy raises some red flags for me. In particular, there's a bit about the brazilwood bow that comes with one of the violins that reads:
"Attention: this bow is not for beginners, it's quality is beyond your imagination, and it can be easily sold over 80usd in western violin shops)"
Um..."beyond my imagination"? Really? Oversell much? Besides, in a Western music shop, a violin bow with a price tag of only $80 would hardly be of a quality that is "beyond imagination". I am highly resistant to this kind of selling tactic. As soon as I hear stuff like that, I usually leave the store or close my web browser.
Also, there's this little bit of "fine print" at the bottom of the product page:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Soundpost may fall in posting."
"Buyer is responsible for install it if this happens."
"Bridge is sent unfitted to avoid damage in transit."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I concur with what others are saying: Fiddlerman is probably the *safest* bet. I went with a cheaper chinese violin myself (Mendini MV650) from Amazon, but that was purely because of my limited financial means. If I could have afforded it from the start, I would most definitely have purchased at least a Fiddlerman Concert Violin. I'd be a lot less nervous than I am right now, waiting until monday to hear from the luthier about what it will take to make my MV650 a respectable instrument. Who knows, I might be pleasantly surprised with what he has to say. But I'm pretty sure that if I'd been able to go with a Fiddlerman violin set, I'd be extremely happy with it and not have to be "surprised" to find myself so.
Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide on, and let us know, so we can share in the excitement!
EDIT FOR CLARITY: When I said I was waiting to hear what it will take to make my MV650 a "respectable instrument", I'm not insulting it (or at least wasn't intending to). To be honest, it looks beautiful to me, and I'm already in love with it even though I haven't played it yet! I just mean that it hasn't been checked out or set up, so it could need any number of adjustments (a new bridge, sound post adjustment, perhaps the nut needs filing down to improve the string action, etc., etc.). It might not need ANY of these things, but the point is that, by buying cheap like I did, I won't know until I hear back from the luthier.

Member

Thanks for the advice, I am seriously considering buying from the fiddlerman. 400 is more than what I wanted to spend but I think it makes sense to spend once rather than for repair and disappointments.
So before I bite and order, are there any decent student grade violinstent for under 250 usd?
I guess not considering the replies above.
Now I need to convince my son that the violin is for us both!
Thanks again for all the advice.

Member

One other niggle about yitamusic...their over-hyped advertisement copy raises some red flags for me. In particular, there's a bit about the brazilwood bow that comes with one of the violins that reads:
"Attention: this bow is not for beginners, it's quality is beyond your imagination, and it can be easily sold over 80usd in western violin shops)"
Um..."beyond my imagination"? Really? Oversell much? Besides, in a Western music shop, a violin bow with a price tag of only $80 would hardly be of a quality that is "beyond imagination". I am highly resistant to this kind of selling tactic. As soon as I hear stuff like that, I usually leave the store or close my web browser.
.
That was a fun read though

Member

Hi fiddlerman
My son is 12 and I to him to the local music store. They suggested full size. He has been showing interest for a while now so hopefully he will continue.
I am pondering between Cecilio cvn500, core academy 10 and the fm apprentice and fm concert. Obviously the price range is from 200 to 400. My question is for a 12 year old and possibly for me as a total newbie with no musical experience is it worth spending near 400 or should I stick to lower end.
Appreciate the knowledge and willingness of all here.
Thanks
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