Someone I know just got some good news and I was wanting to buy him a gift to celebrate. He doesn’t have a lot of money, but has mentioned wanting to play the violin in the past but not being able to afford one.
I know nothing of the instrument, but looked online. The dirt cheapest ones start at about $25. However the reviews are either non-existent or negative.
The ones that are closer to $50-60 tend to have better reviews.
I thought about asking this on a different forum devoted to violins, but figured I’d get a bunch of responses like ‘unless you are spending at least $500, it will sound like shit’, and I really don’t care about buying the best one on the market for a wide range of reasons. People who get too into a hobby usually only want the best of the best, and I’m wondering if the person I buy this for would even use it. I just want one that works, as cheap as possible.
So I guess my question is, are the $25 violins worth anything or is it best to avoid them and go straight to the $50-60 models?
I checked craigslist for a used one, couldn’t find one.
Violins I know very little; my nephew/godson is the family expert on those. But I see a couple nicer looking off-brand ones on Amazon in the $50 range.
Now trumpets, on the other hand, I do know and the off-brand cheapie Amazon sells impressed me quite a bit.
I got to play around with one this weekend and for less than half the cost, it is every bit as good in sound and function as the standard Bundy/Name-brand student horns.
I’m going to say go ahead and get the $25 one, if $50 is too much of a stretch.
I’m guessing your friend is an adult, and has never played the violin, or at least not since elementary school music.
For at least a year, he won’t be playing notes as much as random scratching noises on strings. He wouldn’t sound any better on a Stradivarius. The $50 model probably has better strings, rather than being better wood.
But I’d make it clear that it’s a starter model. “Here’s a little token to help you get started. I hope you outgrow it soon.”
I saw this video the other day. I say go for the $50 one, that doesn’t sound expensive to me, and if the reviews are good, then definitely worth a try.
Buying a violin for $25 or $50 is bound to get you a cheap piece of garbage that will produce such crappy sound that an aspiring violinist would give up in disgust.
Better to find a music store (or professional violinist) that could advise you on purchasing a decent used instrument.
As someone who has played several instruments over my life and who also used to be married to a professional music teacher - if you buy rock bottom you get shit.
That doesn’t mean you need to shell out a fortune for a beginner’s instrument. It does mean you have to spend more than $25.
Jackmanii has it right - go to a music store and ask for help selecting an appropriate used instrument for a beginner.
Not to say this is bad advice, but in my opinion (as a reasonable amateur 'cellist) any violin (or other almost any instrument) will sound crappy for at least the first few months of lessons (assuming the player actually takes some). If the intended recipient of your kind and thoughtful gift is not a classical music aficionado, I suggest they will be unlikely to be able to differentiate between the sound they can produce from a $25 violin and same from a $2,500 violin. Having said that, if you can stretch to something that is a bit better than the very cheapest available, that is probably worthwhile.
How strong is his desire to actually learn to play the instrument? Does he really want a violin or just thinks it sounds cool? I have a friend who talked for years about playing the piano and when finally was able to acquire one found she didn’t like it as much as the thought. So now she has a piano taking up space in her living room.
My suggestion is to look into renting a violin for a few months to see how it goes. Rentals are from $10-15/month. Maybe your gift can be the experience of introducing him to playing and if all goes well he might then be able to find a way to continue.
last christmas we had the same dilemma… we picked the 50 dollar one and it was used maybe 3 or 4 times before it went under the bed … grandma who wanted to buy the best she could find …then admitted she was glad she didn’t
True, but a better instrument will being to sound better as the player improves. I remember being mightily frustrated with my first clarinet - it was plastic (excuse me, “resonite”), and no amount of practice or reed preparation could get a decent tone out of it.
I don’t know it’s worth it. ISTM that if this friend had any real interest in the violin then he could scrape up 25 bucks. So either the cheapo is beneath him or he doesn’t want to play the violin all that much.
It may depend on one’s attitude toward gift-giving in general. The OP started out by saying he wanted to buy this person a gift. It becomes really hard to buy a gift for someone if you rule out everything that the person could have bought for themselves but didn’t.
Many of those super cheap instruments come to you in pieces, and it costs a mint to have them assembled by a local expert. (Happened to me with Celtling’s first violin.)
My best luck for buying inexpensive instruments has been with shopgoodwill.com . They always have a wide selection at rock bottom prices. T’were it me, I’d print out the list and just find a violin instructor on craiglist or yellowpages.com. Give a call, explain your situation and ask his/her advice on which of the available offerings would be best.
I bought several instruments for my daughter’s old school. There were lots of kids there who wanted to play, but the school didn’t have enough loaners for them to practice regularly. I sat down at a computer with their band director and with an hour’s effort I think we bought about 10 instruments for under $150.00.
Another option: could you pay the rent on a better instrument for a month or two? If your friend delights in it, he can pick up the remaining rent or buy an instrument; if he doesn’t, he can return it.
I’ve played violin for years, and the idea of a $25 makes me raise my eyebrows; I have trouble imagining you could get much resonance from them.
“So, are you looking for a cheap violin? Student violin prices vary. How much is a violin? What is the violin price range? Many of the very inexpensive ones ($100 to $200) are not worth carrying home. In the violin shop, we call them VSOs -“Violin Shaped Objects.” These seem like the right violin price for beginners but they often do not even work.”
I grew up playing the violin and I agree with this. Getting a cheap violin is worse than no violin. Contribute to a fund for the $500 one. The $50 one will be horrible and unplayable and will result in negative learning.
Just as an example, I spent 20 years thinking that guitar was impossible to learn until I ditched my $150 one for a $500 one. Cheap instrument are no better than props.