Please advise me on choosing a student violin

In My Humble Opinion
1

My oldest daughter has been taking violin lessons using the family hand-me-down violin. I have no idea if this would be considered a “good” student violin, but both she and her teacher like the sound it produces and it seems to stay in tune for a long time.

My younger daughter has been following along on the same violin and has been practicing her fingers off. She has actually become a better player than her sister and would like a violin of her own. I would like to find something that sounds at least at nice as the one older daughter is playing, but I don’t know its quality or price level.

It is a half size violin, which is the appropriate size, and on the inside it says “Johann Georg Kessler” and “West Germany.” It also says “Bruno means security” in the upper left corner of the inside label.

First, is this a decent starter violin? What would a similar one cost? I have been unable to find any information about this particular violin. I know it has been in the family for a minimum of 40 years, but do not know the age of the violin itself.

What type of violin would you recommend for a student that shows commitment, but will outgrow the violin in a couple of years? I don’t want to make a significant investment until one or both girls are in a full size and show a determination to stick with the instrument.

Any advise would be welcomed.

2

my son has been learning for 3 years and has progressed from 1/4 to 1/2 and recently to 3/4 size violins. They have all been cheap Lark or Skylark brand instruments, unless you have heaps of money, kids grow out of them too quickly to warrant paying more. These are fine little learners insturments as far as I can tell, not being a violinist, here is a link

3

Thanks for responding. I’ll have to check out that link.

Are there any violinists out there who can offer up some more advice?

4

Violinist of 12 years checking in.

Firstly, talk to the violin teacher. They’ll know best - there are a lot of different types out there, and they’ll be best able to tell you what brands, what age, what region would be best for what you want. Hey, that sounds a whole lot like buying wine.

Don’t ignore strings, either. You can get a mediocre violin, but if you have high-quality strings, it can make it sounds like a high-end instrument. Strings are, of course, also way cheaper than the violins themselves.

Also ask around at your local music store. Be sure to find someplace with a specific string department, with knowledgable staff. They’ll help.

I second that you shouldn’t invest in something real expensive. In fact, if your daughter is only in a half-size, you may want to look into renting an instrument. If your school has a decent music department, you may be able to work through them. If not, again, inquire with your teacher. When I got my 1/2 size, I ended up outgrowing it in less than a year (growth spurt, anyone?). Also, before investing in a high-quality insturment for good, you want to be absolutely sure your daughter will stick with it.

And don’t just decide on one. Buying a violin is like buying jeans: you need to try them on for fit. Remember that chinpieces and bridges can be adjusted or replaced. Bows can be changed, too, and that really influences the way a violin feels. At this level, though, I’d say find one that your daughter is comfortable with, that your music teacher likes (you may want to see if you can borrow a possible violin for a day or something, bring it by the studio, and see what the teacher thinks) and that’s well within your price range.

5

OK, when you say get an inexpensive violin, what does that mean? We tried one off e-bay and it sounded awful and would not stay in tune. I really want one that is comparable to the one my older daughter is playing that I detailed above. How expensive a violin would you say that might be? How can I find out?

My girls are home schooled, so we don’t have a school “music department.” I am in the Nashville area, and am sure I could find a good music store, but I want to arm myself with some info first so I will know if I am being “sold.”

Thanks for your input! What type of violin are you playing now, ninjachick? Are there inexpensive brands to stay away from, in your experienced opinion?

6

I’ve played violin and later viola for the last 18 years or so. I have to say I wouldn’t recommend a Skylark if your daughter seems genuinely interested and practices without being told to and plays well. They sound REALLY tinny and you don’t feel the same sense of resonance (importance for gaining confidence in your sound) as you would with one a little more expensive.

(I had a Skylark when I was a kid but thankfully my little brother fell on top of it and smashed it by accident and I graduated onto a valuable heirloom that my grandparents had - I was getting too big for the 3/4 size anyway so the timing was perfect. I still have the full-size one (a french instrument) and won’t part with it).

You should definitely talk to your daughter’s teacher. Tell them roughly how much you were thinking of spending. Don’t be embarrassed. The teacher will totally understand if you don’t want to go for top of the range just yet (very wise in my opinion). They will advise you on a good place to get one and you should take your daughter along to try it out. Just select some instruments in the price-bracket you want to go for and see which one she likes best. I think European instruments are generally reliable. Especially if your other daughter has a nice one it might cause a few hurt feelings if your younger daughter doesn’t get a nice one too.

Even if you don’t play violin if you just draw the bow along the strings of a few ones in the shop you will also be able to tell which are more resonant. You’ll feel the vibrations. Have fun choosing one with your daughter.

7

Yamaha produces inexpensive instruments that have decent quality. The Kessler instrument sounds like it luthier made. Don’t expect a similar quality to that one. In addition, the older instrument’s wood has been aged and played regularly. That also will change the tone for the better. A Yamaha, or similar mass produced instrument, will also get better with age; however, the top level that the instrument can achieve will be no match for a hand made one.

As it stands, I wouldn’t buy an expensive instrument for a child until they can get to the full sized status (or they stop growing) and have shown enough interest that they won’t give it up on a lark.

8

Been playing violin/viola for 10 years now.

I know it’s really fun to finally have your own insturment, but I honestly can’t see why you would buy even an inexpensive $200-$300 insturment if you are going to outgrow it in a year or two.

Here’s what I’d do (not knowing desired price ranges or anything)…

Go to the local music store and ask what they have. Almost all have some sort of rental plans. Just rent, until the younger grows into a full size violin. Then go drop a good sum on a intermediate level insturment.

I rented my first year of playing. Had a $250 beginners (full size) violin for my next 5 years. Then dropped about $2,000 on my new own 16 1/2 inch viola!

FWIW, I bought my viola through Southwest Strings.

9

My mother bought me a relatively expensive 3/4 sized violin as a kid, and I can’t unload it now. I’ve been told that the cheap Korean violins have ruined the market, as parents don’t want to spend much money for a kid who will either quit, or grow out of the instrument.