Difference Between Cheap and Expensive Violins | KV
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- čas přidán 4. 03. 2019
- Hello everybody,
There are 5 main tiers of violins that you can buy.
1. VSO violins (usually below $200): Otherwise known as Violin Shaped Objects. These violins represent the least expensive violins and are almost exclusively only available on the internet. Their main characteristics are usually:
-Not made from traditional woods (don’t use ebony for fittings, not real purfling)
-Not made with traditional methods (not carved wood, could be pressed or plywood veneer)
-Made “factory/assembly line” style
-Usually not set-up
-Made from wood that has not dried properly yet
-Very little quality control or standards in terms of internal carving.
The only time I’d recommend these violins is if you know of somebody they can perform a good set-up for free for you and you don’t plan on keeping the violin for very long. They can be made to be playable, but because of the quality of the wood, they will shrink and distort over a short period and be rendered unplayable fairly quickly.
2. Inexpensive student violin (usually $200-$1,200): This represents the most common type of violin that is purchased today. Many of these are purchased on the internet and can be an inexpensive way to get back into playing the violin as an adult or for a child to start their journey with the violin. Their main characteristics are usually:
-Usually made from traditional woods
-Usually made in a fairly traditional way (using traditional glues)
-The cheaper ones are made factory style, the more expensive ones can still be made by one maker
-Often when purchased online, they will be set-up to some extent and ready to go play
-The cheaper ones have wood that is often not dry enough, but the more expensive ones will often have much better wood.
-More attention is paid to the workmanship of the internal carving/sound post, and towards the upper end of the price spectrum, even the characteristics of the wood will be taken into account when the thickness of the plates is decided.
3. Advanced violin outfits. ($800-$3,200): These violins are usually purchased by people who have been playing for a while and have the ability to distinguish the finer differences in violin performance characteristics. They are usually purchased in violin shops because the people were buying them want to play them first. Their main characteristics are usually:
-Made from higher quality traditional woods
-Made using traditional “one luthier” methods
-Set-up is usually pretty good or very good
-Usually made with woods that have dried properly for the proper amount of time
-High degree of quality control in the internal workmanship and the individual characteristics of the wood has been taken into account when deciding the plate thicknesses. On the higher end of the spectrum, the wood has even been tuned.
4. Professional violin outfits ($2,500-$15,000). Generally purchased by advanced students, semi-professionals or professionals who make their living almost exclusively with their instrument. Their main characteristics are usually:
-Made from highest quality traditional woods
-Made using traditional “one luthier” methods
-Set-up is usually very good
-Made with woods that have dried properly for the proper amount of time or made with very old wood
-High degree of quality control in the internal workmanship and the individual characteristics of the wood has been taken into account when deciding the plate thicknesses. Often the plates are tuned at different points during construction.
-There is some “value of antiquity” in the higher end of the spectrum. If the maker is well known or in high demand, the value of the instrument can go up with age and is a deciding factor when purchasing these violins. It also can add to the initial cost.
5. Collector violins: ($15,000-Millions): Generally purchased by wealthy semi-professionals, highest level professionals or collectors. Their main characteristics are usually:
-Made from highest quality traditional woods
-Made using traditional “one luthier” methods
-Set-up is the best
-Sometimes made with very old wood
-High degree of quality control in the internal workmanship and the individual characteristics of the wood has been taken into account when every decision. Often the plates are tuned at different points during construction.
-There may be a lot of “value of antiquity” in the higher end of the spectrum. If the maker is well known or in high demand, the value of the instrument can go up with age and is a deciding factor when purchasing these violins. It also can add to the initial cost. Often times the instrument's playability is not really that great, but they are purchased solely because of their antiquity status: Strad, Steiner, etc.
I hope this answers a few questions!
Great video I've watched the dozens of violin videos in the past weeks and this one is the most explanatory yet keep up the great work I'll be in your shop in the next couple months 😊
After 27 yearsof wanting to play I bought a $40 special "VSO" to see how I went. Turned out well over all in that it is playable enough, but now I want something a little less laughable by community standards. While shopping I learned of Kennedy violins and I have a pupil model on the way, I am super excited! 😀
Thank you for the video. Well put together and helped me on my search!
Extremely Helpful. Thank You for making this
Thank you. I’m finally starting to understand this aspect of violin value.
This makes all of the sense in the world. Thank you for the detailed, well thought out explanation.
What a treat to find you. My Liz used to talk about you all the time.
Thank you, Joel! That is very informative :DD
Really excellent overview! Thank you, Sean
Great, Mr. Kennedy! Thanks!
Really appreciate your guidance! Thank you!
Very good video that solved my puzzle. Thanks
Well said, particularly the difference in the top end..
Nice violin guide video need review someday if I'll by a new one again once i've developed my knowledge and skills :)
Excellent video!👍🏼
Just bought mine for $45…$150 in the set up and rehair…ready to start learning! Great video
hello, good video. What do you think of the olive wood pieces, tailpieces, pegs and chin rests, to give it uniformity in color, but I wonder if it is a good decision?
I have a 100 year old GA Pfretzschner violin that has a very nice tone, I have been playing 50 years
I got a Cecilio CV-500. I didn't have to set it up. I'm new to violin and it seems to play ok. Am I ok playing it as it came?
Thanks for interesting and informative video! I’m a wannabe (guitar oriented) luthier and I don’t know much about violins yet (but it’d be fun to try to make one one day).