Reasons Why You Should NOT Buy A Cheap Violin!
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2024
- Don't do it guys! Do yourselves a favour and get a proper one!
Wondering why you sound rubbish, squeaky and scratchy? That's because you have a cheap and nasty violin that is poorly set up and is holding you back. You can only be as good as your tools...
This video proves my point nicely: • Buying the CHEAPEST vi...
Here is the free PDF to what I'm saying in the video: bit.ly/2TDYbIP
Below is a list of violins I can personally recommend. You will see a link to the video review, then a link to purchase:
1. Fiddlerman OB1 violin review: • My Review & Thoughts o...
🛒bit.ly/2ChqGY3
2. Fiddlerman Apprentice violin review: • My Review & Thoughts o...
🛒bit.ly/2JfWkpY
3. Fiddlerman Concert violin review: • My Review & Thoughts o...
🛒bit.ly/2Pwx9VI
4. Fiddlerman Artist violin review: • My Review & Thoughts o...
🛒bit.ly/2ERaK1c
5. Fiddlerman Master violin review: • My Review & Thoughts o...
🛒bit.ly/2PqRo7d
6. Fiddlerman Soloist violin review: • My Review & Thoughts o...
🛒bit.ly/2PtZ8FM
7. OB1/Apprentice comparison video: • Comparing the Fiddlerm...
8. Concert/Artist comparison video: • Comparing the Fiddlerm...
9. Master/Soloist comparison video: • Comparing the Fiddlerm...
10. Performance montage video of all the demos I did in each video, put side by side for the ultimate comparison video: • 6 FIDDLERMAN violins p...
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WANT TO PLAY THE VIOLIN BUT DON'T KNOW HOW OR WHERE TO START? TRY MY VIOLIN LESSONS HERE:
- Lessons 1-10: bit.ly/2yn9Fr2
- Lessons 11-20: bit.ly/2dialI3
I think this video nicely proves the point im trying to make in this video: czcams.com/video/oyZwD-v53Xo/video.html
my violin does not have a brige... what do i do pls reply...
I find this in contradiction to your recommendation of the Stentor Student 2, which 3 years after this video is £160 or US$190 ish. Which is also in your "cheap, do not buy" price bracket, assuming when you say "dollars" you mean us dollars???
**sweats in cheap violin ownership**
Same my mom bought me a $25 violin
@@sarahkraus8247 ohh really, does it exist?
@@arpitsrivstva yes it does but mostly they are violins for kids
Arpit Srivastava
There is a $15 and its not a plastic toy.. its a fake wooden violin
Mine was 70 bucks
Lol thanks for holding up the exact violin I bought from Wal-Mart.
christopher lambert: YOU ARE SO LUCKY, YOU GOT A CADILLAC !!! MY DAD WENT AND BOUGHT ME MINE WHEN I WAS A KID AT THE "OUTDOOR FLEA MARKET" !!! NOW THAT I AM OLDER AND I KNOW BETTER I WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO MY CHILD !!!
Hello chris, if it helps there are music stores that rent to own for small amounts a month depending on their price and your budget. Im actually paying for mine at a local larrys music centre. I have a scherol and roth for 45 a month. The total price was about 800 dollars but again. 35-45 a month wasnt too bad for me but everyones budget is different. Hopefully it helps; and best of luck on your endevor with the violin. 🎻
M Jarvis I did the same. Mine is about $30 a month. Worth it especially if you’re not sure how you will like it. I’m excited about paying mine off soon!
Rest In Peace dude
I got that one too
Oops... *stares at my cheap violin in the corner of my room.
LMFAO ME
That’s so me 😂😂😂 I have an extremely cheap violin and I keep staring at it now xD
JeremyCanary ikr that literally me rn
I watched your reviews on all the fiddlerman violins, I bought the concert and the masters, me and my wife are both learning, and we love both those violins! Our ultimate goal is to be able to do duets together
How awesome! Good luck!
That's adorable! Good luck!
Did you achieve your goal yet??
Its too late 😓
Ayoub CHAJRI you’ll upgrade fast
same. 😔
If money is the problem, the best is to rent one. I have a violin that I rent. It's 25 euro per month so it is affordable and I can put money on the side to buy my own in the future.
Better than buying a cheap rubbish one.
Im actually have a rent to own its 45 dollars a month. I have my 25 dollar violin but its only for looks now... I tried fixing it it helped for awhile but in the end I found it was better to get a better one and start over.
Based on your information I purchased an antique violin from a reputable dealer and a custom violin from a company whose violins you reviewed. I couldn’t be happier with my two violins and I find every aspect of my practice is improved by hearing the tones clearly and experiencing the responsiveness of a well made instrument. Your videos were so valuable in my choices. Thank you.
I got a Stentor II when I started to play one year ago. BEST CHOICE ever. It sounds super nice, and that also helps to not lose motivation. It was a bit above £200, but it was definitely worth it.
How has it been going
I flipped my $60 violin for $100 bucks on Craigslist, lol. I'm a bad person.
Hahaha that sounds like something people in my family would do
Remind me not to be friends with any of y’all lmao
Lol my dumb self probably bought it from you
🤣🤣
I bought a violin for $70 and the bridge is now beding towards the bottom, but the sound was awful before the bridge issue. It also had a lot reverb. As a beginner, it's a struggle to practice with that thing, but I don't mind it because what I practice more is bowing, and finger placement. I'll buy a better one once I can decently play it.
Now I know why I fear tuning my violin... That feeling when you assume that the strings might pop out while struggling to twist the pegs....
I agree with you. I used to have a Violin that would never stay in tune. I got so frustrated that my mom got really mad at me, I broke a string, I almost broke it. I got so frustrated that I actually cried XD. Now I never advise someone buy a cheap instrument if they can help it
The same thing happened to me. The violin won't stay in tune. I bought it online and good thing that there's a return/refund so I was able to get my money back to buy a better violin.
I bought the Fiddlerman concert outfit and it's great! I'm 4 months into lessons and thinking about buying a Yamaha YEV-104 electric violin and multi effect pedal for fun.
BrianNC81 me too! 🤜🏻
I haven't even bought my own violin😂 I still use the student one my teacher gave me and GOOD LORD it sounds like it just had a car crash and you're playing it whilst it's on fire! I really need to start looking at violins
Bought a £50 electric from eBay just to try less than 3 weeks later I decided to pick up a primavera 200 for £160, the difference is unreal. I've always wanted to learn and if I can teach myself piano and how to read music when I was 11/12 I can do it again 15 years down the line. Your videos have helped me out so much thank you for all you do
Seeing your comment was a pleasant surprise because coincidentally, I also have a Prima 200! I don't think I've come across anyone else who also has one! :) I paid $300 Australian dollars for it and I agree with you that it's a pretty great quality student level violin. I'm considering selling it second-hand for cheap sometime and upgrading to a much more advanced violin - hopefully it means I can pass on the benefits of my first violin to another aspiring student out there! 😊
I have bought a cheap 60 dollar violin from amazon and in addition to everything you said, it didn’t have a sound post ! Literally didn’t have one ! It was completely unplayable and waste of money . Better rent or save money for a quality violin
Honestly there are some decent violins on Amazon for cheap, you just have to be willing to keep returning and buying until you find the right one. If you're not up for that, either put in the money for a good violin that will not only be of higher quality but will last longer, or rent a high quality violin for the time being.
There isnt. They cant be set up and well made for cheap unless a business wants to run at a substantial loss.
All cheap violins are poorly set up and made. Thats why you spend more and get one that has better accessories, better made, the neck feels smooth and well weighted, the peg box is positioned and drilled correctly so that the pegs move smoothly and are not crooked, the bridge is correctly angled, the sound post is better positioned, the wood used is aged well, the string action is correct and so on and on...
This video convinced me to purchase the apprentice fiddlerman violin instead of being frustrated with my 80 dollar violin that I've had to tune everytime I took it out to practice. Thank you for this video and I now want to get back into playing again.
You’re quite right Alison, cheap instruments are made of wood that generally kiln dried rather than dried naturally and can change in tone also as the wood ages. I had problems with cheap instruments when I started and found I had to have fine tuners on all the strings as I could not tune with the pegs precisely and the pegs kept slipping. I prefer my vintage German instrument and only have a tuner on the E string and all the others can be tuned with the pegs rarely if need be. Thanks for another informative video. Kind regards Rajeeve NZ
I have a cheap violin and I have to say: I am happy with my instrument. It has none of these problems you mentioned. My violin tutor played it and told me that it has a great sound. Everything is in place and my violin is easy to tune. That means you can also be lucky with cheap violins. It depends on the musician and his or her attitude and not always on the instrument. You can also make a Stradivari sound terrible.
Well, what is your definition of cheap? I believe she is talking about the VSOs that cost less than 200 dollars.
If your "cheap violin" is handmade, then it isn't what the video is specifiying
I tuned my violin and i got it a day ago
I am now watching this video now and now I realise why my violin is so trash at making sound
But now I can’t rlly get a expensive violin cuz I just got this cheap one 😞
Hello Alison, I got a $88 Violin in 2011 and ditched the tinny strings.
Put Perlon strings on and snapped the bridge when the strings were half way in tune.
The shop fitted a standard violin bridge, and reset the pegs.
So, $17.99 for 4 Perlon strings, $5.00 for the bridge. The bridge was carved, sanded, and fitted to the violin.
Put in a new sound post.
All done cost me about $100.
Marijke (how do you say that name ?) on her CZcams channel said, "Buy a cheap Violin, you get cheated twice!
Thank you for the excellent video!
Wayne Andrews
Damn! I knew it! But I still did it. And what its sad, mine looks exactlly like the one you have, same color and all.
I recently bought a Ricard Bunnel violin on Amazon with the price of $350 sold by Kennedy Violins, a violin company based in Washington state (USA). The company purchases violins from their makers and the staff (professional luthiers) will set up the violins. And to my surprise, the violin is perfectly tuned and they even leave a phone number which I can call to report any problem. And so far, there is none. I’m very impressed by their professionalism and I hope that I have made the right choice.
TheSarcasmCard I bought mine from the Kennedy Violin store too. I am very happy with the quality, their set up, and their service. I purchased from this store because of their luthiers.
It’s nice to know that I can never play the violin because I genuinely can’t afford $200. Just like everything else in my life, I’ll never be good enough to get anywhere with it even as a hobby.
You have never played in a public school music program, have you?
Be lucky if those instruments can be tuned, let alone played. But listen to what a good student can do. Sometimes you do the best with what you get, and those that actually WANT to, can achieve good sound.
You don't seem to understand how wood, glue, metal, and resonance actually works.
Trust me, no, those that "WANT to" *_cannot_* get a good sound out of a garbage instrument. A "lower end" instrument? Sure. A $30 Amazon instrument? NO.
@@davecarsley8773 there is a video on youtube where a girl tests out a 60$ violin, and it sounds AMAZING! But, she is a pro violin player. So I guess it also depends on the player itself if the violin will sound good
Aw damn that's EXACTLY what my violin is 😅 white violin with black hand printed markings that even overlaps badly at some points. I think my mom bought it for me years ago for 30 dollars. It had all the problems you mentioned I feel bad I think I could have done a lot more progress if I invested more to it. Thanks a lot!
I used sandpaper to solve this problem. When I'm tuning my cheap violin, I loose all the fine tuners, and try to tune it only using the pegs, sometimes i tune it like 1/4 higher. When i reached a reasonably nice tuning in the pegs, i adjust the fine tuners. I also used blackboard chalk because the pegs were slipping a lot, they still slip but i always can tune, and they don't slip after i tuned the violin. I bought an electric violin, i thought it would be mostly silent but its pretty loud, not as loud as a normal violin, but I don't have the struggle of putting the bridge on. My main struggle was to sand the bridge to lower the strings, I want the strings lower but since i have only one bridge I don't have much to do. My main problem is to play in tune. I'll definitely buy another violin, but ill stick with this one for some time. When i record myself playing the violin its never 100% in tune, if i record myself playing a 1:30 song 50 times there will be always some notes out of tune, it's pretty disappointing, but I can't blame it on the violin because I didn't train for long enough.
I’ve only been playing a few weeks and rented one for 3 months to make sure I wanted to continue. I definitely do, and the great thing about where I rent I can put the rental fee towards purchasing one.
I'm doing the same thing! I almost bought a cheap violin but I went to a violin shop that is letting me rent a $750 violin. Good deal since my rental fee is going towards any violin in their shop.
I've been playing on the Mendini MV300 by Cecillio (year the 69$ violin) for about 10 months now and I can notice that it's wearing out, the sound that it produces it's not as it used to be in its golden days (when I upgraded the strings and the rosing). Currently planning on buying the Master Violin from Fiddlerman.com, I hope it would be a good investment that'd last me at least 2 years.
Yeah. I was given a new one for Christmas (i had a 30euro one before) and it’s like night and day. The tuning on this new one (still a cheap one by your estimate though 😜) is SO GOOD!! It’s like butter. On the 300kr one, I needed to forcefully push the pegs in and out super hard to at all tune it, and they still would slip. So I have retired that one 😂
on intonation: i watched one of the Sub Sunday videos and the person who played Gypsy Firelight and I think I have been playing it in the wrong tune for... ever 😂😂 which is a bit of a crisis, really. But I still don’t regret buying it. It was a gateway «drug» for sure, and now I’ve got a more proper one, I can improve 😊 I cannot state how much I appreciate your videos, though. You are incredibly generous for donating your precious time to us who might be less... affluent.. than your regular student 😂😜
I’m going to start learning this summer and my mom is going to buy me a 200-300 dollar violin. She says if I’m really into it she’ll get me a better one for Christmas.
How is it going so far?
Learning the hard way! Haha. Just ordered the Fiddlerman Apprentice after buying a cheap $190 Bellafina that I have to tune EVERY single time I pick it up. Strong broke, bridge broke. Looking forward to the new one! Thanks for this video.
I have that exact violin. I brought it to school and everybody love it.
I have a 60$ violin and it’s actually amazing I’ve had it for a year and 1/2 it is fantastic and yes a professional looked at it and it sounds amazing but then again i know what I was getting.”And the pegs are ebony
Where did you get it and what kind is it?
No. It doesn't sound amazing.
It. Simply. Does. Not.
Was just about to buy a $67 one, but decided to watch this video first... THANK YOU!!!
I barely started and my dad gave me a 1,800 violin that he stopped using and its really good and im so happy with it😁
I got second hand, quite cheap (just over 100 gbp, including the replacements), but with a good quality body (the important bit) and replaced strings, bridge, rests, bow etc. It cost similar to the really cheap ones. It did mean I had to learn to string it, sand the Bridge, and place the tailpiece, on my own, but a few vids were enough for me. If you can't afford to get a more expensive one, or like me, you're just slightly insane and want the extra challenge, consider this option.
I got an excellent late German Guarnari del Jesu copy from 1890 in a guitar shop for £175. Withers, Bears and Guvier valued it at around £2,000! Then a few years later I nearly got given an Amati by an old lady but I was too honest to accept it.
Thank you so much for this video. I always knew there was a difference in quality with cheap instruments ( pretty much like every instrument) I just didn't know what the differences were. Also, thank you for linking the violins to buy!!! :D
it appars i was lucky with my £50 violin.
im still using it 4 years on..
it still has problems but i no longer have to use a hammer on the pegs to keep it in tune.
and yes i have upgraded im just sentimental because we started together.
If you can't afford a reasonable instrument I would suggest renting from a music shop. Especially if you want to try out a violin to see if you want to learn to play or not.
Alison is so right! I've been looking at upgrading. I just went to a shop today and played a $3000 and $2000 violin and there was no comparison to my $150 violin. The squeakiness, and scratchiness magically disappeared. My fingers were so easily able to move and it was much easier to do vibrato. I was playing so much better! It didn't even look the same. My bridge and fingerboard are so flat and even my violin was a lot heavier. I understand now that my violin sucks and it's not me.
Good Strings and the bridge make a cheap violin sound better also fine one with a thin finish the thick varnish will hurt the sound. Have the bridge fitted to the violin
I decided I had to upgrade after struggling for two months on a forth-hand pawnshop violin. It was night and day. It was so much better after I got a brand new good quality instrument. The neck falling off the clunker helped me justify a new one 😂.
I actually just bought a cheap violin for 40 dollars to see the difference. Yes the pegs had the problems you were talking about, it was missing a string, and actually in quite bad condition. But I replaced the missing string with the extra stings that were included, and fixed the pegs by loosening the string, pulling it off to the side, and siding it up slowly. I fixed up all the rest of the problems in about an hour and tuned it, and now it works like new. Sure it isn’t as good as a new, expensive and professional violin, but it is absolutely acceptable with a learning violin to learn on. Once you have learned, you can upgrade to a better violin if wanted.
Yes exactly. Once you upgrade, you will see how much this one is holding you back. You can only be as good as your tools.
The Online Piano and Violin Tutor Thank you for replying! Actually the point I was trying to imply was for a beginner it is a great option even for people with lots of money to spend on a violin. Especially when you are a child it is actually a wonderful violin to learn on. As I said I fixed mine up and it worked as well as a new. It is a wonderful option in my opinion as when I learned on a $40 violin, it helped me learn something about playing on a “bad” violin but still playing songs the right way. I don’t know if that makes any sense to you or not, but what I’m trying to say is playing harder songs on a “bad” violin challenged me. And then when I moved to a nice one it was amazing, and I could play all these hard songs even better. I would actually recommend learning on a cheap violin.
I personally bought a reasonably cheap violin to start with but then again I also do most of my own work to it because I’m relatively skilled with wood working, I put a walnut sound post in it and a white pine bridge and it sounds much more mellow and dark now which I like, I’m learning to be a fiddler so I have a little bit of wiggle room in terms of what i can do with the violin, it was really harsh and nasally initially. I’m currently converting it into a hardanger fiddle, which is a Norwegian folk instrument that sounds lovely. I haven’t been practicing though *sweats audibly* but it has made me consider doing violin making as a hobby, so I guess it’s positive
I'm glad I paid equivalent to 210 pounds ($390 Australian). Still great and robust after 6 years.
You're awesome as always! Now just have to figure out what to do with the old $60 violin 🤔
It might look nice as a decorative piece
You can keep it in case you ever want to take it with you when you travel
i learned on a very cheap violin, which was white as well. and i have to say, i was very satisfied with it for many years. sure it hadn´t the so much of a sound, but my playing wasn´t too well anyway. it kept in tune perfektly, because the tuners just wouldnt move anymore after my father gave them a good push. tuned with the finetuners. my father had to switch the strings once in a while though... after that i switched to another cheap violin which was the same fabric but wasn´t colored (except for the woodcolor). the sound was a little bit nicer but still cheap of course. again, after a few years i had a constructer make a new bridge for the violin, because i (as the child i still was) hadn´t taken good care of mine and it wasn´t straight anymore. This was quite the push for the instrument. i can recomment to do that.
I brought my violin for £40 , it was second hand but barley used . It obviously was very cheep and it’s amazing , it holds its tune perfectly and it’s really good quality
Hi Allison,
2 years ago I purchased a $100 student quality violin for a grandchild.
I had a retired school band teacher do the set up out of the box. Problems quickly arouse because the violin would not hold its tune. I learned that I needed to “soap the pegs” with wax I could get from a music store. I have played the guitar since I was 14 and am confident in removing strings and tuning. There were some other minor problems that we overcame. I learned twinkle little star and ode to joy and was teaching her. Perhaps because of the delay in getting the student quality violin and lessons, the student lost interest in the student violin. I gave her a baritone ukulele and she is teaching herself how to play the ukulele. I hope I have given her the gift of music as my mother once gave to me. 🎁
In giving a violin to a child someone has to oversee and anticipate and solve these”it won’t play” problems.
Most parents can’t.
The music teacher from the school may?
The paid teacher will, And so will the paid luthier.
This student violin is now in usable playable Condition now. The student for the time being is no longer interested but still has the instrument.
I learned a lot. In Doing this again, I would choose an intermediate level violin 🎻 and pay the extra money.
I have a viola that my parents got me back in 2009 for 2000 dollars and it’s really well made and worthy of being played in a professional concert setting.
So if I spent 500 on one would that last me a life time and it’s from a proper violin shop were I live
Well not necessarily, as it depends on the brand. You dont want to get duped into buying an over-priced piece of rubbish for $500! Assuming its a good quality brand and therefore properly set up, then in theory it should last you a good while. If you want to progress further, then you might feel you need something more, or you might just want something more later down the line anyway, because you can.
Thanks for yr advice again Alison , take care and I enjoy yr videos mutch appreciation
@@TheOnlineViolinTutor what is the best reliable brand
@@TheOnlineViolinTutor Yes what is the best and most reliable brand
💁🏼♀️ I must confess.. I don’t play the violin.. for years though I’ve wished that in my youth I had learned to.. watching your videos fuels that urge within me, although I have literally no musical talent.. but I always appreciate your skill and talent and the beauty it has and I love living vicariously through your uploads..thank you for the gift you share with us all..💐🙂
If you want to, do it. Talent and age has nothing to do with it. I’ve seen students with what we could cal “zero talent”, that with hard work, blossom into beautiful musicians. I’ve seen an old lady learn violin at 62 and end up getting into a community symphony. Although it is easier to learn when you’re a child, it’s very possible to learn as an adult. Good luck!
On the flip side, a violin you have to tune every second play gives you plenty of practice in doing so.
I have had the violin kit about a month now. The original question was...am I interested in learning the violin. I have found that I have the discipline and the interest to learn from your videos. What I have found is that although tuning is reasonable stable, it appears after quite a few hours of practice that the bow in areas has lost its "grip" and slips on the string...maybe my lack of eperience? So rather than buying a better bow I decided to get a Fiddlerman Soloist violin which should allow quite a few years of progressive improvement.
Aha! Too much rosin (not to little) loaded the bow hairs up so that it slipped on the strings (bigtime beginner mistake)....Fiddlerman Soloist violin ordered anyway.
My Cousins Daughter Plays Violin 🎻 It Coat $80,000 USA Dollars , She Trained In Russia Played The Australian Opera House . ( Vanessa Leigh’s ) NZ
Lol
I'll happily stick to my 70$ violin once it gets here just to see if its even for me. It was between violin or a piano (keyboard) so I told myself to learn the basics with something dirt cheap and if I actually turn out to love the violin then I'll look into buying a real deal thing.
I agree! If you have a reasonably good violin I think you try harder to make the violin sound as good as it can sound!
Sadly I made that mistake... I got one for 25 dollars sadly when I got It I found out because the finger board and the acton was off by several millimeters it wasnt playable. Currently I keep it as a display violin because its still pretty but, now I have a sherol and roth arietta. So for the quality is great but it was nearly 1000 dollars. But now im learning violin pretty well now.
Good advice to think about.
But guys, if Alison is recommending a violin for $/£ 200 I'm sure it's possible to buy them used for very cheap or rent something until you're able to buy your own.
Have a good day everyone :-)
Throwing good money after bad. Back in 1998 I bought a 1991 violin made by Erich Pftzinger ( hope I spelled it right ) Strad copy. I payed $300 for it in a violin shop. It does have a real ebony bridge and real purfling so there was some effort put into building it at least, but was probably made in a factory by the thousands ( so I hear ).. I've since taken a renewed interest in it and doing some practice. Would this instrument fall into your " cheap " allmost unplayable catagory ?
What if you got a decent bow and bought some good strings?
Nick James I think the violin will do great tbh I’ve never played and I’m not a professional but I’ve heard some people say they get cheap violin get some good strings and bow and it’s not perfect but still good
Hi Alison - Many moons ago, you demonstrated a "cheap 'ass' violin," and you gave it a good review on Amazon. I shall refresh your memory. It was the Mendini MV200 by Cecilio that retails for $69.99 (US) as of this writing. BTW: You did play it marvelously. 😊
It comes with a solid wood spruce top, maple back, neck and sides. It has an alloy tailpiece with 4 built-in fine tuners, a Brazilwood bow with unbleached genuine horsehair. It also comes with a lightweight hard case, adjustable shoulder rest, 2 bridges, quality rosin cake, and an extra set of standard issue steel strings.
Way back in August of 2014, I purchased my first violin - and it was a "cheap violin.” It's a Cremona SV-75 Premier Novice for $74.95 (US) new at the time of purchase. I play it at least twice a week for two hours per day since August of 2014. It plays just fine. It hasn’t caused me any problems. I'm not an accomplished violinist, by any stretch of the imagination, but au contraire it sounds very good. In all fairness, as with all my instruments, I play my violin only within the first two octaves.
Since I purchased my violin, I have had absolutely NO problems with it. It still has all of its original parts, nothing has broken off, and it DOES stay in tune. I did, however, at my discretion, upgrade the steel strings to synthetic strings. I might have to fine tune it, as with any violin regardless of cost and quality, every few months - but it's a breeze. 😊
Yes, when I bought it, I did have to set the bridge - but it was no problem. I’m not saying “a violin is a violin.” Nevertheless, I have no regrets. I like my violin, and I do enjoy playing my "cheap violin." And when I'm not playing it, the violin does make for a nice attractive wall hanger.
Yes, I can afford another violin costing several hundreds of dollars. And I might someday upgrade, but for now I will continue to enjoy playing my “cheap violin.” Now, if you like, I'm more than ready, willing and able to listen to your professional rebuttal. However, you did make your points very clear, so no rebuttal is actually needed. 😊 🎻🎶
It was indeed many moons ago and now my opinion is different all these years later. The MVs are ok but do come with a lot of troubles.
@@TheOnlineViolinTutor Thank you for your perspicacious reply. The MVs may have “lots of troubles;” nonetheless, to your credit, you can still make these ‘OK’ violins sound marvelous. But then again, you are a highly trained professional whose acumen can compensate for any inherent shortcomings these inferior violins may render. 😊 🎻🎶
Im 13, I budget my money.. and I found a second hand violin online, its only $60, its a known branded violin.. I think its cremona, its not used for several years and its used only a few times..
Is it ok to buy it?
I dont know anything about Cremona violins i afraid.
The Online Piano & Violin Tutor
Oh ok, thank you! ☺️
I used to have a Cremona Violin, its a student violin and it cost today for around $170
Don't be sucked into old German Trade violins either for a pretty penny just because they are old. I opened up a violin from circa 1890-1900 and internally it is no better than a cheap ebay violin of today. Bad lining, no corner blocks, back play was nicely carved and shaved but the top plate was raw with deep tool marks. As a beginner player the most important part is to find a violin which has been set up properly. the distance between the nut and the bridge needs to be spot on (13inches / 33cm for a 4/4 violin) otherwise your notes will be out of place all along the fingerboard which is problematic when learning scales. You can get a cheap violin and pay a luthier to set it up so the pegs fit well etc... but the cost is a minimum of $400 work which could have gone towards a better violin. Don't be afraid of buying used from a luthier / proper violin store as chances are it has been set up with any bugs ironed out. Watch out for renting (if you're in Australia) as there are some operators out there who rent them for $50 a month but when you look up the actual cost of the violin you may have been able to buy it three times over.
What about the difference between cheap and expensive strings?
Same thing. Cheap will wear out quicker, play, feel and sound rubbish.
I love these cheap violins. Upgrading parts, metal or nylon strings, pegs,tailpiece, and even setting sound post. Have 5 cheap different ones and the hard part is still proper bowing, different bridges suites different styles.
thanks for all your vibrato videos you helped me learn it quickly! 😊
I started fiddle(yes it's also a violin) 6 years ago. I bought a cheap Strad copy Chinese fiddle for like $150.00. It was my first mistake. It actually stunted my playing to get where I needed to be. It takes practice too and good strings, mechanics and alot of things because fiddle is hard. Well I decided after a few years to buy a better one and that my friends changed my life. I'm no pro, but I also don't suck anymore while playing a cheap fiddle/violin.
A year ago, I bought a cheap violin for $50, it was an impulse purchase. The good things about it was that it stayed in tune reasonably well and it didn't sound horrible. Other than that, it was a cheap piece of crap. The bridge was installed backwards, which confused me for a day, it was comically high too as the fingerboard projected at a higher angle. On your recommendation, I bought a Stentor II. I couldn't be happier with it. As mentioned in the video, the weird angles do throw you when you go on a real violin. But since I was very early into playing, I could adapt to it more quickly. After 1 year of playing the violin, I'm enjoying every minute of it.
That’s exactly the issue with them, then if you carry on, bad habits set it.
I have a barcus berry, it’s the love of my life 🤪🎻 How do we sign up for your online courses? I need organization. Basically teaching myself with lessons once a week. These are my favorite violin videos 🥰🎻 🎼 🎵
I found your videos very helpful thank you. I bought a cheap on and was then given an electric violin and much like guitar, electric sounded much better and played great through headphones. If you have to get a cheap one then go for electric
I love your videos they’re always very informative 👍🏼👍🏼
Alison please do a tutorial on a whole new world. I really want to hear your version.
When buying a cheap violin does it affect the rhythm or is it just bad?
iv got a cheap violin and the only problem is the tuning and its annoying to keep tuning it in all the time :( i love all your videos there really helpful X
Thanks a lot for those tips, but how about those violins that you reviewed years ago. the Cecilio, Mendeni, and other brands.
I recently followed you advice and got cecillio 300,
I paid around $150. It is sound is not this great but also not this bad. I hope i have made the right decision for a starter violin.
I reviewed those violins many years ago and my opinion has changed now. The CVN300 is ok, and it will get you by, just not for very long.
@@TheOnlineViolinTutor You might want to consider removing those videos. Honestly, I ordered a Mv500 today based on your advice. 4 hours later, I see this video in which you're telling me I shouldn't have.
@@davecarsley8773 I will not be removing those videos as they are helpful and I stand by my reviews. One must research fully the options available to them which best suit the situation. Everyone has a different requirement depending on their skill level and budget.
I have many violin review videos available on my channel from multiple brands, that can be used to narrow the search down with.
You could have also contacted me here and i would advised you accordingly 😀
@@davecarsley8773 Im with you, why leave those videos up recommending people spend money on those violins when you admit your opinion has changed, at least go back and comment those videos or link to the new ones
Is a 109 dollar violin cheep or is it decent?
I remember buying a Theodore student violin outfit for £50 just to see if I would enjoy playing the violin. It was ok for 2 months while going over the early finger exercises but once I went shopping for a new violin to continue I realised how far away from the fingerboard the strings were, how poorly it resonated and how uncomfortable the whole thing was. The only thing that was decent was the tone, the sound it made was not terrible, but like I said it was rather muted and didn't feel free.
Exactly this! It isnt until you get a proper violin that you realise how your technique is 'off'!
I'm buying a cheap $30 one to see how it feels and to see if it will stay an interest of mine. If not, it will make really pretty decoration. 😉😂
I got a terrible violin from ebay.
It looks okay, on the surface, which I think is why so many people buy them, and as a 35 year old adult who played for 5 years when I was younger, it seemed like a good way to see if I would be keen to pick it back up again without investing $300+.
Yeahh... nope. I managed to get it/keep it in tune (didn't want to stay there for about a week though) but almost immediately my pegs began slipping, to the point where my E string would just roll every time I tried to tune. I managed to restring it and wound it better than it had been, so it's better, but.. Like this video, none of my pegs go through as far as the other side of the peg board, my A string has a perpetual screech that I can't seem to fix, it has a very slight echo to it, and all around I'm fully frustrated.
I'm two weeks in playing it, and I'm obsessed.. I want to spend hours a day practising but I put it down frustrated at the noises it makes no matter what I do, and it feels clunky and just... not what I want.
I am already wanting to buy a better one, I'm going to have to save so I think I'm going to hire one from the music store in the meantime. Then I can at least advance a little in the time it takes me to save. I think I'm going to go for a Stentor Graduate.
If a person is really poor that can't afford a good violin, there's always the option to buy a cheap guitar. I know, guitar doesn't sound that good, but i had this impression because the music people use to play on the guitar is very simple musing, with only chords and few fingering. Nylon guitars are easy to regulate and clean, and repair all by yourself. Of course, I've seen some guitars on youtube really bad, that don't have truss rod, but a cheap guitar will usually be pretty decent. If the person from the beginning start fingering, in a year or two he or she can play pretty complex songs, and not only chords, like most people play. You can for example start learning music, training your ear, learning to read sheet music, and then later buy a violin and violin lessons. I bought a cheap violin, at the begining i thought i was learning fast because i could play songs pretty fast, but I couldn't play in tune perfecly, and I was getting really annoyed because i didn't have enough privacy to play the violin. But the guitar, you will play in tune 90% of the time(the other 10% you are doing bends or the guitar got out of tune), you just have to play the right notes in the right time.
Daniel Belmiro, I took that route and bought a cheap guitar but, not only did it not come with a bow, it has too many strings, no rosin, no chinrest, and as hard as I try, I can't get it under my chin!
@@fiddlefaddle1 Lol, sometimes i play it using an old bow, but like a cello, i can only play one string, the nylon string makes no sound in contact with the bow. But my point is that you can learn music using the guitar. If you are in school and you can only afford a guitar, you can buy it, than later buy a violin, you can try to save money to buy an expensive violin, but the odds are that a student will spend the money and only buying an instrument late in life, when you need to study and work more and you don't have time to study the instrument. When i bought a cheap guitar, it took me like 3 months saving money to buy it, if i wanted a new cheap violin, it would have taken like 5-8 months to buy it. And it was pretty hard to learn how to play the guitar, if my first instrument was the violin it would be terrible.
Me: *looks up people buying violins from wish* *sees this video* *gets nervous to buy it after watching this video*
I have come to know Alison that the Stradivarius Violin has crushed Jem Stones in the Varnish , The Wood May have been aged in Volcanic Ash . Have You Played One ?
The same thing is true with guitars. I asked for a guitar for my birthday one year, and my dad and I went to the local guitar store. We talked with the guy at the store, and he showed us guitars in different price ranges. We neither bought the cheapest guitar nor the most expensive guitar.
My cheap viola (maybe around 120 pounds on average depending on sellers): sounds great! And that's probably with poor quality strings, poor quality rosin and poor quality bow hair. When it sounds bad it's due to my bad playing (I just started). The bridge seems great, I like the angles for the different strings, the tuners work fine. It's great! The only problems I have with it are problems I would have with ANY violin or viola.
Cheap violins are amazing. I bought $40 violin (with case, bow, extra strings, shoulder rest) shipping included. It's perfectly great and meets my needs 100%. I used to have a violin which was purchased at a professional violin shop (in mid manhattan) in 1970's. It cost $250 back then (now inflation adjusted $2000), and it was horrible. I spent 12 years playing that violin and gave up. Straight up comparison, this super cheap violin is light years better than my old violin bought from professional violin shop.
Guys, go looking for instruments in antique shops. I buyed mine for 200 bucks. It‘s a german violine from 1826 with a worth of 3‘000 bucks!
I've been interested in learning how to play the violin was either go cheap or use the one my sister abandoned after she quit band in middle school. Now in wondering if better off investing in a "adult sized" violin or using the one we have to learn the basics on.
If you need a full size violin. then you should play on one. Playing on an instrument too small is pointless as it will be physically too small and everything you will learn will be off and will ne relearning all over again once you get the proper size. Cutting corners in music is useless as it means more work, time and effort for you.
I had a feeling I would take on to the violin so I got a 200 dollars cremona student violin set up. Im self teaching atm, and so far its going well... Ok? I have only played a week. I know some people cant afford that. I certainly couldn't, i actually just traded in y old electric guitar for it at a music shop in town. i think a cremona would be good.
So I bought my first violin on amazon last year and I paid 40$. I thought that I was doing real well and my son broke the bridge. A luthier said that it would cost 200$ for a replacement bridge. Well that was not going to happen. Luckily I had put insurance on the violin and got my money back to invest on a different violin. I bought a Cecilio 300 cvn . It took me awhile to getting used to it. The sound was different the intonations were different. That’s when I decided to get lessons. I used the Cecilio from July until February. On February I upgraded from Cecilio to the fiddlermans master violin. Again the quality of the violin is so different the intonations the smoothness of the sounds. The master violin was 799$ and the Cecilio was 129$. This is something that I really want to learn. I’ve removed the tapes that show where to place your fingers. I’ve learned a great deal so far and I’m hoping to learn more.
THIS! Right?! See, you get it! The difference is unreal and the intonation which is the number 1 issue and hardest part to correct is the one thing folks dont get when they buy a cheap violin!
I bought violin online, it costs like 2500 pesos or 50 US Dollars. Then, the fingerboard was not ebony. It was like normal wood painted with black. It fades when I clean it by lint-free cloth. So, I need to buy another next year to master my knowledge in violin.
Bruh I got a 70$ and it works I’ve been using it for a year and it sounds amazing
It doesnt sound amazing. It the same with every instrument. Cheap ones suck no matter what. It's the fact
No. It doesn't sound amazing.
It. Simply. Does. Not.
A violin with a great voice is a great motivator.
I almost buy it. But not all people able to afford a good violin. So I don't know how to react to this. Can you tell us what brand is good that makes the good return for learning ?
Hi all. Thanks for the video Alison. I recently bought a £49.99 Gear 4 Music violin, clearly a mistake 😕 I'm having issues with tuning/ staying in tune, and the bridge won't stay straight, didn't realise this is why.
I was looking at those but then following Alison's Advice, I looked at the £100 range and saw the primavera 100 and stentor student 1. Incidentally Alison recommends the stentor but saw that her videos showed that the student 2 is a better violin just for a bit more money. I ordered the Stentor Student 2 and it's arriving today :D
Do you still suggest a cecilio is a good one? We watched a review you did and bought the cecilio 300 for our son.
The CVN 300 is ok. But not great. It would do in the very very very short term, but would and should be upgraded from very soon.
I made all those video reviews many years ago now and now, my opinion on them has changed.