Purchasing a violin is a significant and costly decision for a novice or expert musician. Violins may appear identical to the untrained eye. But there are many violin variations in terms of size, quality, manufacture, and size.
If you are a novice to violins, finding the most suitable option for your needs can be daunting. Luckily, reading several violin reviews will assist you in finding the most suitable violin.
Budget Violin Reviews
This guide aims to assist violin players in making the best choice when choosing the best violin brands. Without further ado, below is an in-depth review of the top violins on the market.
Due to the sheer volume of violin brands available on the market, choosing the best brand that meets your needs can be overwhelming. It can be tough to know which brands are good and violin brands to avoid. Luckily, our team of experts has scoured the internet to find the best violins for the money. We have taken into consideration a wide variety of factors, including the quality and affordability of violins. Here are our top recommendations.
1. Cecilio CVN-300 Violin
Ideal for violinists of all levels, Cecilio CVN-300 Violin, is our top pick when choosing the best violin. It gives the best value for your money as it comes with several premium quality features that many other brands do not have.
This instrument is built with the novice violinist in mind, and it comes with a beautiful antique varnish finish. It also features ebony fittings and fingerboards and impressive resonance and tone. To this end, the CVN 300 is a reliable, durable, effective, and capable musical instrument.
It produces superb clarity, exceptional responsiveness, a sturdy spruce top, and a pleasant bright and warm tone. In turn, beginners have an instrument with which they may comfortably improve their talents.
2. 114VN Knilling Violin
Knilling is among the most renowned violin brands for beginners, according to many expert violin teachers. It is also among the world’s major brands when it comes to making student string instruments. These instruments come with premium materials and artistry, as well as high-grade components. In turn, they ensure hassle-free tuning, exceptional sound quality, and practical playing.
The Knilling 114VN type is a fantastic violin for beginners since it is a cost-effective instrument that is adjustable even by inexperienced players. It features a smooth spruce top, maple neck, ribs, scrolls, and solid carved maple back. The violin is also entirely carved and graded for a beautiful tone. It also comes with D’Addario Prelude steel-core strings and inbuilt tuners, as well as ebony pegs, fingerboard, and saddle.
This model contains an authentic white horsehair Brazilwood bow complete with rosin and ebony frog. As a result, it is among the finest beginning violins to tune and play. Its packaging includes a lined inner build, a corresponding blanket, and a carved case with a zipped cover. It also comes with other accessories and two bow holders in its packaging.
3. Stentor 1500 Violin
The Stentor 1500 l is a superb instrument for novice players as it is among the top student violin companies. This model creates a pleasant tone and is easy to play. The violin is also among the most outstanding student violin recommended by violin instructors.
To this end, this premium quality musical instrument has a sturdy maple back and a solid granular spruce top. It is handcrafted and comes with complete ebony fittings. It has a wooden chin rest, red label strings, a nylon tailpiece loop, and a four-tuner alloy tailpiece.
This violin is an outstanding violin for beginners for the money when it comes to quality and cost. But, setting up the bridge and tuning the instrument may be tricky for beginners. Luckily, it should be simple for expert players. Please note that this vibrant instrument holds its tuning far better than other low-cost models in this price range. It also includes a lightweight case and a horsehair bow complete with an ebony frog, rosin.
4. SV-500 Cremona Violin
Due to its playability, Cremona is well-known for creating some of the most excellent violins for beginners. It features a more straightforward user experience, which will inspire novice musicians to continue improving their skills.
Strings Magazine recommends this specific model as a suitable choice for a second or even first violin option. Considering its price, it produces excellent sound, has impressive playability, and has high-quality craftsmanship. The violin features a superb tone quality for the novice or expert learner.
Because of its tone compared to its affordability, this model is known as being the most compatible starter violin. It provides resonant and balanced warm tones. The model comes with sturdy and handcrafted spruce with solid maple and red-brown varnish.
It also comes with ebony fittings in the Swiss style. The violin also features a lightweight tailpiece and an ebony fingerboard for more precise tuning. It has a luxury Brazilwood bow, a chin rest in the Stradivarius style, and an oblong case.
5. Mendini by Cecilio Violin MV500
Generally, the Mendini MV500 is a premium quality violin for intermediate players and even beginners. It features a sturdy handcrafted one-piece maple back, sides, and neck. It also has a solid handmade neat top complete with a varnish finishing. The violin has four fine tuners with an ebony tailpiece, pegs, and fingerboard.
When it comes to aesthetics, this MV-500 is among the most impressive beginner violins. As such, it rivals the appearances of more sophisticated string instruments. The bridge is already in place when the unit arrives. After the first usage, it gradually opens up its tone and may stay tuned up for weeks.
The MV500 comes with two bows made from premium quality Brazilwood. The bows have pure Mongolian horsehair and a metronome from the Cecilio 92D string tuning device. It also features rosin cake, two bridges, shoulder rest, extra strings, and a lightweight, protective case, making it one of the finest beginning violins to buy.
Factors to take into account when buying a violin?
Before selecting the most suitable violin for the money, there are a few crucial considerations. They include:
• Budget: Some people often wonder “are cheap violins any good?” Well, there are some good bargains, but you usually get what you pay for. It is a good idea to set a budget before you start looking for a violin. Remember that you will almost certainly need to purchase a violin bow and case separately, so include that into your budget as well. If you set a budget, you can limit your search by eliminating instruments out of your price range.
• Quality: It is critical to know what to look for in terms of quality and select a budget. After all, you do not want to be duped into paying a premium amount for a low-quality violin. Ensure that the instrument’s construction and structure are in good working order. When you apply pressure to a high-quality violin, it should not appear distorted or squeak.
• Used or new: You have two choices when buying a violin: You may buy a brand-new violin or a secondhand violin. If you are on a set budget, purchasing a used violin can be the best option. Make sure you do your homework to ensure the instrument is in good operating order and that you are getting the most value for your money. Remember, you may always start with a used student violin and work your way up as you gain experience with other violin brands.
• Sizes: Violins come in various sizes. Violins in the sizes 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/10, 1/16, and 1/32 are available for youngsters. You can accurately measure a violin’s size in two ways. Measure from the neck’s base to the wrist or the middle of the palm with the violinist’s left arm fully stretched away from their body. The neck-to-wrist measurement determines the student’s most comfortable violin size.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is a good violin for the price?
If you are searching for the top violin for the money, the Cecilio CVN-300 Violin is the way to go. It comes with many extras that offer you a lot more bang for your buck. But, the best violin for the money is one that meets your needs and your budget.
What brand of violin is best?
All in all, the recommendations above are a worthy investment. We sought models that sounded as good as they looked while collecting our top options. We chose models that had been meticulously developed and delivered consistent outcomes. We think Cecilio is a fantastic brand for all skill levels.
What is a good price for an intermediate violin?
Violins of a good quality start at $500 and go up from there, depending on the violin brand. It really depends on the specific brand and the accessories that are included. So the price can vary quite a bit.