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Purchasing the right violin can be time consuming and costly. Making sure you are well prepared and have done some research will help to make it fun too! First, decide how much money you want to spend, if you are buying an instrument for a child, take their level of age, ability and commitment into consideration. Contact instrument dealers, makers and music shops in the area and ask if they have instruments in your price range and make an appointment to go and see them. If you (or your child) is a member of the fiddle workshop or other music group, ask around if anyone is selling an instrument. Also ask your tutor if they or any of their pupils have a suitable instrument for sale. Always take the advice of your tutor on the type of instrument you should be buying, they know your abilities best and will be able to give the best advice about size. If possible take someone, whose opinion you value, with you to hear the tone of the violins you try and perhaps for them to play while you listen. A reputable shop should allow you a violin on approval or for a reasonable time with money back guarantee. Make sure you take them up on this and try the violin at home and with your tutor. |
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As a general rule you get what you pay for - cheaper instruments will not have as good a tone as more expensive ones, but try them out to make sure you are getting a sound you can live with. Student instruments are generally intended as starter or intermediate instruments until a player is ready for a professional one. Most student instruments or instruments at the lower end of the price range are made from machine cut wood and then hand finished. Hand made instruments are usually completely hand carved and hand finished. Hand made instruments from master luthiers (violin makers) have a high value and usually have a much better tone. If buying new, make sure that the instrument is properly set up with good strings - a poor setup can greatly affect the sound of the violin. If you can, buy a violin that has been set up by a luthier and not a factory set up. Remember the bow will also make a difference to the playability of the violin - if you have a favorite bow take it with you or try out a few in the shop. An expensive violin with an inexpensive bow will not sound it's best. Many new violins are sold as 'outfits' and come complete with case and bow, check pricing carefully - if you need to get a better bow to add to your outfit or want a different case you may be able to get a better deal buying the items separately, or there may be upgrades available always remember to ask. A reputable shop should allow you a violin on approval or for a reasonable time with money back guarantee. Make sure you take them up on this and try the violin at home and with your tutor. |
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The tone of a violin improves with age. the more an instrument has been played the better it will sound, so buying a used instrument can provide an instrument with a much better tone that a new one. Beware of buying used violins of inferior quality as there was a time when mass market violins from Asia were of very poor quality. If buying a second hand violin then always ask for a trial period. Get someone knowledgeable to look it over and listen to it. If possible take it to a dealer and ask what you would have to pay to replace it (not what they would pay for it). Remember you may need to add the cost of a new set up and strings to the cost of the instrument as well as any repairs or renewals that are required. Cost these before buying. Violin Body: Look for splits and cracks in the wood. Well repaired cracks may not affect the tone of the instrument but make sure there are no cracks under the foot of the bridge over the sound post (this is inside the violin under the right hand side of the bridge), this is the area of most stress and cracks are notoriously difficult to keep stable. Varnish: Varnish wear is normal and can enhance the appearance of the instrument and is not something to be overly worried about. Seams: Check for any open seams - look carefully all round the violin. as well as down the centre of the front and back. Fingerboard: A well played violin will show wear and perhaps discolouration on the fingerboard but it may need 're shot' if uneven playing areas have worn. Strings: Unless it has recently been restrung for selling then it is likely that new strings will be needed. Pegs: The pegs should fit snugly in their holes and should be flush at their ends. If they push too far through the holes they will need replaced and the holes may need re bushing. The pegs should also turn smoothly and stay seated. Labels: Labels in violins can be misleading - if it says Stradivarius or Amati or Guarnerius then it usually means made 'in the style of', it is highly unlikely that it was actually made by one of the great masters. Sometimes the label will give you accurate information but in older violins it is usual for the label to show the type of violin rather than give information about it's actual origin. Also many labels in violins are fakes, if you are offered something that is supposedly genuine, make sure you have it appraised properly - all the big auction houses and reputable dealers will do this free of charge. |
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There are two main ways to buy online - from an online shop or from an online auction. Online store: Advantages
Online store: Disadvantages
Online Auction - Everyone likes a bargain and there are auction sites online that can give you just that - but beware, you could end up paying a lot of money for something that you don't like or is worthless. Below are some tips to help the unwary, but like buying at any auction 'caveat emptor' let the buyer beware applies. If the seller is a UK trader you have some protection, but if you are buying from an individual and the goods match the description and not your expectations there is little you can do about it.
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Bows are made from wood, carbon fire or a composite material. Wood bows are made from a variety of woods, brazil wood being the most common and pernambucco the best quality. Good quality brazil wood can be better than poor quality pernambucco so wood type is not always an indication of quality. Composite bows are improving all the time and can give a fairly decent quality at a lower price. Carbon fibre bows tend to be expensive and not to everyone's taste but can be an excellent choice for a professional. New: Price is a guide as to quality when buying from a shop - make sure you play try out as many bows as possible on your own violin or on a violin you would like. Used: Check the straightness of the stick along it's length - it should be completely straight. Names on bows are often faked when sold through auctions be aware of this and don't take the name as gospel. Remember to bear in mind you may need to factor in the cost of re-hairing a bow to the price. An excellent article on Bows can be found here. |
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This is intended as a guide only. violin sizes are not standardised and vary between makers smaller sizes vary more than larger sizes. To gauge the size of violin measure is from the neck down to the wrist when the arm is extended perpendicular to the body. This measurement represents the ideal overall length of the violin that should be selected. |
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Copyright Cowal Fiddle Workshop 2004 |
