Buying a violin is an expensive and serious decision that violinists have to make a few times throughout their lives.
To an inexperienced person, violins may look the same but they are not. They all come with different features and each kind is ideal for a particular set of individuals. The influx of various violin brands in the last couple of years has toughened the decision-making process, especially for beginners.
Having a hard time picking the best violin for all of your needs? Fortunately, this buying guide will review some of the best violins for anyone seeking to own this beautiful instrument.
Best Violin for Your Needs
1. The Stentor 1400 Violin
In addition to being an ideal beginner violin, the Stentor 1400 has also been designed for kids. Depending on your needs, you may decide to get a smaller sized one for you and your kids.
Generally, beginners are taught how to properly hold a violin and how to stand accurately when holding and playing this beautiful musical instrument. Beginners are also taught how to hold one string at a time, which means that they do not need to get one of the very expensive and high-end violins to start out with.
The Stentor 1400 makes it incredibly easy for anyone, regardless of age, to master and immediately begin playing the violin.
Like most of the violins available for purchase on the market, this product is made from maple and spruce. Its fingerboard, like the other violins, is made from blackened rosewood, which is an ideal material for fingerboards.
While ebony material would be preferred for the fingerboard, we can’t really complain. This product is incredibly cheap for a violin, as beautiful as this. Unlike most of the beginner violins that will require you to spend huge sums getting them, the brand behind this product has made this violin affordable for everyone.
In addition to all of the amazing features of this product, it comes with a bow and a lightweight case for safely packing to prevent damage of any sort.
Specifications –
- Brand: Stentor
- Weight: 4.25 pounds
- Material: maple and spruce
- Fingerboard material: blackened rosewood
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- It comes in different sizes
- It is quite affordable
- It comes with a lightweight case
- Ideal for everyone, regardless of age and size
- Offers you everything you need to master the basics of playing the violin
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- Not made from the best materials available
- Doesn’t offer the same quality of sound as higher-end violins
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2. D Z Strad Violin (600) Antique Finish
Over the years, D Z Strad, the manufacturers of this amazing product, has been known as one of the best brands in the industry. Unlike the other brands, D Z Strad has incorporated tons of amazing features into its range of beautiful violins.
This product has an amazing design and feel. Made from maple and Engelmann spruce, this is one of the most durable intermediate violins out there. Unlike other products, the tonewood used in the production of this product has been naturally dried for about 15 years. This makes it incredibly durable.
Also unlike most models of violins, the neck of this best intermediate violin has been designed to be as comfortable as possible.
When it comes to sound, this product has a beautiful high-end sound quality that is unmatched. It is ideal for both jazz and classical music. Regardless of what you’re looking for in a violin, this best intermediate violin is ideal for you.
Like most of the other high-end violins, the D Z Strads does not come cheap. There are other good choices if these don’t fit. Check them out here for more choices on the best violin set for beginner and intermediate players.
Specifications –
- Brand: D Z Strads
- Weight: 5.5 pounds
- Material: maple and spruce
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- Made with quality materials
- Ideal for all your violin needs
- Offers you superior audio quality
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- It is quite expensive
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3. Yamaha Electric Violin (YEV105BL)
The Yamaha Electric Violin which has been built to have a teardrop shape, a foremost feature of a modern and advanced violin. Great care was taken in the production of this violin to ensure that it does not look like every other violin available in the market. It has been built with the utmost originality possible, with its only traditional feature being the keyboard
Aside from its beautiful design, this electric violin is incredibly easy to make use of, thus, making it ideal for both beginners and advanced players.
Unlike the other violins, this Yamaha Electric Violin does not require you to purchase a headphone, preamps, etc., it only works with an amplifier.
While this product is one of the best in the market and one that will catch your eye, it does have a downside. This electric violin does not come with additional accessories. You will need to separately purchase these other items yourself. To learn more about electric violins, check out the article here.
Specifications –
- Brand: Yamaha
- Weight: 2.5 pounds
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- Does not require much experience to play
- It is a well-designed violin
- Offers you strong and rich sound quality
- It is lightweight and super easy to make use of
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- No accessories included
- Is quite expensive
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Best Violin Accessories
1. D’Addario Kaplan Rosin (with case) for Violin
The violin is no different from other quality musical instruments. Without opting for the best violin rosin for your musical instrument, the bow automatically begins to add more pressure than needed to the strings, in the process causing what is referred to as ‘lousy tonality’.
To prevent this, you must go for the best rosin available on the market. To save you time, D’Addario, one of the leading brands in the industry, has manufactured one of the finest violin rosins available.
Being a premium product, this rosin has been made from an authentic and high-quality Kaplan recipe. In addition to this, this product has been made with high-end materials responsible for the production of less dust while ensuring that this musical tool is clean.
Aside from its unmatched cleaning features, the D’Addario Kaplan Rosin comes in a well-designed and incredibly gorgeous case that affords you the rare opportunity to use it with just one hand.
Specifications –
- Brand: D’Addario
- Weight: 2.4 ounces
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- Tends to reduce the pressure mounted on the strings
- It is quite affordable
- Produces less dust compared to other products
- Made by one of the biggest brands in the industry
- Made from high-quality materials, thus, making it durable
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- It is quite small
- Quite difficult to make use of, especially when you are in a rush
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2. D’Addario Ascente String for Violin (4/4)
Built with everything you would expect a violin string to have, this product has been said to make excellent differences in training. They are capable of moving you from being a novice to an expert violin player.
One of the core features that stand out when you first begin making use of this product is its beautiful design. It has been designed to meet the needs of a violin teacher, taking into consideration some of the challenges they encounter in the course of carrying out their jobs.
Built to allow students to advance in their training, this product also helps them become more accurate players. In all, there are tons of benefits to choosing this product over some of the others on the market at the moment.
In addition to the amazing features mentioned, this string, arguably one of the best violin strings, has a synthetic core design that ensures durability. Aside from being super durable, this product offers pitch stability, a rare violin string feature.
The most interesting feature of this product is its moderate price. Albeit offering you tons of features, it’s affordable for most consumers – and even for those who may be on a tighter budget.
If you are interested in the electric violins, you may want to consider these strings for electric violins here.
Specifications –
- Brand: D’Addario
- Weight: 0.64 ounces
- Material: m-steel
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- Comes with all of the features to help you advance
- It is quite affordable
- Made with quality and super durable materials
- Enables you to strike even the most difficult strings with ease
- Superb bow response
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- While these strings can be used by advanced violinists, they are best for beginners
- Some users have complained of an inadequate diameter
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VIEW ON AMAZON3. KLIQ UberTuner for Violin
Unlike any of the tuners available for purchase, the KLIQ UberTuner is super reliable, versatile, and convenient. In addition to all of these amazing features, this product has an easy to use chromatic display.
With the help of this display screen, those with little or no knowledge of tuning a violin, as well as other musical instruments, can easily tune one.
One of the challenges most violin players have is playing accurately in the dark. This product seeks to solve that problem by incorporating a bright display that will enable you to practice and play this beautiful instrument even in the darkest corners.
Another interesting feature of this product is its microprocessor and Piezo sensor that has been attached.
As clearly mentioned earlier, this is a super versatile tuner that can be used for your violin, guitar, ukulele, etc. If you or someone that owns two different musical instruments, then you may consider getting this product due to its overall versatility.
Specifications –
- Brand: KLIQ
- Weight: 0.81 ounces
Pros –
- It is a versatile violin tuner
- It is durable
- Comes with a chromatic display which helps to simplify the tuning process
- Ideal for beginners and expert players
- Comes with a microprocessor and Piezo sensor
4. Aileen Violin Hard Case (4/4 Full Luxury Case)
The Aileen Violin Hard Case is everything you could want in a violin case. It is sturdy, durable, and capable of safely accommodating your instrument.
One of the most interesting things we discovered about this amazing violin case is its modern design. While most of the other violin cases on the market all have a mundane and traditional design, the Aileen Violin Hard Case takes things up a notch by offering you one of the best designs. It’s available in four contemporary color options including purple, white, dark black, and dark gray.
You can conveniently wear this case like you wear your guitar. You can either decide to carry this just as you would your travel guitar or carry it in a suitcase fashion. Regardless of the option you choose, this case allows you to do as you deem fit.
Another core feature of this case is its lightweight design. Great care has been taken in the production of this instrument case to ensure that it is easy for anyone to carry around hassle-free.
The inside of this case is large enough to accommodate not just the violin but also key accessories like bows, tuners, and so forth. Furthermore, this product has a humidity monitoring device, which helps to keep your violin in a perfect condition, thereby extending its overall lifespan.
You may also want to check out our best selections of violin cases here.
Specifications –
- Brand: Aileen
- Weight: 6.04 pounds
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- It is quite affordable
- It offers you tons of carrying options to choose from
- Comes with a humidity monitoring device
- It is particularly durable
- It is a well-designed violin case
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- When compared to the other products, it does not offer enough storage space
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Buyer’s Guide
Getting your hands on one of the best violin products, whether it be the best student violin or the best violin case, has become a herculean task for almost everyone in this industry.
The massive influx of various brands into the musical industry, while it has created healthy competition amongst manufacturers, has also made it quite difficult for players (both advanced and beginners) to pick out the best violin and violin accessories for their needs.
While we have reviewed some of the best violins and accessories you can get your hands on, there are a couple of factors you need to take into consideration when choosing a violin.
These factors include:
Should You Rent or Buy?
There are actually two ways you can own a violin, either you outrightly purchase one or you rent one from one of the rental stores around you.
You’re probably wondering if there’s any significant difference in these two options, or if there is a better choice between the two – and we believe there is. To start off, if you’re renting a violin to use for an event or something of that nature, you need to first understand what you are looking for.
Since you would be needing it for a one-time event, the features you have to look out for will slightly differ depending on the type of event you are playing at.
For outright buyers, the features will definitely depend on your level of expertise. If you are an advanced player, you will definitely opt for these high-end violins that come with superior sound quality and are mostly expensive. Beginners, on the other hand, may decide to opt for violins such as the Stentor 1400, which is an ideal beginner violin.
For those new to playing the violin, renting is your best bet since you won’t have to commit to such a large purchase. On the other hand, if you are experienced or you are just starting out and you know you’ll be playing the violin for years to come, purchasing your own is a viable option.
Know What Level You Are Currently
When choosing a violin, it is important that you take into consideration what level or player category you fall into.
Currently, there are three distinct categories: student or beginner, intermediate, and professional.
For students or beginners, their violins are mostly made with some of the lower quality wood and materials available. They are mainly handcrafted and the overall finishing comes in plastic and other non-durable materials.
These designs and features make these beginner or student violins ideal for individuals that may have an interest in playing this beautiful instrument, but aren’t ready to make a commitment. Beginner violins are also the most affordable.
Intermediate violins, on the other hand are violins that are particularly ideal for individuals looking for something better than a student violin. These violins are ideal for students that have made remarkable advancements in the course of their study but cannot afford to get one of these professional violins.
Professional violins are as the name implies. They are made for professionals or expert players. They are made from some of the best materials available and usually cost thousands of dollars. They also offer a superior sound quality, better than anything any of the other violin sets may offer.
When choosing the best violin, it is best that you first understand your category, then go for one that suits you. For students, the Stentor 1400 is arguably the best student violin available right now.
Height of the Player
Like any other musical instrument you may think of, violins come in different sizes. There are tons of violins for adults and children alike.
When getting a violin, you need to take into consideration the height of the player. You can determine the height of a player by measuring the base of his or her neck down to their palm. This must be done with the arms fully outstretched.
The neck to wrist measurement is another ideal way to determine the best violin for you or your loved ones. Fortunately, most of the violins available today come in different sizes, making it easier for you to pick.
The Entire Set-up Process
Unbeknownst to most people, the set-up process affects the tonal quality of a violin.
Surprisingly, a great set-up is capable of offering you superior audio quality. While a great set-up process would not automatically change a violin made from poor materials, it can help boost its overall sound.
There are a couple of areas you need to take into consideration when setting up a violin. These include:
- Strings – Most violinists have enjoyed using strings that are made from synthetic core materials. They are incredibly more responsive than the regular string.
- Bridge – The Bridge has been identified to affect the overall playability of this beautiful instrument. Generally, the bridge should fit perfectly to the violin’s top plate. Here are the best violin bridges that we recommend. Please take a look.
- Nut – Being a core component of a violin, the nut should be properly set-up to guarantee better playability.
Conclusion
Getting the best violin and its many accessories has proven to be a difficult task for most people, even advanced players.
Our article has reviewed some of the best violins used by some of the best modern violinists. In addition to that, we have shared some of the factors to take into consideration when shopping for any of these violins. Please look at our valuable violin product reviews here.
