Buying a NEW violin: How Much? What Kind?

How Much Does a New Violin Cost?

What Kind of Violin Should I Buy?


I put these two questions on the same page because in many ways they are the same question. As with many products, violins available for purchase range from below low-end all the way up to rare, incredibly expensive one-of-a-kind masterpieces.


Beginning students will obviously be looking for instruments on the lower end of this scale. With these types of instruments you generally get what you pay for, so it is important to know what you want from the instrument.


Also keep in mind that the CASE, BOW, and STRINGS are items that are usually sold with the violin. It is worth considering the value of these items and their functionality: for example, when the zippers and handles on a violin case fall off or stop working, the likelihood of damage to the instrument inside increases dramatically. Very inexpensive strings are painful for a beginner and sound very harsh when played. A beginner who is in pain and fighting bad-sounding strings is much more likely to quit than someone who has an instrument that is easier to play.


With that being said, I have had students be very successful using poor instruments and others quit within a few months using high quality instruments. There are exceptions to every rule.

The information below is my OPINION based on observations over quite a few years of teaching violin.


ANY TYPE of violin is welcome in my class: this info is to help you make the choice that is right for you.


On with the info:

There are four main price points for beginner student violins. I list some brand names as examples. I am NOT familiar with every brand: these are the ones I most commonly see in my classrooms. These are included to give you a point of reference when you look around and compare prices.

A note about staying in tune: all string instruments need to be tuned regularly. Once tuned they should stay relatively in tune for the rest of the day or even a few days. When I say that an instrument rarely stays in tune I mean that it is usually out of tune by the end of the day or even by the end of the class.

1) Below Low-end: Right around $100.00 or less. Sample brand: Kapok

  • These are generally considered VSOs (Violin Shaped Objects) rather than true instruments and need to be brought to a repairperson to swap out strings, tailpiece, bridge, and tuners in order to be playable
  • Most "great internet deals" fall into this category
  • Most 'coloured' violins also fall into this category. I do have one student with a tunable, playable pink violin, but she took hers to a repairperson to get it in working order.
  • Very difficult to tune, rarely stay in tune for the duration of the class
  • Strings are usually painful to use
  • Cases need to be looked after VERY carefully in order to be kept in good working order.

2) Low-end: $125-$225. Sample brands: Menzel, Skylark, Stentor (not Stentor II)

  • Playable
  • Ability to be tuned is inconsistent: some are fine, but about 30% are very difficult to tune. About 50% do not stay in tune very well, which affects at-home practice more than in-class use.
  • Fine tuners and tuning pegs often have to be repaired or replaced by a repairperson
  • Strings are low quality: they are not usually painful but are often harsh sounding
  • Zippers & handles on cases often break: they need to be looked after VERY carefully in order to be kept in good working order.
  • Age poorly: many parts need replacing after a couple of years

3) Higher low-end: $250 - $400. Sample brands: Stentor II (I don't know any others in this range: let me know if you have one so I can take a look at it)

  • Very playable
  • Often difficult to tune, especially for students learning to tune on their own: at least 50% of the Stentor II violins I encounter seem to have fine tuners that do not work well & need to be replaced
  • Strings still usually low-quality: harsh sounding but not painful
  • Cases hold up pretty well: about 15% zipper/handle issues but that could be from exceptional kid wear & tear.
  • Age better than low-end but after 3-4 years parts often start to need replacing

4) Mid-range: $425 - $600 Yamaha, Carlton, Eastman, Schoenbach

  • Very playable
  • Easily tuned, consistently stay in tune
  • Strings slightly higher quality than low-end
  • Cases usually excellent quality with many good-sized storage compartments inside case
  • Age very well, with few parts needing to be replaced even after 5 years (bridge may be exception: regardless of quality, most will warp if players do not make sure bridge is kept upright under the strings.)
  • Bows usually better quality than low-end

Which one is my favourite?

Remember: this is just my personal opinion.

Yamaha and Eastman come out about equally on top for me. I like the sound of the Eastman a little better but Yamaha has the case I like the best. To be honest, the Carltons and Schoenbachs come pretty close, so I don't have a clear favourite.

For beginning players, I like to suggest renting a mid-range instrument. That way you get mid-range quality without shelling out mid-range bucks. If your kid sticks with it, the rental money can be applied to purchase. See Rent or Buy for more info.