VIOLIN FAQ: 20 Answers to Common New Violinist Questions

Getting started on any instrument is the hardest part. But the good news is that there are more resources freely available than ever for beginner violinists. The approaches to instruction are increasingly tailored to the student. And a good quality instrument may be researched online ahead of time, then found in stores and online faster than ever.

If you or your child are just getting started on violin, get acquainted with the parts of a violin, learn about choosing the right violin for a child. With the help of this guide, you’ll discover what the various tools should be considered for students starting out.

Here are answers to 20 commonly asked questions for violin beginners.

Table of Contents:

1. What are the parts of a violin?

The sound box, featuring the famous f-shaped holes above and below the strings, is the main body of a violin. It is the ‘belly’ of the instrument because it is hollow and the source of the rich, pleasing sounds made when it is played. Woods like spruce are often used by luthiers—people who craft stringed instruments—and inside are a series of arches that bind and reinforce the body. A hard wood like maple is typically used for the arches.

The chin rest is the cup-like plate mounted on the bottom, front-facing side of the sound box. Some models also have a shoulder rest but they are not required, although a chin rest is standard.

From the bottom, the tailpiece also is mounted which is where the strings are anchored. Some violins feature 4 fine-tunings knobs on the tailpiece.

Just above the tailpiece, the bridge acts to raise, support, and hold the strings in place. It also spaces them apart. Bridges are not glued into place, and the first few times you string a violin, you will learn that there are techniques to get the bridge in place as the strings are tuned.

The f-holes on either side of the bridge emit the sound of the violin from out of the sound box.

The top-side of the long neck of the violin is the fingerboard. Some call it the fretboard, but that is a term for other stringed instruments, like guitars; violinists term it the fingerboard.

Above the fingerboard are 4 pegs. These are used to wind the strings and hold them in tune. Unlike guitars, which have tuners that feature machined parts and pieces, the pegs of a violin simply fit into the holes and are gently tapped into place.

Lastly, the top of the violin is called the scroll. Thought to be merely ornamental—and they are attractive carvings—they can serve to hook the violin when it is not being played.

2. What’s the difference between a violin and a fiddle?

Classical players call their violins a “fiddle” to be affectionate. In the U.S., a fiddle is not so much a different instrument as it is a different style of playing. Fiddling has its roots in Irish, Scottish, and French traditional music that have descended into bluegrass, Appalachian, Cajun, and other styles.

3. What size violin does my child need?

There are about 9 different sizes of violins for players from one-year old to adult. It is not so much the child’s age as it is the length of his or her arms. Best bet is to consult with the instructor because some have opinions—in addition to a lot of experience—as to what size violin to start with.

Briefly, here’s some basics:

• Age 11+ with 23”+ arm length: 4/4 or Full Size
• Small teen or adult, 22” or less arm, small hands: 7/8
• Age 9-12 with 21.5”-22”: 3/4

Younger than 9 with arms shorter than 21”, the sizes descend based on age and about 1-1.5” in arm length as follows: 1/8, 1/10, 1/16, and then 1/32, which would be for little tykes having arms less than 14” long.

4. What is the Suzuki Method?

The Suzuki method is a way of going about teaching, and it was developed in the mid-20th century by a Japanese pedagogue who happened to be a violist, named Shinichi Suzuki. Born in 1898, Suzuki lived 100 years—long enough to have seen his approach to teaching and curriculum for music adapted internationally. He was inspired following WWII in efforts to rebuild Japan.

Suzuki’s philosophy is that children can learn an instrument much the way they learn their native language: small steps, one thing at a time. So, by using a kind of linguistic approach and making the learning of the violin and music “bite sized,” as we might say today,” very young child could participate and gain meaningful skills at a very early age.

Sale

Suzuki Violin School, Vol 1: Violin Part

Suzuki Violin School, Vol 1

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Suzuki Violin School, Vol 2: Violin Part

Many people equate violin instruction and terms like Suzuki to mean a child can be a prodigy. Quite the opposite, Suzuki’s mission was to help foster in children “noble hearts.”

Suzuki once famously said, “I want to make good citizens.

5. Where can I find free violin sheet music?

Honestly, if you search online, there is all kinds of free sheet music. Much of the classical music and common folk songs are in the public domain, so you’re not doing anything wrong by visiting those sites.

You can find Pachelbel’s Canon in D, Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, Schubert’s Andante for Trio Sonata Op. 99, and so on. The real question is how and when the beginning violinist will be ready to tackle some of this music.

6. What fingerings should I use for scales?

As the player gets going, learns to read notes, and so forth, there are loads of free sheet music. If an instructor is not being used, one place to visit is https://www.pinterest.com/pin/534028468296173436/. There you will find major and minor scales, and even very simple illustration for newbies to visualize per finger on the fingerboard how to get started on scales.

7. How much should I practice?

The great Leopold Auer was once asked this question. Auer responded: “Practice with your fingers and you need all day. Practice with your mind and you will do as much in 1-1/2 hours.” Many will tell you that practicing more than 4 hours in any one day means you’re not doing it right—and you need to let the mind and body rest, to internalize what worked and what did not, and to let muscle memory take root.

8. Do I have to use a shoulder rest?

Violinists still debate this, but the bottom line is you do not need a shoulder rest to play the violin. What is it? It is like a padded bar attached to the back of the body, meant to support the instrument over the should of the players.

9. What type of shoulder rest should I use?

There are many on the market, so when it comes to shoulder rests, it may be best to go to a music store or seek input from the instructor—if they even want the student to have one. Here is an article that may be more helpful: http://consordini.com/best-violin-shoulder-rests/

10. What is the best type of metronome to get?

Metronomes are tools used to keep time while you are practicing. An infinite variety of options are out there. Some are electronic and have drum patterns. Others are the simplest, old-fashioned variety requiring no batteries; you wide them up and they tick-tock away. What you choose is a matter of budget and what the student will find engaging and effective. They can cost as little as $10 or $20 and as much as $125 or more.

For beginners, start with something relatively simple and low cost. Digital products are likely best for today’s learners. You put in a battery, don’t need to worry about winding and re-winding them, and they have at least a few varieties of sounds or beats.

11. What is rosin?

Rosin is used for bowed, string instruments in the form of cakes or blocks. These are used on bow hair so the bow’s strings have increased friction—they can grip the strings and make them vibrate more clearly.

12. What type of rosin should be used?

Here again, there are so many brands and varieties, over time you will narrow down what is preferred. Generally, the darker the color, the softer and stickier; and, the lighter, the less so. A harder-feeling rosin is easier to clean than sticker ones, because it isn’t as powdery. But the sound is not as good as the darker, softer rosins. So, you will want to explore how much the sound matters, the feel of the bow in terms of the level of friction, and the factor of cleaning up of the instrument.

13. What are the best strings for my violin?

There are many on the market. Often, lower cost beginner violins come with lower grade strings. Poor strings—and poor stringing of the violin—lead to frustration and disappointment out of the gates. Not wanting to endorse any one brand, it is noted that D’Addario Prelude Violin Strings are very commonly used. If you research that set and those that pop-up along with them, you are zero-ing in on strings that walk the line between a nice sound and greater playability.

14. How often should violin strings be changed?

Well, here, the laws of use and disuse are at play. The more you play the violin, the more you may sense that the resonance is not as full as it once was. Or, you may even see some wear and tear, or wearing down on common positions of strings on the fingerboard.

As a rule of thumb, perhaps put into your cell phone calendar to change strings every 3 to 6 months as a habit. Early in the career of the new player, it is just too hard for you or for them to tell when it is time. So, entering a repeating “appointment” to change strings, say, every 4 months keeps the instrument on the top of its game.

15. What is the best chin rest?

Frisch, a Virginia-based violin maker, has this to say: “There’s this idea that by clenching the instrument, the left hand is freer for better shifting and for producing vibrato. It seems logical, but most people with really good vibratos have told us, ‘No, you really have to have your shoulder free.’”

Some teachers have a traditional notion that a good chin rest is one whereby the player can clench the violin in position without aide of the fingering hand. Well, more recent thoughts are that a design that may be a bit more open—less of a deep cup, less sharp contouring—can lead to healthier postures and variations in the shoulders, reducing fatigue and enabling better vibrato.

16. What edition of music should I use?

Despite ambitions to jump right into Bach, there are old standards, tied-and-true, that beginners will recognize and find simpler to learn. Here’s just a few examples to give you the idea:

• “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
• “Hot Cross Buns (round)”
• “Go Tell Aunt Rhody”
• “Frère Jacques” (Brother John – round)
• “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” (round)”
• “Have You Seen the Ghost of John” (round)
• “London Bridge is Falling Down”

17. What recordings are good to listen to?

Without a doubt, playing violin music in the home, even as background to homework or dinner, can attune the beginner to familiarity and appreciate for the wonderful sounds and dynamic ranges of music they could enjoy and eventually learn to play. Pick what you like at first and let the player also explore your collection or an online radio channel that randomly plays violin-based solos and ensembles.

Also, as painful as it may sound in the beginning, recording a practice now and then is helpful. The learner comes to understand it is not a critical exercise and that listening to how he or she really sounds is a constructive way to say, “Oh, yeah, that note really needs some work.”

It is not constructive to berate and incessantly point out each and everything that was wrong—anymore than it is to pretend the practice sounded perfect. The goal is to develop good habits of listening skills, so the student can learn from their own strengths and opportunities to improve.

18. Do you have to be right handed to play violin?

Nope. There are instruments designed or configured for left-handed players.

19. How do I keep my violin from falling out of tune?

First, properly stringing the instrument is important. Perhaps bring it into a store or find a friend who knows how it is done the right way. Watch them and learn; there are little tricks to stringing violins, dealing with the unglued bridge, and getting the pegs set into place firmly.

The peg, by far, is the most important element. The wedge effect of the peg, which is narrow at one end and grows gradually fatter, is what keeps strings in tune. Humidity can affect the pegs and the scroll, because wood reacts to humidity. That alone can “untune” the violin. So, learning to wedge the pegs more and more firmly into the holes, as the tuning reaches the right pitch, is the art of tuning.

20. What is the best way to hold a violin?

For the left, or playing hand:

• You elbow remains under the center of the violin.
• Your wrist is gently rounded.
• Avoid resting your wrist on the neck of the violin.
• Your thumb is kept opposite the first or second finger.
• Create a curved, backwards C-shape in the open space between the thumb and index finger.

The posture should be standing, feet shoulder width apart, and your knees relaxed—not locked nervously into place. Perhaps put the left foot slightly forward.

When playing seated, use the chair as your base to sit straight. Some players lean forward to keep a straight back without as much weight on the spine, and place the left foot slightly forward for balance and reducing engagement of the thighs—which just adds up over time to fatigue and tension.

Learning how to read violin notes through sheet music is an extremely valuable skill, it will also allow you to play a variety of different instruments.;

It gives you a basic understanding of the sequence of music, the tempo, and so much more. However, there are many instruments, such as the violin, that have specialized notations to indicate specific playing techniques. Reading sheet music for the violin requires an understanding of where to put your fingers/hands, how to move the bow, and much more, to create the unique/beautiful sound of the violin.

Music Basics

First of all, you must learn the the basics of the staff and clef. The staff is the set of lines on the page where the notes are. The clef is the first mark on the staff, on the left-hand side. This tells you the musical register in which you are going to play.

Once you’ve learned the staff and clef, you must learn the names of the notes. The notes are the round circles on the lines or in the spaces of the staff. The notes that are in the spaces, from the bottom to the top spell FACE. The notes that are on the lines, from bottom to the top are E, G, B, D, F (my music teacher taught me to remember the sentence Every Good Boy Does Fine for the notes on the lines).

Now, you will learn the violin notes that correspond with the open strings, which is when you play a note without pressing down with your finger. A violin has four open note strings—E, A, D, and G—listed in order from thinnest—right to thickest—left when holding the violin in a playing position.

Next, if you want to be able to play more than just E, A, D, and G, you must press on the strings with your fingers. Therefore, you should number each of your fingers on your left hand as follows:

• Index finger- #1
• Middle finger- #2
• Ring finger- #3
• Pinky finger- #4

Best Selling Violin Books for Reference:

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Essential Elements for Strings - Violin Book 1...

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Suzuki Violin School, Vol 1: Violin Part

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I Can Read Music, Vol 1: Violin (For Violin)

Now, it’s time to learn how to finger the strings. As you place another finger on the string, the note of that string will go up in tone. For example, when you draw your bow across the “D” string, it plays the “D” note. When you place your index finger on it, you will be playing a “C#.” You will go the rest of the way up the scale by placing the rest of your fingers on the string, one by one.

Once you have your pinky finger on the “D” string, you will move to the next string, “A,” to play the next note in the scale. You’ll start just as you did above and play the string open (not pressed down) and then, one by one, add your finger to it.

Finally, when you are playing the violin, one hand will wrap around the neck so that you can press the strings with your fingers. you can play the strings closer to the peg box (the top of the neck), which is 1st position, or closer to the bridge (the body of the violin), in 3rd, 4th, or 5th positions. You will move your hand up or down the fingerboard depending on which position is indicated on the music by Roman numerals.

Violin Bow Movements

There are several symbols that indicate how you should play with the bow of the violin. When there is a “V” shaped marking under the note, it is showing that the bow movement should be upward. If you see a marking that resembles a table with legs, it is showing that the bow movement should be downward.

When you see an angle bracket symbol, such as >, this is an accent and tells you that the note needs to be played strongly. If you see a symbol that looks much like a thick comma, this indicates that the bow should be lifted and brought back to where it started.

In some music, there will be a notation that will show you which part of the bow should be used on a specific segment or note in the music. The following are the common initials used to do this:

• WB: whole
• LH: lower
• UH: upper
• MB: middle

Dynamics/Style Markings

In sheet music, you will also find what are known as dynamics and style markings. When you see the marking “vibr,” it should be played as vibrato. This is the warble effect when you are playing a note and can be achieved by bending/unbending your finger as you play.

When you see the marking “pizz,” it should be played as pizzicato, which is when you pluck the string with your finger. If you don’t see any obvious markings to indicate that you should play in “pizzicato” then play it as “arco,” which means using the bow to play.

In some music, pizzicato will be designated as “Bartok pizzicato” which is a symbol of a circle with a vertical line. This indicates that you should play the note with an extra snap by pinching the string between two fingers and letting it snap back.

Another common style of violin playing is tremolo; this is when you play rapid sounds as you pull the bow back and forth across the string(s). This is indicated with lines that are thick and short diagonals through the stem of the note or the note itself.

You must understand the style markings because they show you the mood that the music should be played in. You will typically find these indicated in Italian. Below are some of the common words you will see and their translation.

• Con – With
• Poco a poco – Little by little
• Meno mosso – Less movement
• Dolce – Sweetly
• Allegro – Quickly/lively

Finally, make sure that you are paying attention to the dynamics in your music, as this indicated how loud/soft the music should be played. Typically, dynamics are indicated below the staff and will change as you go through the music. These also may be in Italian:

• Pianissimo – Very quiet
• Mezzo – Medium
• Fortissimo – Very loud

You may also see these indicated with lowercase letters such as p for pianissimo, ff for fortissimo, and mezzo for medium. A diminuendo or a crescendo is indicated by a long, thin accent mark and indicates that you should gradually get quieter or louder.

Violin Notes: Conclusion

Learning to read sheet music will open a variety of doors for you, because once you learn, you’ll be able to learn most any instrument. However, when it comes to violin notes, there are a few special things that you must also learn to properly play the violin.

What Is The Best Violin to Buy for Beginners?

Good Beginner Violins at a Glance:

Product	Feature Image	Rating	Relative Price
#1 Best Overall Value Mendini MV400 Ebony Fitted Solid Wood Violin			$$
#2 Best Quality Bunnel Pupil Violin Outfit			$$$$
#3 Best Support Cremona SV-75 Premier Novice Violin Outfit			$$$
#4 Many Options D’Luca DL-45012 Meister Beginner Violin Outfit			$$

At some point or another, many of us have experienced getting our first instrument. If that wasn’t in recent times, you may have had to roll up to the local music store, only for your parents to have to figure out how to fit an expensive instrument into their budget.

Realistically, it isn’t as much of a worry because companies have discovered how to create those instruments in a way that will suit a budget better, which is wonderful considering the good that such a productive hobby can do for children and beginners of all ages.

One of these instruments is the violin, which has undergone such changes that quality beginner violins can now be purchased for under $300.00, which is a huge deal compared to the prices many of us are used to seeing.

With so many options available, it can be hard to tell which of these more budget-minded violins is going to be the best option for you. Luckily, there are articles like this one made to help you get a feel for some of the more popular beginner’s violins on today’s market.

We certainly hope you benefit from the information we provide on beginner violins in this article! Just so you know, we may receive compensation if you use the links on this page. If you do, thank you so much!

What Is The Best Violin For Beginners?

1. Best Overall Beginner Violin: Mendini MV400 Outfit

Mendini MV400 Violin Specs:

Mendini 3/4 MV400 Violin

The Mendini 3/4 MV400 violin is available in ½, ¼, ¾ and full size, making it easier to get a perfectly-sized violin regardless of whether it’s for a child or an adult. This violin is made with a solid spruce wood top, with the back and sides made from maple. It has a gorgeous varnish, and inlaid purfling.

The fingerboard, pegs and chin rest are all made from ebony, and the tail piece is made from an alloy. As part of the kit for the Mendini, you’ll get two bows made from Brazilwood and unbleached Mongolian horsehair. It’s always a good idea to have a backup bow, just in case one of them breaks at an especially inconvenient time.

The Mendini volin kit also includes a lightweight hard case made to protect your violin without causing you to struggle while carrying it around. You can also expect to find an adjustable shoulder rest, 2 bridges, a quality resin cake and an extra set of violin strings.

Finding a quality violin alone for under $100.00 is an amazing find, so getting all these extras along with it is a huge deal that’s really going to benefit you in the long run.

With this violin kit you also get a one year warranty against manufacturer defects, so if you should receive the violin and discover there is something wrong with it you can easily get that taken care of.

It’s important that companies are aware that once in a while a product can come out that isn’t quite the level of quality they intended, and are willing to make sure those kinds of issues are resolved quickly and efficiently.

Mendini MV400 Solid Wood Violin >>

Check Mendini MV400 Violin Customers Availability >>

2. Best Quality Model: Bunnel Pupil Violin Outfit

Bunnel Pupil Violin Outfit

Bunnel Pupil Violin Specs:

The Bunnel Pupil Violin Outfit comes in ½, ¼, ¾, and full size. Kennedy Violins is known as the highest rated brand of violins on Amazon, which goes to show that not only are they great violins, but the manufacturers also provide excellent customer service to go along with it.

These violins come with a lifetime warranty and a 45-day money back guarantee. A lifetime warranty is a huge deal. Many companies may provide a year or two warranty, but Kennedy really takes it to the next level.

The final assembly and setup for Bunnel violins is done in Washington State by Kennedy Violins’ professional luthiers, who will make sure that each violin holds up to the expectations of the company and customers.

Once you receive the violin, you won’t have to worry about doing any assembly yourself, just tuning up the strings a little bit and you’ll be good to go!

These violins are made by hand with solid maple and spruce tone woods. The fittings on the violins are 100% ebony and they have a glossy oil finish. The outfit for each violin comes with a professional case, a genuine Brazilwood bow, rosin and D’Addario Prelude strings.

You’ll have everything you need to get going with your violin, which is great because no one wants to have to spend extra on accessories. Items such as a case, and backup strings which are a wonderful addition so that you can easily replace any strings that might break without having to go buy more.

Check Bunnel Pupil Violin Availability! >>

What Do Bunnel Pupil Violin Customers Think? >>

3. Best Customer Support: Cremona SV-75 Premier Novice Violin Outfit

Cremona SV-75 Premier Violin Outfit

Cremona SV-75 Violin Outfit Specs

The Cremona SV-75 Premier Novice Violin Outfit comes in ½, ¼, 1/8, 1/10, 1/16, ¾ and full size, making sure you are able to find any size violin you might need. An exciting aspect of this violin is that unlike many violin brands, it comes in a variety of colors including sparkling black, blue, green, purple, rose and the traditional brown for those who prefer it.

These color choices can be especially appealing to children who are new to the violin, as it gives them some flare and style while they learn.

Each Cremona violin comes with US-made Prelude strings. These are known to be the preferred strings for students to use. They also come with properly fitted hardwood pegs and a lightweight composite tail piece.

There are also four smooth fine tuners to make the job of tuning an easy one. You will also find these violins have a low profile Kaufman-style chin rest and the neck is oiled to allow you to have a better feel and more balanced playing experience.

You’ll find that the strings are placed in the perfect spots to allow for perfect finger positioning and intonation. Each violin has hardwood fittings and is made from hand-carved solid spruce and maple. It has a lightweight, quality design that makes it easy to carry and play.

Nobody wants to be uncomfortable while they learn or show off their talents! For under $150.00, this is a pretty great violin setup that will be sure to last for years to come.

Check Cremona SV-75 Premier Violin Outfit Availability! >>

Read the Latest Cremona SV-75 Customers Reviews >>

4. D’Luca DL-45012 Meister Ebony Fitted Beginner Violin Outfit

D’Luca DL-45012 Meister Beginner Violin Outfit

D’Luca Meister Beginner Violin Outfit Specs

The D’Luca DL-45012 Beginner Violin Outfit comes in ½, ¼, 1/8, 1/10, 1/16, ¾ and full sizes. It’s an ebony fitted violin that comes with a light and durable case, a bow and resin to keep the bow working perfectly.

The bow is made from Brazilwood and has an ebony frog and genuine Mongolian horsehair. It’s a handmade violin with a solid spruce top as well as maple back and sides.

This violin has a varnish finish with inlaid purfling and an ebony chin rest, pegs and fingerboard. It also has four nickel fine tuners to make tuning easy.

This violin comes in at just under $160.00 depending on the size you order. Luckily, there are so many sizes that if you are looking for a violin for a child to start learning on and you decide you like these violins, you can easily move up to the bigger sizes as your child grows.

That’s incredibly convenient considering how well-priced these violins are. Typically, these kinds of instruments can go for $1000 or more so it’s always wonderful if you can find one you like that fits the average budget better.

Check D’Luca DL-45012 Meister Beginner Violin Outfit Availability >>

What Do D'Luca Beginner Violin Outfit Customers Think? >>

More Choices for a Good Beginner Violin

Cremona SV-130

This Cremona beginner SV-130 violin includes a foam case, an ebony frog and an Brenton Brazil wood bow upon purchase. For the bow, unbleached horse hair is used.

This violin is a popular choice among beginners because it ensures ease of operation, and is sold at an affordable price point without compromising on high quality materials for a great sound. It is made of quality tone wood similar to those used in their premier line.

The top is made from a single piece of crack-resistant spruce while the bottom and sides are made from well-aged maple. As for the pegs, chin rest and fingerboard, ebony is used to ensure that these parts will hold up from constant use.

This violin undergoes strict construction standards as each instrument is carved by hand and graduated one at a time to ensure fine tuning and accurate measurements. As for the fittings, all are made from ebony except for the tailpiece. Instead of using ebony, an A. Breton alloy is used with four integrated tuners.

For more information, read our comprehensive review of the Cremona SV-130 Violin Outfit here.

Stentor 1500

This Stentor violin model is also a great beginner’s choice because it produces good sound and it’s easy to play. For the front part, a handcrafted, fine-grained solid spruce-top is used. The sides and back are made from maple with the fittings made from full ebony, except for the tailpiece with four string adjusters which are made from alloy.

It also features a chin rest made from hardwood and Red Label strings which are durable and very sensitive. The Stentor 1500 4/4 Violin outfit also includes a horsehair bow and a fully lined case with a blanket to protect the instrument.

Read our full Stentor 1500 review here

Knilling School

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Carved from seasoned tonewoods that features inlaid purfling and high quality ebony fittings, the Knilling School Violin is a popular entry-level violin if you want to invest in an instrument that combines traditional craftsmanship with high-quality materials fora pleasing sound.

Most Knilling violins are factory made except for the bridge which is hand carved individually to ensure the exact fit for the height and spacing of the strings. It has an even-grained spruce top with solid maple for the sides and bottom, including the neck, ribs and scroll.

For the fingerboard, pegs and saddle, ebony is used. It also has integrated tuners and D’Addario Prelude steel-core strings. The outfit also comes with a white horsehair bow made from Brazil wood with an ebony frog and rosin.

Franz Hoffman Amadeus Violin

The Franz Hoffman Amadeus Violin is a very inexpensive student violin and a great alternative for a VSO (violin shaped object) if you are considering to buy one for a child.

Even with the low cost, the manufacturer of this violin has managed to use quality materials, like a spruce front and maple bottom.  It also has ebony fittings and a composite tailpiece to add durability. The sound it offers is pleasing enough to resemble a higher quality violin.

What makes this violin a great alternative is the balance between affordability and substance.  Although cheaper than most entry-level violins, the Franz Hoffmann Amadeus violin is constructed with the right weight and sound to it, and it is also reliable enough to stand up to frequent practicing.

A note though, purchasing this violin does not include an outfit to go with it, which means that you have buy the bow, case and resin separately. This is quite understandable given the low cost.

Yamaha Model V3

The Yamaha V3 Student Violin Outfit is also great for students also because of the affordable price and the complete outfit (bow, rosin and case) that comes with it, which students will find useful.

The case included is perfect for traveling with your instrument because it’s made from durable but lightweight material that makes it easy to carry around. It has a carved, solid maple back and sides with the top made of high-quality and durable spruce.

The fingerboard is made from ebony while the tuning pegs, chin rest and tailpiece are made from rosewood. It also features four fine tuners and Prelude strings.The violin can be played easily and produces a sweet and mellow sound.

Read our complete review of the Yamaha Model 3V here.

Final Comparison of Affordable Beginner Violins:

Best Violin for Beginners!

Mendini MV400 Ebony Fitted Solid Wood Violin with...

Best Quality Beginner Violin

Bunnel Pupil Violin Outfit 3/4 Size Clearance By...

Best Customer Support

Cremona SV-75 Premier Novice Violin Outfit - 1/4...

In Conclusion, Which Violin Is The Best For Beginners?

If it’s ideal for you to find the lowest possible cost, then the Mendini 3/4 MV400Violin Outfit is going to be a great option, otherwise it’s just a matter of finding the balance between cost and quality that works best for you.

Overall, whether it’s the Mendini, Bunnel, Cremona, or D’Luca, you’re sure to get a great violin at a great price with any of these options.

Some honorable mentions that might also be worth checking out include the Cremona SV130, which is similar to the Cremona SV-75 listed here, the Stentor 1500, the Knilling School, the Franz Hoffman Amadeus, and the Yamaha Model 5.

Having a wide range of brands to check out can always be useful in helping you get what you need out of a violin.

It’s important to keep in mind that any brand is going to have its strengths and weaknesses, that’s why great customer service and a helpful warranty are only going to be beneficial to your violin buying and owning experience.

It’s going to be up to you to decide which violin will best suit your needs as well as your budget.

Our #1 Pick!

The Mendini MV400 Outfit

What Do Mendini MV400 Violin Customers Think? >>