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Post by shanni on Jun 21, 2016 22:01:42 GMT
My 13 year old has taken orchestra for the past 3 semesters in middle school, and is still going strong with it. We rented the first year, since she was using a 3/4 violin. Last semester she went up to a 4/4 and we just borrowed one from a neighbor. We don't want to take advantage of the neighbor's generosity though, and have decided it's time to get dd her own violin.
Holy sticker shock, batman!! I had NO CLUE that instruments were so expensive. We don't want to buy her the equivalent of a toy, but we are on a tight budget. We can spend up to $500, but that has to cover a case, bow, and rosin too. Is that going to be enough to get her a decent instrument? Ideally, I would like to get her a violin that would last her through high school. If she decides she is serious about it and has a talent for it, we can look at upgrading at that point. Is that even possible with our budget, or are my expectations way off?
Next question- I am looking at a couple different outfits online, but there is also a local violin shop that advertises a beginner outfit for under $500. Am I better off going to the local place? (I use the term "local" loosely. I live in a rural location, so "local" is almost 2 hours away. It's doable though, if that's a better option.)
Any guidance would be so appreciated! We are pretty clueless when it comes to this stuff, and don't want to make a $500 mistake.
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kate
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Location: The city that doesn't sleep
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Jun 26, 2014 3:30:05 GMT
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Post by kate on Jun 21, 2016 22:12:26 GMT
Your first stop should be her violin teacher, who should be able to recommend an instrument at the appropriate level. I assume she's taking private lessons. If she's not, then ask the orchestra teacher (and a high-quality beginner instrument should suffice). We use Shar Music for supplies, but many of my kids' instruments have come through the teacher. She usually has a student who is upgrading or has outgrown an instrument. My youngest violinist is currently on a 3/4, so I guess our next instrument will be the last for awhile! |
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Post by Merge on Jun 21, 2016 22:17:30 GMT
We have continued to rent a viola for our daughter. The shop we use allows us to "trade up" as she grows and/or needs a better quality instrument, and if we decide to purchase at some point, our rental payments will be applied (minus a small servicing fee) to the cost of the instrument we purchase. We did end up buying a bow for her (and that by itself was $200) because the bows that come with rental instruments are poor quality.
A reputable stringed instrument shop will either have or be able to acquire higher-quality instruments for rental. IMO, $500 for the entire setup is not going to buy you a good quality violin. I'd ask her teacher to help you choose a good-quality rental instrument.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 14, 2024 12:47:05 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2016 22:30:07 GMT
Her teacher should be able to help you. There are a couple of organizations that give away instruments, the teacher should have the info on that.
Check pawn shops too.
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Jun 21, 2016 22:32:19 GMT
IMO, $500 for the entire setup is not going to buy you a good quality violin. My dd plays flute. She is currently on her second flute, which cost over a grand. Her first (beginner's) flute was just under $800. She started in 5th grade, and I upgraded her flute in the middle of ninth grade. I think that perhaps $500 for the whole enchilada is a very low estimate of what you will need to spend. I agree with the previous posters who recommend asking her teacher for rental recommendations. |
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Post by monklady123 on Jun 21, 2016 22:36:17 GMT
You could also try buying a used instrument if you have a reputable music shop near you. We bought my ds a very good trumpet -- not top of the line, but very good -- used at a local music store. I knew nothing about trumpets but I trusted them. The trumpet had a few "dings" in it but ds didn't care. It was much less expensive than if we'd bought new.
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Post by shanni on Jun 21, 2016 22:55:51 GMT
Dang. I was really hoping that we could get away with spending less. I did talk to her orchestra teacher, and she suggested SouthWest Strings. There is just such a huge variety of instruments and pricing, it's hard to know what a decent one is. I had found this one that I was considering, but it sounds like everyone thinks it would be just junk? ViolinI'll try the violin shop I was talking about- maybe they have used instruments as well? I hesitate to buy from a pawn shop since I have no clue what I'm looking for. Thanks for the input. I really appreciate the help! |
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Post by cath4k on Jun 21, 2016 23:11:49 GMT
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Post by cath4k on Jun 21, 2016 23:18:38 GMT
I just found this article: consordini.com/5-best-violin-brands-reviews-2015/The brand I recommended (that was recommended to me) is listed with very favorable review, along with SHAR music. The brand you listed is on it too, but they recommend you listen to the instrument first, so it may not be the best option for you. |
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Post by ntsf on Jun 21, 2016 23:32:34 GMT
my dd played tuba..we ended up getting one on craigslist for $2000..cheap if you know instruments. she played it all through 4 yrs of arts high school, 4 yrs of college and still plays it in community orchestra. not pretty..but sounds ok.
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peaname
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by peaname on Jun 21, 2016 23:52:19 GMT
I took lessons as an adult and bought a violin from swstrings.com they are under $500 and my instructor was pretty impressed and said it was comparable to the $1,000 instruments he'd seen.
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PaperAngel
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Jun 27, 2014 23:04:06 GMT
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Post by PaperAngel on Jun 22, 2016 2:17:36 GMT
Our now 14 y.o.'s violin w/case was almost $1K a couple years ago. Unfortunately, you may need to either increase your budget, continue to borrow, or resume renting; note chain stores (e.g. Music & Arts) offer a rent-to-own program. Best wishes...
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Post by southerngirl on Jun 22, 2016 2:52:34 GMT
I play flute, not violin, but in general I would recommend avoiding craigslist, pawn shops, etc... With a limited budget, I would consider continuing to rent for now, especially if you can rent somewhere local with your rental payments to be applied to a later purchase. That is how I got my flute and it worked out perfectly for me.
The one thing I will say is to buy or rent the best beginner violin you can afford. I'm not suggesting to go outside your budget, but within your budget get the best you can. The quality of the instrument can make all the difference. I was told that, but didn't realize how much it mattered until I experienced it firsthand. I started out renting a flute from my music school and then when it had problems and I wanted to exchange it, the woman in the office was honest with me that their rentals weren't great and the replacement might also have problems. So I went to a music store, tried out the best student flute (based on prior research) and it was 10 times easier to play. The difference was amazing. They agreed to rent me that flute, and then later I was able to purchase it when they offered a substantial sale to any of their renters who wanted to complete the purchase of their instruments. I got a quality instrument at a great price due to renting it first, and I'm not sure if I'll ever upgrade but if I do then it has excellent resale value. It worked well for me and allowed me to get the instrument I needed, while staying in my budget.
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pridemom
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by pridemom on Jun 22, 2016 4:12:02 GMT
The problem with buying a violin from a pawn shop or used is you need to budget for restoration. Violins need to have the seams reglued. It will also probably need a once over with new strings and proper alignment of the bridge. Just budget for it. My mom rented my 3/4 violin. When I was 13, I inherited my grandfather's. It needed a good going over and because it was a good quality, our local shop in WI sent it to St Louis.
I recommend buying through a shop, unless you want to add the cost of gluing, strings, etc. to the price.
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Post by shanni on Jun 22, 2016 4:25:32 GMT
Thanks for all the advice! It has helped a lot. We are thinking we will buy one of the less expensive kind, but adjust our expectations about how long it will last her. I'll go to the violin store and see if they have any sort of trade-up program we could utilize if she does decide to stick with it. Thanks again!
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Post by dockmaster on Jun 22, 2016 6:07:30 GMT
I have bought several from Shar. Check out their outlet, sometimes you can find some real deals in there.
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