This blog post accompanies Violin Class Podcast Episode 50. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

About a week ago, I sent out an email in my newsletter asking for some listener suggestions for episodes.

A questions came back a couple of times:

How to know when to upgrade your violin?
What to listen for when choosing an instrument.

Types of violins available for purchase

Let’s start with a bit of background information on different categories of violins that are available for purchase.

Factory-made instrument

Brands like Cremona, Stentor, and Yamaha

These will come in a kit and are made in a factory from start to finish. The kit will include a violin, bow, case, rosin, and other accessories. These are low priced and lower quality, and will run you about $150-500.

2. Factory-made, hand assembled

The second category of violin is a factory made, but hand-assembled violin. The parts of the violin are going to be made in a factory from a pattern, and then hand-assembled. These are going to have more variation between the instruments. These will often be sold under the name of a luthier, or a company specializing in violins. Each instrument will have slight variations, and they're going to sound better than the basic factory violins of category 1. Prices range from the mid-hundreds to low four digits.

3. Luthier-made

This is where everyone wants to end up with. these are handmade and hand-carved from A to Z: they're basically a work of art because they were made completely by a violin maker who specializes in creating, these violins or other string instruments.

These are going to have the best sound, and will vary in terms of price point. These start, at least in my area, around the $3,000-4,000 range and go all the way up to however much money you would like to spend on an instrument. They can vary in terms of age as well, and the price will reflect the quality of craftsmanship and the reputation of the violin maker.

Beginners, remember this:

Now that you understand the different categories of instruments that are out there, I just want you to keep in mind something, if you are just starting out on violin, you can spend all the money in the world, and that is not going to make your violin sound good.

What's going to make your violin sound good. Is having a good understanding of the fundamentals is learning how to use your bow effectively, having good intonation, tone, and time.

Yes, having a very basic violin is going to hold you back in your playing, but a very good violin is not going to help you sound better if you don't know how to play it.

My recommendation for beginners: rent a violin first.

This is why I'm going to recommend anyone who is just starting out to start with a good starter violin (ideally from category 2). Try to avoid big-box music shops that sell all instruments.

Check out Facebook Marketplace for a better deal on a used violin, or go directly to your local violin shop— this violin will going to get you for through your first few years of study.

Since a decent starter violin can go for $500-1000, I would recommend to start out renting an instrument from your local violin shop. This will give you access to a good instrument as you're training your fingers and your ear, saving up, and most importantly, figuring out if this is something that you're going to be in for the long term or not.

When to upgrade your violin to a better instrument?

So, you’ve been playing for a few years and are starting to outgrow your instrument. When do you move from that started violin to something better and more expensive?

When the violin is holding you back in your progress

My first answer, which is a little bit less practical, is when your violin starts to hold you back. When you're really starting to work on resonance, sound, and tone production, and when you're more serious about the instrument and practicing.

If you feel like no matter how hard you're working your sound, isn't improving anymore, perhaps somewhere in your like second to third year, you will want to start thinking about upgrading.

When you can afford it

But more practically more realistically for most people is when you can afford it. This is a big purchase. Ideally one that you'll only make once or twice.

Should you get an intermediate violin or a luthier-made violin?

So here's what I recommend if you are asking yourself this question: if your budget allows for it, I would actually recommend sticking with your starter instrument a little bit longer while you save up to buy a luthier violin directly. That way, you only need to make one big purchase that will last you a lifetime.

If however, your budget doesn’t allow for this in the foreseeable future, then I would recommend saving up and getting that second category, which is a good-quality, hand-finished violin. These can set you back anywhere from one to $3,000 depending on where you live. This is going to get you through those intermediate years as you start to save up for your eventual purchase of a Luther violin.

Remember this:

Remember, it's the player that makes the violin sound good. A professional violinist will still sound good on a $100 violin and a beginner violinist still sound bad on a $100,000 violin.

It's more about what you do with your violin than the instrument itself, although at a certain point, you are going to want to have a violin that you can grow into.

Violin shopping: how to choose a violin

Here are some things to consider as you begin your research.

Remember, this is a big purchase, ideally one that you'll only make once or twice in your lifetime of learning violin. A lot of my students have instruments that they plan on passing on to their children. So you really don't want to rush this step.

If you're thinking about buying a handmade violin, I would give yourself about a year or even more to start doing your research and to get an idea of what you want to listen for and what you like in an instrument.

Where do you even start when you're thinking about purchasing a violin?

Step number one is to talk to your teacher. Your teacher is going to be the number one person to guide this purchase. The second person is going to be the Luth year. So no matter your level, even if you're just buying a starter violin. I always talk to your teacher first because they're going to have some great pointers in mind.

Talk to your teacher

They will likely know your local area and have a network of connections. They may actually have another student who's selling their instrument and upgrading that might be available for you. When I have a student who is looking for an instrument, I will talk to my colleagues to see if any of their students are selling an instrument at their level as well.

You always want to have your teacher in on your decision as they will be the best person to help guide your purchase.

Visit your local violin shop

When you go into a violin shop, you want to have a number in mind because it's just like buying a house. It's just like buying a house: the more money you put into it the more you're going to like it (usually).

Be really clear on your price range: when you go into the violin shop and try to stick to things that are going to be affordable for you.

If you live in an area that has a lot of violin shops, then I would suggest actually taking the time to visit them all and just try as many violins as you can get your hands on in your price range.

Because only by playing the violins are you going to be able to get a sense of what you like.

How to try a violin

When you actually are trying the violins, you want to listen for a few things:

Dynamic range:

Play something really loud
Play something really soft
Play something in between

Clarity

Play something fast with separate bows
Fast with slurred bows
Play something slow and lyrical

These will guidelines will help you get a sense of the tone and range of dynamics that violin can play.

You also want to listen to the resonance, how the sound of the violin really fills up the room, when you're playing.

I’d also suggest having a small repertoire of a few short pieces that you're going to play on each violin to have a point of comparison.

Tips for when you’re violin shopping

Limit your choices

Lastly, trying violins can be like into a perfume shop and smelling a whole bunch of perfumes At some point, your brain's just going to get little confused because there's just so much information.

Instead, I’d suggest trying a limited amount of violins at a time, 5-10 max. And then you can come back another day or try another violin shop. And over time you're going to really develop a sense of what you enjoy.

Process of elimination

As you get clearer on your choices, narrow the violins down to 2 or 3 through process of elimination. It’s easier to choose a violin that you don’t like than selecting “the one.” This will help you narrow down your choices

Violin tourism

If you don't live near a violin shop, this is also something that you can do when you're traveling or on a trip somewhere. Next time you’re in a big city, pop into a local violin shop and try some violins. Again, just like visiting houses, you're going to develop your eye and your ear specifically for what you like that way.

That way, when you do hear the violin, that makes you go “oh, I really like this one,” you’ll fell going to feel really confident that that's the instrument for you.

When to make the purchase

Ideally you are going to buy your instrument locally because a lot of luthiers will let you try your violin at home for up to a couple of weeks to help you make your decision.

I would really recommend taking advantage of this because your violin is going to sound different in your space, and this way, way you can also have your teacher listen to it.

If you can’t take your violin home with you (say you found “the one” on a trip across the state for example,) you’ll want to fall back on your experience trying lots of violins. You’re going to feel a lot more confident in your purchase if you've been trying dozens of violin over the course of the past year.

Remember the bow

Remember: when you’re buying a violin, you're buying two instruments: a violin and also a bow. When you graduate from a “kit” violin, the violin isn’t going to come with a bow so you’ll need to save for that separately.

What I recommend my students to do buy the violin first and stick with your current bow for a while. Come back and buy a bow in a year or so, when you’re really familiar with your instrument and you have a healthy budget saved up.

In summary

Don’t rush this lifetime purchase
Try as many violin as you can
Narrow down your choices through the process of elimination
Purchase a violin when you’re confident in your choice
Don’t forget to save for a bow.

I hope that's helpful if you are in any stage of thinking about purchasing a violin, whether you're just starting out, or if you're thinking about upgrading your violin.

Do you want to improve your playing?

Hi! I’m Julia, violinist and violin teacher, and I specialize in working adult learners.

If you’re looking for regular or one-off lessons, I teach violin privately online through Zoom: contact me for more information about private lessons here.

Buying a violin: A guide (and when to upgrade)