Hello there - I would be glad of some advice on how much it would be reasonable to spend on my 12-year old daughter's full size violin. She has had a growth spurt & would probably benefit from moving up from three-quarters to full size fairly soon, ideally in plenty of time to take Grade 4 in the summer. She has already tried mine (French Mirecourt school which my parents bought for me about 25+ years ago!) and was surprised how much louder it was! It doesn't seem as if she is headed for a career in music, but I hope she will continue to learn while at school and keep it up in amateur orchestras etc. Would £200-£300 be a reasonable budget at this stage? Or would spending more now make a real difference to her sound and possibly inspire her to a practice spurt as well??

Thanks

if you spend about £250 now, she'll need a new one in a couple of years, but a nice old £600 instrument should see her through a good few grades, and will also sell on better if it's an old one. I mean, you could go the whole hog and buy one which will last beyond grade 8 but no doubt your daughter will have stronger feelings about what type of sound she wants by then, so I wouldn't bother yet.

Have a look at the Gliga instruments on http://www.elidatrading.co.uk/ - exceptionally good value for money. You may well get an instrument that will last her for a good long time for a very affordable price. I have a Gama viola from there and it's an amazing instrument for the money I paid: I know there are many other satisfied customers on the boards much as I love my nice old violin, in terms of value for money the Gliga outshines it by miles and miles.

(no I don't get commission: they really are exceptional fiddles!)

Of players of that age and grade that we supply, probably about 60% have around £500 spent on them and 40% have a £250 outfit. Being obviously biased i couldn't possibly comment further, I'll let the fan club do the talking - except to say that I did grade 8 on a violin that was nowhere near as good as the ones we sell at £250 and I know another player who did the same, do remember that it is the playing being examined not the instrument. What 3/4 has she been playing, and what does the teacher say?

Can't comment on budget, as prices and availability are so different in Japan from the UK.

However, Viohazard just turned 12 a few years ago, and we went through The Full-size Violin Decision just before he turned 11, as he has gorilla-like arms.

I asked him just now what he thought, and he waxed quite poetic...(but not enough to struggle with typing it in English himself).

"The biggest difference between my old violin (Suzuki 300 series) and my new one is that the old one had a simple sound, but the new one has a complex sound.

"My NZ violin teacher said that it's like moving out of a caravan where you can see everything right in front of you into a mansion - there are many other rooms in the house, but you have to find out how to get into them. I practice more now, because I have to live in my house if I want to find the doors to the other rooms - that is, if I want to find all the sounds my violin can make."

Hope that helps

Nowhere near as lyrical as Viohazard, but I'd endorse Sarah-flute's suggestion. I have a Gliga Gems 1 from Liz (Elidatrading) and I'm really pleased with it. It's got a lovely voice, and I think it will do for my needs for a good long time to come.

I believe Father Christmas (aka my husband) paid £300 for the outfit.

Cheers

Katyjay

Alto February 2 2006 11.45 a.m.


I purchased my violin from an antique shop in Norfolk - it had a broken bow and no strings at the time. The local music shop wouldn't look at it and said to throw it away. I didn't and showed it to my violin teacher (a professional player and her husband, a conductor) They said there was nothing wrong with it, it just needed new strings, new pegs, bridge etc. They gave me the name of a local restorer. She did all those things at a cost of £160 and now I have a violin that is brilliant and stays reasonably in tune. I hardly ever have to tune it. As I have started lessons later in life this suits me. I have grown quite attached to my old fiddle! What did I pay for it originally from the antique shop where it stood forlorn in a corner.... £48!

What a great way of putting it!!

Yes, I think the Gems instruments are reeeeeeeeeally good value from the sound clips I have heard and people's descriptions.

I looked at the pro's and con's of many different makes of Violin before reaching the hair pulling out stage. Then to my joy I stumbled on this forum which is absolutlely brilliant.

Some of the members here told me about the Gliga range, whom I had never heard of, and put me in contact with Liz. To cut to the chase I had 3 Violins from her on approval and bought a Gliga Gama for £500.

When my tutor first saw it to and to my delight he was very, very, very complimentay about it. He played some beautiful Bach Sonatas and Partitas plus some other classical pieces and summarised saying " I can not fault this Violin in any way at all" and I would happily play with it in concert. He has played with the LPO, RPO, LSO etc etc for decades. He also said that it was such a good price and would appreciate in value.

Now, I have never met Liz, I just had enough faith in what people told me to take a look with no obligation to buy and boy am I pleased I did....Thanks again Liz

There's no smilie for blushing - thanks all

I had a 200.00GBP violin until about grade 6 and an 800.00GBP violin from then - have just done a diploma exam on the same instrument. Don't go thinking you have to spend loads.

Suzukis are very pricey! VN is living on borrowed ones at the moment as her teacher seems to have little ones in some previous life! But when he runs out I'll get her a Gliga Gama. I've heard so much positive remarks about them.

Agree, they're ludicrously overpriced, like, um, other japanese brands

Liz

My parents bought me a £400 otto jos klier ( i was age 12). I highly recommend them and are really good value for money

Many thanks for all the helpful replies - I will certainly look at the elida website. Her current 3/4 is a Stagg, nothing special but a lot better than the 1/2 size we had before! I'm reassured that we don't need to spend a fortune: although I've played myself for years I haven't chosen a new violin for myself since I was about 12(!) and it feels like a big responsibility to get it right (without spending too much & annoying non-musical husband who already has to put up with a house full of drums, bassoons, piano, trumpet, guitars, folk harp and a didgeridoo...)

My son was 8 when I bought him a 4/4 Gliga gem 2, he really loves it and the sounds has matured loads since we bought it nearly 2 years ago. He got it just before his grade 4 exam.
I dont intend upgrading until he is past grade 7 now as he doesnt show enough interest in the violin, he definitely loves his trumpet more.

You won't need to break the bank to get something a lot nicer than a Stagg

Liz