Anyone know if these things are playable? I'm not thinking about serious musicianship or anything. just basic playability.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/INTERMUSIC-VIOLIN-PA...1QQcmdZViewItem

I was wondering that too - what with having a four year old...

Probably about as playable as any other £39.99 violin I would have thought.

Edit: Sorry thats pretty unhelpful. I guess my view is that getting any kind of decent sound out of a violin for a young child beginner is hard enough at the best of times so I wouldn't try to start with a violin this cheap. Start 6 weeks later saving up the cost of 6 lessons and spend your (approx) £100 at a well known, helpful online shop would be my advice

Yes,
just the same as 'cheaper beginners violins'




There is also
http://www.rainbowviolins.com/

I'm not looking for a serious instrument - just something for her to muck about with. And they're, yunno, PINK.

I have freind who teaches someone on a purple violin and thinks its a descent instrument. it came with a purple bow, purple chin rest and purple shoulder rest!

then if it's something to muck about with the £39.99 will be fine

There's one of those in a shop window near us - I thought it might make a good birthday present for a small child - I think it's about £60 though it could still be the same one - just more expensive.

I dont know how much this one cost. The shop at the music school where I teach has a cabinet with a purple one, a pink one and a yellow one. I guess they are good ways to get kids interested in an instrument. I reckon its better for violins as you can grow out of them and get a sensible one if you feel you stand out, but a coloured flute or clarinet could be one you are stuck with if your parents dont think you need or if they cannot afford an upgrade.

The last intermusic violins I saw were playable, just about. They are pretty much rock bottom as you would expect for the price, but it's quite rare to find an unplayable new violin these days.

Liz

They're only about two miles down the road from me, next door to my local music shop. If anyone's going there, let me know and you can pop round for a coffee afterwards and show me your blue viola.

I have to make sure I go music shopping on Monday (when the string shop's closed) or I'd risk going into the string shop and buying a pink cello.

My daughter managed well with a coloured violin, she took her Grade 4 on it, She was then loaned a new full sized one. If gets the kids playing you can always upgrade later. Why pay lots of money to start with they may not like it. It's like most things you get what you pay for, but if it's all you can afford and the child likes purple or pink then go for it.

When a violin's this small it's not really worth spending much as the tone can only be so good because of the size alone. However, I'd avoid a violin with 'unconditioned' tuning pegs because they often slip horribly. The Stentor 1, as other very cheap violins, has very slippy pegs whereas the Stentor 2 has better ones. Check the pegs when you buy the violin; a good shop will know what you're letting yourself in for!

If the parent can keep tuning the violin, no matter but if they can't you'd be a bit stuck without pegs that stay at least relatively firm.

Violinia

I'm loving the coloured bow hair they have going there! Do you reckon its synthetic or just dyed?

I guess 'Couleur Experte' by Laboratoires Garnier will do the trick!

My niece used to have a purple violin - I think it was a 3/4 size one. She's about grade 6/7 standard now, doing AS music and has a much more expensive upgraded violin. She still says rather wistfully "I loved that purple violin".

I'm most amused that this violin is posted to you, and yet is advertised as "supplied bridge up & tuned".

Tuned? However do they manage that I wonder!

Not difficult at all. That's how we send ours out. Of course they go out of tune in the post ....

They aren't wrong in saying that it's tuned. They didn't guarantee that it would be in tune when it arrives to you. Hehe...

Awww, you know you want one..........

*smacks forehead* She's at it again...

I quite fancy a purple cello.
Alan what did that carbon one you got look like? Do they come in colours? (Linkees would be good...)

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It looked odd, to be honest. You could see through the pegbox and it had no corner thingies on the bouts. They don't do them in colours unless you order specially, and I reckon the price would go up - although the do offer them in woodish coloured brown - but I think if you're going carbon fibre, you might as well go coloured and shout it from the roof!

Here's a link:

www.luisandclark.com

might be worth asking them if they'll do a coloured one for you.

Allan

The Intermusic ones that I have tried were ok to play but some had fingerboard problems. Mainly them coming off! but that was when they first came out.

My son had a 1/2 purple and 3/4 purple Rainbow violin with upgraded dominant strings plus rainbow/P&H bow with both normal and coloured hair. He got grade 4 with distinction with it. I wouldn't recommend the colour hair it is very scratchy and both boys took the colour hair off after a week and reattached the normal hank. They both had fun with their coloured instrument but now appreciate they need a more traditional instrument. So much so that the Brand New 1/2 White cello I bought to customise is still sitting wrapped up. (?)

No. 1 now plays a Gliga Gem2 which came with a gold bow with purple hair. Both the boys play with colour P&H bows which they still prefer and I like them as I can rehair them easierly.

I don't know what the Antoni Red/purple/blue violins are like. Someone did say they were the same as the traditional ones.

I bought my daughter a 3/4 blue violin of an online auction for nz$80 (that's about 30 pounds).
We adjusted the bridge and changed the strings and chin-rest. I don't think it sounds at all good, but it is very loud!

I think for an average 9-year-old child, colour is probably more important than tone, so if a blue violin is going to keep her happy and interested in playing, thats fine with me.

Mel

My son wanted a blue violin, bought it for him, got him playing. Now that he's between grade 2 and 3 standard he's fed up with it, he says it sounds like a metal tin! Obviously his ear has developed a bit since he first played But like you said, it gets them playing so it can only be good

I got a purple onme off ebay for about £30, and to be honest, I think it makes a nicer sound that my Stentor Student II which has dominant strings on!! The sound is much softer and more sweet - I prefer the purple one!! Shame our head of music won't let me play it in the school string orchestra (I'm their leader though so I can kinda see why )

Due to a limited amount of violinists in my school (4, to be precise - in my school of over 2000 and one or two who no longer play but come along to string group) we're going to ask some of the younger beginners to come along to string group. Not complaing at that, they're enthusiastic and lovely and it'll be great to have them there - but the girl's metallic pink violin is going to clash with everyone elses

Haha i'm only joking. Her and her pink violin are more than welcome.

I think those violins are fantastic for getting younger kids to start playing. Especially as they're cheap and as they grow out of them, if they want to carry on with violin, they'll want a 'normal' one then. It all works out perfectly!
Though i always wondered what happens if your kid gets to say, 14 and you suggest upgrading to a nice antique good quality instrument, but they still want to continue playing their barbie pink violin.

I was telling my friend who is 19 about my new violin and she was like 'You play violin, cool! My friend plays violin and hers is pink, how cool is that!' I was thinking 'not cool :|' but i was like 'ohh wowww'



Though i may add - i'm saying this without admitting that i am investing in a pink electric violin in the coming month or so

There's a big difference between a get-you-started-pink-violin and a proper, grown-up, considered purchase pink violin. Just keep telling yourself that