My daughter is about to start taking peri lessons shortly. She is very talented musically even though she is only 7 and I am keen for her to enjoy her violin and do well - she has been asking for lessons for 2 years!

Anyway, when my older daughter had peri lessons the violin I had to hire for her was atrocious - I sent the first one back to the school as the pegs just would not hold. Unfortunately the replacement was not much better but we were told that was the best there was. She hated playing on such a rubbish instrument. I also resented paying money to rent an instrument that was poor quality.

I am worried that my next daughter will also have a rubbish instrument and so I was contemplating buying her an instrument of her own. There are obviously issues with buying - what if she really hates violin and gives it up after a few months? That is an unknown, of course.

So I was just wondering if anyone had any views - would the most sensible thing be to pay for the hire of a school instrument for the year, see if she likes it, then buy her one when she moves up to a 3/4 size and makes some progress?

Thanks for any advice

Elizabeth

You could always hire an instrument privately. Lots of decent violin shops do a rental service (often with a bit of a financial incentive for when you come to buy an instrument). I know of places in the South West of England, as that's where I'm based, but I'm sure there are others around the country.

You can buy a basic student outfit for somewhere in the region of £70 which are way better than the hired instruments and if it half sized or above you can sell them on very easily and they should keep at least half their value on the second hand market. You might even be able to pick up a second hand one yourself.

With my own daughters they are not particulaly quick in the growing departement so in the case of the violin it would have cost us more to hire the 1/4 size for the years she was using it. Haven't quite reached the cost effective stage with the cello yet, but she's been in this half sized on for almost 2 years now.

I hired a cello privately for my daughter because the music school didn't have one small enough for her when she first started and then bought one for her the following year. The luthier took three months of rental price off the price of the one I bought and each time we have moved up a size he has bought back the old cello for 75% of the price we paid for it.

Admittedly this is in France but I am sure there are similar things in England.

Yes, private hire would be a good idea but i have asked around and none of the music shops in my area do a scheme. It seems buying is the only option they offer.

I have seen the £70 student outfits (my local shop does Stentor) but not being a violin player myself I am not sure of the quality? Maybe quality isn't the main concern in a beginner?

My daughter is quite petite in comparison to my other daughter so I don't imagine she would use this violin for probably about 3 years. So at £40 per year for a school hire, I could buy in the region of £120. Of course, I would be willing to spend a bit more than that if I thought she would get real pleasure out of it and it would foster a love of strings.

Elizabeth

A £70 outfit from Stentor or similar would be fine for an absolute beginner. If your daughter takes to it, it would be well worth spending a bit to get it set up better in about 6-12 months (new strings, bridge/soundpost etc) This would probably cost almost as much again as the violin, but would be well worth it.

For both my girls I have been buying 'adequate' instruments with a view to spending more when they get to full size, unfortunately my eldest has progressed quicker than she's grown so I think for her 3/4 cello I'm going to have to spend a bit more, as she is grade 6/7 now on a half size.

I was also going to suggest Elida Trading but rosfrog beat me to it. Liz is an ex professional violinist and knows her stuff . We bought a bow from her. www.elidatrading.com

Thanks for this - i had encountered Liz's violins when I did a search and they get great feedback everywhere I have read - I think my hesitancy was spending that much when my daughter has only just begun - does it make me look like an "over the top" mum for a beginner?

Mind you I spent a lot of money on two harps for her and myself to play together and we use them a lot. The child is clearly talented - and of course, there is always a resale value if she absolutely hates it in a few months (which I have to say I doubt she will).

A friend recommented the Stentor Conservatoire but all the feedback points to the Gligas as being excellent.

Elizabeth

this might not mean that much, but i've never heard anyone recommend - or even mention - the Stentor Conservatoire; for that price, i'd be much more inclined to go with the Gliga.

i have an "improved" Gama from Elida on approval at the moment; i'm not sure if i'll end up buying it, but if i'd bought it "sound unheard" i'd have been very happy with it. while i've never tried any of the other models, i've no doubt you'd be quite satisfied.

I'm going to get roasted for this, I know, but in my opinion Chinese violins generally tend to be better value in this price range than European ones.

River: what's an "improved" Gama?

Allow me

Gama 1 with a top level professional set up. The overall effect is a louder and brighter violin - also the tuning pegs are replaced (Gliga tuning pegs are not wonderful), fingerboard shot, etc. The effect on tone is such that we start from a Guarneri model (which comes from Gliga darker than the Strad model) - we did try it on both the Strad model and the Italian model, someone bought the Italian version eventually but the Strad model we just can't sell - it's very pretty but far too bright for British ears. We also do it on the cello, where it does work well with the Strad model for some reason.

Liz




Flattery will get you everywhere No - only an ex violin teacher, I was only about DipABRSM standard.

Liz

This whole "strad model is bright, guarneri model is dark" thing is too simplistic. One of the many things that makes violins so fascinating is that very similar (even identical) models can sound very different.

With respect, I know vastly more about this particular brand than you do, and that is what the question was about. I am not making the claim about any other brand, and certainly not about the "originals" they were "copied" from. of which I have no experience whatsoever.

Liz

Not a violin, but a cello, so may not be directly relevant, but my daughter had a half size Stentor Conservatoire. Maybe we were lucky with that particular instrument, but her teacher said at the time that it was one of the best sounding small cellos she'd come across.

Hi,
my teacher would recommend a brand called Stentor if you will be buying one. I have a 3/4 violin from that brand and it has lasted me 1 1/2 years already. i highly recommend that brand

Having two daughters who play violin, and who have both gone through the same system at school, I would definitely go on ebay (not as dodgy as many think - just ask the usual questions, ie. any cracks, how old the instrument is, how long have strings been on and what kind. If strings have been on for more than 1 year, you will have to change the set) Having looked briefly for myself having read your post, there are at least a couple of stentor violins which have been set up, in one case, with improved bow and dominant strings which a professional musicians child has used, and you should be looking to pick one up for approx £40-£45 to include postage costs - NO MORE! Unless it is a Conservatoire or Andreas Zeller model, which are I think are worth paying the extra for. All pegs can slip at times, and can be easily and cheaply rectified if you take it to your nearest luthier. When they grow out of the instrument, simply sell on and you shouldn't be too much out of pocket. Buying a new 1/2 size stentor is not particularly advantageous as you will lose too much money and the instrument would still not be set up to a high standard unless you paid approx £30 on top. If you don't feel confident buying through ebay contact your nearest violin shop which sells stentors, as they may well have a used model which has been traded in.

When they change to a 3/4 violin I would invest quite a bit more, (Gliga, Jay Haide etc, would all see you through to grade 7 if set up well) as it should last approx 2 years before they move up to a full size instrument, but would not recommend spending too much for a 1/2 size.

My younger daughter actually had a German Trade 1/2 size violin, which was probably the ugliest violin I have ever seen, but was in sound condition despite its cosmetic appearance with a far superior sound. She was about grade 3 standard by then and did benefit from a better instrument as she progressed quickly and now just turned 14 is grade 8 standard. We paid approx £200 (violin only) for this but did get a 100% trade in against her next instrument, although if you go through many outlets, you will not get this trade in value, more likely 2/3. Worth considering, but only if you feel she would stick to violin playing, as if she didn't you would make quite a loss on the instrument selling it independently without trading against another. Just thought I would mention this option as you say she is musically talented.

Good Luck!

Good for starters but go for the conservatoire which is £200 for the set at 4/4 size.

Stentor is associated with cheap mass produced instruments, but great for newbies. I still have my conservatoire from a few years back, however i snapped the bow that came in the set so had to replace it.

Elida also do a student instrument for less than that. My daughter had one and it was very nice.