Congratulations, you found were searching through violins for sale and found a killer deal! But is your online find or grocery store deal really worth what you paid for it? You may have been suckered into buying a VSO-a violin shaped object. These objects look like a violin and may even claim to be one, but a quick trip to your local string specialist will show you that it is cheaper to buy something of quality than to pay for the repairs needed to make your “instrument” playable. If there is a return policy on this hunk of junk, take advantage of it. If not, hang it on your wall as a beautiful decoration and do a little more research before you buy the replacement. With thousands of “brand names” out there, you need to know what to look for other than relying on a brand.
Where to Shop
When it comes to buying string instruments, not all places are created equal. Nothing against grocery stores, but if your violin was within 20 ft of the produce, 50 ft from the toy section and about the same price as items in both, you probably should find a responsible string instrument shop instead. These items do have their place, but it isn’t in the hands of an aspiring violinist that wants to play real music.
Even in the music world, you need to be careful where you look. String instruments are complex, so find out if there are qualified violin luthiers in your area or at the store. When it comes time to repair your instrument, you want to know it is in good hands. Finding a shop that lumps the violins in with the guitars, ukuleles and other string instruments may be just fine when you are starting out, but you will eventually want to graduate onto a real luthier.
Quality of Construction
Believe it or not, older is often better for string instruments. How an instrument looks doesn’t necessarily equate to how it sounds. Unlike instruments which are made of brass and other metals, wood has a tendency to get better with age, if it is constructed properly. Some of the best instruments are hundreds of years old. Some of the worst instruments are brand new and fresh off the assembly line.
Of course the main thing to look at is the wood. Figure out where it came from and how it was treated. Looking at the flame on the back will help you see the rings of the tree it came from. The closer together, the better. A dry climate (like those in Eastern Europe) will produce better wood than a wet climate (like China). It is also far better to have a carved top than something that is simply steamed into place.
Tone and Playability
The real test lies in what you hear more than what you see. A better instrument is easier to play, simple as that. If you have a quality instrument with quality strings, it will be easy to pull out a beautiful tone. If you are unable to play the violin yourself, ask someone in the store to play it for you. Listen from up close as well as from a distance. As you learn to play, would you rather listen to screeching or sonorous melodies? After searching around, you should be able to determine how to find the latter. Don’t be afraid to ask your local violin luthiers or string instrument shops for advice. Even if they are trying to sell their product, they still know quality when they see it.