Violins

SOL

I'm just going to moan about why th F*** do violins cost so much?
WHY?
any one want to give me a free "good" violin?
my teacher thinks i should spend more on my violin than my puter, crisis decisions

Karl Hungus

Yes, I tried to look at where I'd get a decent violin for cheap, but no luck.

I'd really like to play the Violin, after some of the amazing stuff I'd hear from bands like My Dying Bride.
Quite astounding.

Drunk pirate

Yeah my sister has a tiny one not even bigger than my arm an it cost 60 squidalick! jakers

SOL

actually i was talking more around €2,500 but there you go then

Oeneus

It's the same with most instruments. You can't really get anything genuine for lower than a grand. Most unrich guitarists have cheap sh!ts(like me) for around the 100-600 mark.

The high price is usually due to the fact that they are handmade, much better quality in sound, physical appearance, and durability. I know it's sounds a waste but at the end of the day it is worth it.

Giblet

Guitarists do not translate into very good violinists. I was playing one before, and heres me play an E minor shape
I got it ok in the end. But I want a Violin with Frets!

IRISHLILY24

I had the same problem for a very long time, searching and searching for a well priced new violin....I found one in a department store catalog, jc penny's...maybe they have a web site, anyway I bought it for under $200 american dollars and its pretty nice If your interested in some more information let me know, I'll see what I can do...It's a full size....I dont know if your looking for a certain brand or what not
hope I could help

smiles

Yup, this is rather annoying.

I hae to try to buy a violin in the next few months (leaving school, so my rented violin has to be returned) and i'm keeping up the lessons elsewhere

<< Fio >>

SOL

well first i have to raise the funds for a violin, then think about it
fio, i may be able to provide you a violin at nominal cost

Ri0T^GiRL

i have an oldish copy of a stradavarius i changed to the viola bout 7 or 8 years ago. needs new strings . I bought it for 400 then u can have it for 70 if u want..

smiles

Originally posted by SOL
well first i have to raise the funds for a violin, then think about it
fio, i may be able to provide you a violin at nominal cost

wow.

talk to me about this...?

<< Fio >>

ps. how much is nominal?

Lemming

Answering queries as to why violins (and the rest of the string family) cost so much ... the following factors apply:

age of instrument

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older, becoming antique(esque) - but more importantly, these instruments improve in sound quality with age. The more its played, the better the sound becomes over time. My current Viola (whilst also being a monster at 17") is also close on 60 odd years old, and the sound is phenominal, by comparison to my previous viola (which cost a couple of hundred).

Builder

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Various builders have reputations for creating works of art (ie. stradivarius, etc).

Build

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hand build or machine built? Hand-Built tend to have far superior sound. This would also fit in with age, since older instruments would have been made before machines were available to do the job.
For example - my viola (as I mentioned being a 17" monster) was custom built for someone. Violins and Violas do not come in that size normally (not even "on occasion" for the most part).

There are more factors, but tis late, I'm tired, and I've work tomorrow morning so I'll leave it there.