Menu
Experts Interviewed
Speakers Tested
Speakers Tested
There are few things in life that compare to the singular sonic beauty of the violin, this instrument takes us through the most dramatic and acute atmospheres and then lets us rest on the sweetest and sublime notes. For that reason, we bring you this special article about the best violin for intermediate players, free yourself and unleash the artist within you.
Music is everything, we know it! It doesn’t matter if you are an intermediate violinist, professional or just an amateur; the market is full of a great diversity of options so that you can find the ideal violin that best suits you.
The good sound of an instrument is a physical condition, everything seems to indicate that the shape, the choice of wood, and the complex chemical treatments that are carried out to preserve it over time, also transform the sound essence of the violin, and although some have taken on the challenge of turning luthier art into a science, many still rely on ancestral techniques, reviving the atmosphere of other times, where the ear and human hands elaborate the perfect instrument with the precision of ancient masters.
The Stentor 1500 / A Student 2 Studio Violin is the product we most feel we should recommend to you. It is not only us, but also many experienced violinists and teachers consider it the best study violin a student can buy. For you or your children, it is therefore an ideal choice for learning or practising as an intermediate player.
The Stentor 1500 / A Student 2 is a beautiful violin made of carved solid spruce wood, with a very high-quality maple neck. The woods of which it is made have been carefully selected, worked, assembled and hand-sculpted by highly specialized master luthiers, to ensure you an impeccable workmanship.
The strings are nylon, also carefully chosen, as are the tuners and other metal parts. The combination of all these elements ensures you the warm and sweet sound that only the best violins can make. This studio violin is available in all sizes: from 1/4 to 4/4 and also in sizes 1/8, 1/10 and 1/16.
You buy the Stentor 1500 / A Student 2 with its case, with a soft velvet inner lining, very robust and resistant. Inside it, you will find the set to play, with the bow, the shoulder strap and all the other accessories, including a pocket for sheet music and study manuals. Also recommended by teachers for its excellent value for money, with this choice you get far beyond the maximum performance you can expect from a student violin.
The Ffalstaff V21 studio violin from the Academy series is the one you buy at the best value for money. As the reviews also show, many violin teachers recommend it to their students. It will be a very good choice for you too.
The V21 Academy is made from premium solid spruce wood. It has maple wood back and sides and other parts in rosewood. All components are assembled by hand by specialized and highly skilled luthiers. Once finished, all violins of this brand are checked piece by piece with extreme care to guarantee you an excellent workmanship.
Featuring a pleasing sound that enchants listeners, this studio violin, complete with bow, rosin and 4 nickel fine tuners, comes with the case. This is very resistant, characterized by a soft interior. It has a pocket for scores and study materials, handles to allow you to carry it comfortably and shoulder strap.
The students, adults and children, who have chosen it, have received excellent feedback from their teachers. It is not so common to find equally good studio violins at this cost, so you can consider the Ffalstaff V21 Academy a great and affordable choice.
If it is your small child that is learning to play the violin, even if they are very young, you can buy Ammon for him or her, perfect just for the little ones.
Ammon is a nice looking musical instrument, constructed from white pine wood, with maple parts and ebony tuners. It is made, selecting high-level woods, by expert luthiers who pass rigorous skills tests before being selected by the brand. Their craftsmanship sounds to you like a guarantee of the quality of the instrument.
Thanks also to the metal strings, this studio violin makes a sweet, precise and varied sound, which you will hear in your ear as balanced and very stable. You buy it ready for use with its soft and padded interior case, equipped with a side handle to facilitate transport. The set also includes the mahogany wood headband, cloth, rosin and other accessories.
Although it is among the most recommended for younger children, it is clear that it is also available in sizes suitable for older children or adults. For all of them, there is a tool that meets expectations with an excellent relationship between quality and cost. Users in the opinions are satisfied with it. You will certainly not be the exception to the rule.
If you are looking for an affordable and good quality violin, you have found the one! This Forenza has been made through a hand carving process with a selection of noble woods, which give it a high acoustic grade sound nature.
It is designed for the apprentice violinist of any age, it will be the ideal choice for children who start their lessons, the set is accompanied by a light cover to keep it safe, with an outer pocket for you to store accessories, the package is added a resistant bow and rosin, a natural resin that allows the horsehair to generate the notes on the violin strings.
In addition to having a refined design, you can choose between different sizes the one that best suits your needs, the Forenza produces warm and bright tones, perfect for you to start playing your favourite sonata.
For those who want to purchase a decent violin at an affordable price, we bring you an option that will make your budget work. Kinglos presents us with an elegant and original visual design, there is delicacy in the details and in the finish, an artisan work carried out by the talented hands of highly experienced luthiers.
This violin offers a placid and pleasant tone to the ear, however, there is a conception among users, where it is recommended to change the strings for a series of better quality, in this way you can release all the expressive quality of the instrument through your talent.
When you buy this set you get the traditional triangular, light and protective instrument case, made with foam and velvet; One high-quality bow, two bridges, and two sets of strings.
All Edgar Russ violins are produced in Italy, following the tradition of his ancestors, the master Edgar chooses for himself the ideal trees in the Val di Fiemme valley, in Cremona, where the wood is special, matured for years and worked With his own hands, he manages to create instruments that possess an admirable resonance and sound tonality.
This violin is a copy inspired by the work of the Italian luthier Giuseppe Guarneri, who lived in Cremona during the 18th century; his creations are considered as valuable as those produced by Antonio Stradivarius. Edgar Russ presents a lightweight violin with a well-balanced thickness, while the neck is perfectly balanced to produce a charming sound over all 4 strings, with a firm and well-equipped bridge complementing the piece.
The varnish used in this model is made from essential oils, a technique that Edgar has outlined in more than 30 years of experience, in order to obtain the perfect visual and sound harmony
It is the perfect Violin to continue your musical training, it will be the ideal option if you are already an advanced student, its tone has a bright character on the A and D strings and at the same time, it is harmonious and soft to the expert ear, a quality that surprises many due to their low price.
A luminous varnish allows us to perceive the light and brown tones of the maple, slightly shaded to give it a classic style. Comes with a bow of carbon fibre with authentic bristles horsehair, fingerboard and fittings are carved in solid wood ebony for the tuning of the fast resulting instrument simple and also can buy it in the size you prefer, since they come in a range that varies from 4/4 to 4/1.
The instrument includes a lightweight and elongated rigid foam case to keep it safe from dust and incidents.
For the non-expert, separating the best intermediate violins from poor quality products can get tricky. To make it easier for you, we have decided to offer you this short buying guide that will give you useful advice on choosing. Read it to know what are the features you need to consider before buying.
It doesn’t matter if you have no idea which are the most accredited violin brands on the market. Finding them is very simple: just a simple online search. The manufacturers who are defined as the most reliable always guarantee the highest quality in their products, even when it comes to studio violins, intended for intermediate players.
In this context, the name of the brand is built model after model and everyone must respect the highest standards, otherwise, the name will be discredited. For this, always choose well-known brands that are recognized.
Woods are the most important element that differentiates the best violins from the poor ones. The woods most used in the production of these musical instruments are: maple, ebony, boxwood, willow, rosewood and fir. Other woods, even if cheaper, are much more scarce and the sound suffers from their quality. Avoid violins made of plywood, but go for those made of solid wood.
Check the quality, materials and type of the other components. By these we mean not only the parts of the violin (strings, tuners, chin rest, neck, etc.), but also the rest of the accessories present (case, rosin, bow, bow hair, etc.).
A good studio violin offers you the best of quality, from the whole instrument to the smallest and unnecessary detail that concerns it. However, it is the set of components that makes the study experience pleasant or not. Taking pleasure in playing a good violin is crucial in your decision to continue studying or not.
Always rely on the professional advice of experts, especially if you have never bought a violin in your life. Course teachers and expert violinists are the best people to give you advice regarding the quality of a violin. They know what makes a violin great and what it denotes poor quality. Sometimes, a simple glance is enough for them. The best thing is to get advice personally or by consulting websites, reviews and online blogs.
All musical instruments are fantastic, but the violin always has a special charm. Its music is extraordinarily evocative. As a soloist, it conveys great emotions. When used in musical accompaniments, it raises the level of the music and its presence stands out in a sweet but determined way on that of others. Playing the violin is notoriously difficult, even laymen of music know it.
For this reason, we have taken great care in selecting these best intermediate violins, so we can offer you only the best in this area. Experts and teachers confirm their quality, so you can make your choice even with your eyes closed.
Let’s move on to the first step: buying a violin. It is quite an investment to acquire the instrument, that is why we want it to be a conscious and correct purchase. Make it the ideal for every musician. There are several important criteria when it comes to selecting it, so let’s go over each one.
The size of this will depend on the size of the person who is going to touch it. The violin will not be the same depending on the distance between the violinist’s neck and the palm of the hand once the arm is stretched out. Violins are classified by fractions that correspond to the different types of violin: ½, ¾, ¼, or 4/4 called «complete violin». You have to start by finding out about the different sizes of the violin and their correspondence by consulting a guide to different sizes of violin. It is vital to have a violin of the correct size during the learning process, if the violin is for a child, you have to buy the correct size, sometimes parents buy it a little larger to save money so that it “lasts longer.” However, by doing this they are impacting the child’s violin lessons. The violin should be the correct size for the person, be it a child, teenager or adult.
The materials vary a bit if you are looking for something more professional. The most common thing to look out for is that the woods are: maple for the back and sides, spruce for the top, ebony for the fingerboard and pegs. If the strings sound too loud, they can be changed to synthetic ones. The maple on the lower top and on the sides can be recognized by the flamed. Check that the flame is real and not just paint! The spruce on the top cap is identified by fine lines along with the wood.
Violin woods may vary
The varnish must always be natural, the wood must be well carved. Check that it is not deformed or patched. Well, this is when we already know a little more and have an idea of what we are looking for, but when you have no idea what to look for or how to order it, it is best to ask for help.
Sellers are above all musicians who are passionate about all instruments. They know their pieces and surely they have been in the business of music and instruments for a long time. These people are specialized in selling something so specific so don’t hesitate to ask them to recommend you. Always test your violin before taking it with you to verify that it is the correct size. You cannot buy it just for how it looks, you should also try it, feel it and above all listen to it, that is why we recommended some student violins.
If you are taking violin classes at a music school or with a private teacher, do not hesitate to ask for advice. The teacher accompanies you in your learning and progress, all the more so if it is your first time taking violin lessons, ask for their advice and tell them to give you several options to choose between several. There are several brands available depending on where you go. In addition to that if you search on the internet it can be confusing because there are brands that do not sell in the UK for example, because they are Mexican. The best thing is to talk with an expert and what better than the one who teaches you!
But maybe you are not taking classes, it may be that you have been using tutorials on YouTube or on some platform where you do not have a teacher to guide you. If this is your case, it is important that you heed the first advice and let the seller guide you. But also look around you. It may be that among your acquaintances there is someone who knows how to play the violin and you can ask for advice. On the other hand, there are many forums and groups with musicians who give advice and comment on brands and models of violins. Maybe you have someone around you who knows music (especially violin), and who can give you some advice so that you can choose the most suitable one for you.
Stentor, Stagg, Yamaha, Gliga, Primavera … There are many brands of violin in the music market. That is why it can be overwhelming to have to choose one when you are just an intermediate violinist. Each brand offers something different, but certain brands should clearly be avoided if you want to buy an instrument that will last several years. The important thing is not to buy the most expensive but to know when to make a higher or lower investment and understand which are the leading brands among violinists.
Ok, you already have the violin, but there is still one step left: choosing the bow. A good bow will change the sound of the violin, it can even improve any deficiencies that it has and lead it to have more nuances. In addition to the fact that the bow can make your life easier or more difficult. You must have a good arch to gain strength and reduce the fatigue that can occur after long practice sessions. When buying the bow you should know that your choice is very important, because it will be decisive for our practice and life as musicians. Never buy a bow of a certain entity without trying it. In the same way, try to try more than a single copy of the same model because even if they are the same, there are usually differences, one arch is never the same as another.
The sound is a combination of the bow and the violin so test the bow with your violin so you know how it sounds. There are also different materials with which the bows are made. The bow is as important as the violin, it will be essential to achieve the desired sound. A normal bow weighs between 55 and 65 grams, and the ideal weight is considered between 60 and 62 grams. When buying a second-hand bow, you have to take into account that the bristles are not given of themselves because that will make it not work for you, although you can lock it up it can be more investment. When checking it from the side you should see that it is straight, so you can appreciate any deviation. A traditional bow is made of wood. Due to the nature of the material, it changes over time. Both the humidity of the environment and the temperature can modify it. Do not leave it exposed, always keep it in your violin case or in a bow case. When you finish playing, loosen the fences so that it lasts much longer, and try not to scratch them too much because you could affect the resin. François Tourte was a watchmaker who was dedicated to archery, he was the one who chose the wood from which arches are still made today: the Pernambuco, a tree native to Brazil. On the other hand, there are also carbon fibre arches. They are much cheaper and can be an option to start with, plus they last a long time. Although some purists may say that it does not sound the same because it is not a natural material, there is also the other side of the coin since a local wood such as Pernambuco is not being used, affecting the ecosystem in which this tree occurs. Of the best-known brands of bows, we can find Dörfler, Höfner, Pesold and Werner, Ary-France, Roger, Spiccato and Student Arpège. And there are also several Chinese bows that can be used to start. The cheapest bows are imported ones, made in series and their cost is no more than $ 400. On the other hand, the bows of archer luthiers can cost more than 30 thousand pesos but they will guarantee you durability, stability, quality and more.
We have seen that the bow is as essential as the violin itself and that the combination of both will define the sound you can get from your new violin. However, there are some accessories for playing the violin that should be considered if you want to assemble the equipment for your practice and take care of your investment. Here we list a variety of reasons to buy accessories to play the violin properly.
Some accessories are used to make you feel more comfortable when playing. This is so that the practice hours are less tedious. This is particularly the case with the chin and shoulder pads. They are essential to avoid tension in the neck and to be able to play in a more relaxed way. If you are tense it is very likely that you cannot play correctly. These accessories are to facilitate the violinist’s practice.
Each part of your violin requires certain care so you have to learn what things you have to do so that your violin is in good condition and lasts longer. Cleaning the strings to avoid dust and grease with a cleaner will help you maintain them better. On the other hand, on the violin, you should also carry out a cleaning to avoid excess resin and other factors that you will have to take into account.
The violin stand is an important part when playing. Music stand, mute, metronome, tuner, fingerboard, metronome … All these violin accessories will be of great help to you
