You’ve decided you’re ready to learn to play the violin! Then you start researching beginner violins. If you are scouring the internet, asking yourself, “what’s the best beginner violin to buy,” you aren’t alone. It’s an overwhelming decision. Unfortunately, the market is saturated with cheap, poorly made VSOs (violin-shaped-objects). Many of my students show up to their first lesson with these inferior “violins.” They are difficult or impossible to tune, produce an awful tone, and come with low-quality bows, chin rests, and other accessories.

Students with low quality violins generally take one of two paths. 1. They get frustrated and quit. 2 They get frustrated and buy a better violin. Learning to play the violin or teaching yourself to play violin is hard enough. You shouldn’t have to struggle with a VSO as well.

Trying to make an informed choice on such an important purchase can be difficult. Reading beginner violin reviews can be misleading and confusing. Everyone has an opinion, so who can you trust?

To save you time, money and frustration, I’ve created an ultimate guide to helping you choose the best beginner violin. I’ve had experience with every violin I’m about to tell you about. I’ve either played the violins myself, have students who own the violins, or have heard about them from other violin teachers. In this guide, I’ll answer these questions. Click to skip ahead to each section.

You may also having questions about buying vs. renlfting your first violin. If you are buying a violin for a child or young adult, you’ll also want to measure in order to get the right size.

These other resources may be helpful if you are just starting to learn violin:

If you’re looking for a better bow, check out my recommendations in my article: Best Violin Bow: A Violin Teacher’s Guide to Choosing the Right Bow.

Let’s get started!

What Makes a Good Beginner Violin?

Good materials

Real violins are made of quality materials. Many cheap violins come with plastic parts, wood that hasn’t been dried properly, or wood painted to look like real ebony (the fingerboard). Substandard parts means the violin will never function the way it is supposed to.

Proper Set-Up

Any violin you purchase should be correctly “set-up” by a luthier before being sent to you. Many cheap, factory violins lack this important step. A luthier will make sure the bridge is the correct curvature (otherwise you’ll hit other strings no matter how you bow). They will also ensure the strings are the proper tension, so you don’t have to be a weight-lifter just to put a finger down. A luthier will also ensure the pegs are correctly installed and other parts are functioning before shipping the violin to you.

Easy to tune

Why is tuning so important? You must tune every time you play so that your muscle memory develops correctly. Having a violin that won’t stay in tune wastes practice time and lesson time.

VSOs (violin shaped objects) can be notoriously impossible to tune. A quality beginner violin will have pegs that correctly fit their holes and be relatively easy to tune. I’ve seen some VSOs come with plastic pegs, meaning the pegs will slip no matter what.

Even violins with well-fitted traditional wooden pegs are subject to changes in humidity that can make tuning difficult or downright impossible sometimes. The answer to the age old problem of tuning is geared pegs, also known as perfection pegs or planetary pegs. Geared pegs look like traditional wooden pegs, but they work like the tuning pegs on guitars, making tuning a breeze. No more stuck or slipping pegs. No more loose strings from changes in weather. Tuning only takes a few seconds. You will rarely, if ever, need to use your fine tuners, even for your E string. I use geared pegs on all of my violins. I will never go back to traditional pegs! Not all violins come with the option for perfection pegs, but I’ve been able to find a few that do offer this wonderful upgrade.

What should be included?

Most beginner violins should come as an outfit, which includes a violin, case, bow, and maybe some rosin. Not all beginner violins do, but that’s okay. You can choose which accessories you want. Be very wary of outfits that include lots of accessories, like tuners, extra strings, shoulder rests, and method books. These other items are often cheap add-ons that you will probably end up throwing away anyway.

What makes a violin "advanced?"

Don’t let violin nomenclature confuse you. When looking at any any violin website, violins are divided into beginner, intermediate, advanced, and professional level categories. That doesn’t mean that you have to be an advanced player to handle an advanced level violin. It’s actually quite the opposite. Advanced violins make it EASIER to sound good. Give a beginner an advanced model violin and they will instantly have a better tone. On the other hand, certain beginner violins will only sound good in the hands of a professional.

How much money should I spend on a violin?

After watching the violin market for the past 20 years, I’ve been able to tell the price line between VSO and real violins. Generally speaking, don’t buy any violin outfit for under $200. Anything cheaper than this is not worth buying.

If you are unsure if you will stick with the violin and just want to “try it out,” don’t fall for these cheap VSOs. I guarantee you, you won’t like it. Some of these “violins” are essentially worthless after you purchase them. No one else will want them either. But if you buy a real violin, and later decide you don’t want it, you can always resell it! Some of the violins around $150-$200 might be playable, but they will come with cheap strings, poor sound quality, and a list of items you might need to tweak to get it easy to play. Skip the hassle, spend $50-$100 more dollars and get a violin you won’t have to keep messing with.

Violins around $200-$350 are considered beginner violins. The violins on the lower end of that range will get the job done, but they are “student” violins. For those who just want to try violin, or for young children who are growing and changing sizes quickly, these violins are fine. A violin in the $300 range is suitable for beginners with a more discerning ear.

$350-$450 is the price point for more advanced beginner violins. These violins should last you a year to three years if you are making consistent progress. They won’t “give out” after three years, but by that time your skill level could benefit from a better violin.

$450-$550 A good price range for older children or adults who will be able to easily distinguish the better quality.

$550-$1000 If you don’t want to worry about having to buy another violin as your skill progresses, look for violins in this range. This price range bridges the gap between beginner and intermediate violins.

$1000 + This will get you into the range of intermediate and advanced violins. Violins at this price point and above offer quality woods and workmanship. If you’re serious about the violin, instruments in this price range will offer the best quality of sound and allow you to progress and won’t hold you back.

What are the best violin brands under $500?

Tower Strings
Fiddlerman
Gliga Violins
Knilling
Franz Hoffman
Carlo Lamberti

Tower Strings

The Tower Strings line of beginner violins is sold by Fiddlershop. These entry level violins are the best beginner violins in the industry, in my opinion. Since they are sold by Fiddlershop, every violin is tested by a luthier before being shipped. That means your violin is ready to play out of the box—with a little tuning of course!

Fiddlerman

Fiddlerman violins are sold by Fiddlershop, a company that is relatively new to the violin scene. Due to great customer service and exceptional products, Fiddlershop is quickly making a name for itself as a go-to store for all things violin. The Fiddlerman violins offer great quality for a good price. And yes, Fiddlerman violins can be played by fiddlers and classical violinists just the same! All violins sold by Fiddlershop are tested and played by a luthier before being shipped, so you know your violin will sound good. My favorite part about Fiddlerman? They will custom install perfection pegs on any violin you purchase. Plan to add about $100 dollars for this upgrade which I would deem essential. I use perfection pegs on all of my violins and I will never go back to traditional wooden pegs. Being able to easily tune your violin could make the difference between loving this instrument, and hating it. Trust me.

Gliga Violins

Gliga violins are handmade in Romania. They offer a wide range of violins for all levels and budgets. One thing that sets Gliga apart is their ability to let you customize your violin. You can choose the varnish color, tailpiece, bow, and strings—allowing for a violin that is uniquely yours.

This makes Gliga special because you can purchase a quality violin with the standard set-up and get a great violin for a budget price. Then, make upgrades according to your budget.

Knilling

Knilling is a well-known name brand for beginners. My first violin was a Knilling and I still use it for traveling around. Knilling is also one of the few brands that offers violins with perfection pegs (geared pegs that make tuning SO easy).

Franz Hoffman

Franz Hoffman violins are made in China but are set-up and sold by Shar Music, one of the well-known violin dealers. Franz Hoffman offers a long line of beginner violins and their Amadeus model is one of the cheapest, good quality beginner violins you can buy.

Carlo Lamberti

Another maker sold by Shar Music, Carlo Lamberti offers some upgrades in sound quality for an advanced beginner level violin. These violins may cost a little more, but you will have a violin that will last you through your beginning stages.

What are the best violins by price range?

$180-$250—Tower Strings Entertainer, Gilga Genial, Franz Hoffman
$250-$350—Tower Strings Rockstar, Tower Strings Legend, Fiddlerman OB1, Gliga Gems 2,
$350-$450— Fiddlerman Apprentice, Gliga Gems 1,
$450-$550—Fiddlerman Concert, Gliga Genova, Carlo Lamberti
$550+—Fiddlerman Artist, Gliga Gama,

Top 10 Beginner and Intermediate Violins

If you want a basic overview, here are my top ten picks for the best beginner to intermediate violins. Click to skip ahead.

Best Beginner Violin Reviews

Tower Strings Violins

Tower Strings offer three entry-level violins: The Entertainer, the Rockstar, and the Legend. These violins surpassed all of my expectations for a beginner level violin. They don’t look or feel like beginner level violins. The have a beautiful finish and little touches like mother of pearl inlays on the pegs and tailpiece give the violin a high-quality appearance. Their wonderful tone and ease of playability make these violins my top pick for beginner violins. At a starting price of $269, they also happen to be one of the most affordable violin outfits.

The outfits come with brazilwood bows and standard entry-level strings but I would highly recommend upgrading to the Fiddlerman carbon fiber bow and the Fiddlerman synthetic core strings. The strings were the best beginner strings I have ever played—even tone and bright, complex sound. The bow made playing very easy and forgiving (not always the case with beginner violins). The combination of strings and the carbon fiber bow made for such an enjoyable playing experience that I would highly recommend them. When you click “add to cart” you will have the option to upgrade.

The violins come as an outfit with a case, bow, rosin, tuner, shoulder rest, cleaning cloth, mute, and beginner’s guide. Literally everything you need to get started playing immediately. The violins I received were almost perfectly in tune when they arrived. A little tuning and you are ready to learn violin.

As with all Fiddlershop violins, your violin is inspected and played by a luthier before being shipped so your violin is ready to go when you get it. This is big, and it’s not something you are going to get when ordering a violin form a mega online store.

Which one should I get? With this brand of violins, you can rest assured that the more money you spend, the better violin you will receive. The Entertainer was wonderful and would suit any beginner just violin. I noticed an increase in tone quality with the increase in price of the other violins, as well as more beautiful wood on the back. If you want a little bit better sound, spring for the Rockstar or Legend.

If you want to make tuning really easy on yourself, Fiddlershop now sells the Entertainer EasyTune. The EasyTune comes with geared pegs already installed which makes tuning so much easier. (I have geared pegs installed on my violin and I’ll never go back to traditional pegs.) Fiddlershop is one of the only online retailers that will install geared pegs on any of their violins before they’re shipped to you (you just have to ask for it). But with the EasyTune, you can purchase the violin with geared pegs already installed. Win win!

Want to really save money? Fiddlershop often has discounted B stock violins for sale. They are perfectly playable with minor cosmetic defects. Check out the discounts here!

Pros

Most affordable beginner-level violin
Easy to tune (especially if you get the EasyTune)
Professional-looking finish
Easy to play
Sweet, yet powerful tone
Comes with everything you need to play
Great customer service

Cons

There really aren’t any but…Fiddlerman strings and carbon fiber bow are upgrades (well worth it)

Click Here for Pricing

Fiddlerman Violins

Fiddlerman violins may be relatively new in the violin world, but they are quickly earning a name as a solid, dependable, good quality beginner violin. Fiddlerman offers two entry level beginner violins, the OB1 and the Apprentice if you are on a tight budget. If you can afford a little more, I would recommend the Concert model which has a powerful sound and a beautiful, strong tone.

What sets these violins apart is that they come with superior strings and bows. The Fiddlerman synthetic core violin strings are the best beginner strings I’ve ever tried (better than Dominants). And the Fiddlerman carbon fiber bow is also the best student level violin bow I’ve ever tried. The combination of Fiddlerman strings with the carbon fiber bow made playing extremely easy and forgivable. Normally this quality of strings and bow would be an upgrade for other outfits, but it is standard with Fiddlerman violins.

All Fiddlerman violins come with a 10 point inspection so you know your violin is set-up in the best way possible. Every violin that is tested and played by a luthier before being shipped. The violin also comes as an outfit with a case, carbon fiber bow, rosin, a mute, cleaning cloth, and a quality violin shoulder rest, and a digital tuner. Normally I say to watch out for outfits that include so many goodies, but these goodies are actually worth having! You literally need nothing else to start playing.

One thing I love about Fiddlerman is that they can install perfection pegs on any violin you buy. Plan to add about $100 plus the cost of the pegs to the price for this upgrade which I deem essential.

Want to really save money? Fiddlershop often has discounted B stock violins for sale. They are perfectly playable with minor cosmetic defects. Check out the discounts here!

If you are willing to spend a little more, I recently had a student buy a Symphony violin and it sounds phenomenal!

Pros

Fiddlerman Synthetic Core violin strings (my favorite beginner level string)
Fiddlerman Carbon Fiber Bow (the best beginner bow I’ve ever tried)
Powerful sound
Attractive finish
Comes with everything you need to start playing
Option to install perfection pegs
Great customer service

Cons

These violins sell out quickly so they may not always have your size!

Click here for pricing on Fiddlershop

Gliga Violins

UPDATE: Recently, I have seen a significant drop in Gliga’s customer service. They do not always respond to questions or phone calls and can be slow to ship violins. They still offer a good product at a good price, but their lack of communication may be something worth considering when deciding between violin dealers.

Gliga Violins are handmade in Romania and offer the largest selection of sizes, styles, and quality. Their cheapest violin outfit is a Genial 2 which starts at $208 for an entire outfit—that’s a great bargain for a good beginner violin. However, there are several upgrades I would definitely recommend and that will drive the price up at which point you may be better off with a Tower Strings or Fiddlerman violin. There are many levels of quality in the Genial line. The Gems line are the beginner level violins that I would recommend. I recently purchased a Gems 2 and found it to be a decent student violin for the price (around $320 for the violin outfit and shipping.

Since Gliga offers so many choices during checkout, you can choose to go with everything standard for a cheap outfit, or you an upgrade certain aspects. Definitely go with better strings. The standard strings left a lot to be desired. I recommend Evah PIrazzis or Dominants. If you can, upgrade to the Carbon Fiber Bow. I also recommend the Wittner tailpiece which can make changing the strings easier.

Gliga also offers the better quality violins for a little more. If you can, go for the intermediate level Gems 1 or Genova. Their advanced models are the Gama violins. I played a Gama a few years ago and fell in love with it. Although cheaper than my personal violin, it sounded comparable in many ways.

Pros

Easy to order
Lots of options on size, appearance, and quality
Good craftsmanship, beautiful appearance
Correctly set-up and ready to play
Great tone
Standard options allow for a great violin on a budget price tag
Wooden chin rest (rare in student violins at this price range)

Cons

Pegs can be difficult to turn at first
Standard strings, bow, and tailpiece leave a little to be desired
Romanian strings don’t have the best sound (choose the upgraded Evah PIrazzis or Dominants). Advanced models come with better strings.
Standard tailpiece with fine tuners made changing strings difficult (go for the Wittner tailpiece to solve this problem.)
Customer service is slow to respond to questions, if they respond at all.

Click here for pricing on Gliga Violins

Franz Hoffman Amadeus Violin

The Franz Hoffman Amadeus violin is one of the cheapest budget violins. Many of my students have started off with this violin. It’s fairly easy to tune with a decent sound. Craftsmanship is pretty standard. This isn’t a violin you will ohh and ahh over, but it checks all the boxes for an easy-to-play beginner violin. It’s a factory violin, so the focus is on affordability. These violins are set-up and ready to play which puts them above other factory-made violins from mega online stores. Students who progress quickly might need a better violin to match their skills as they progress.

Shar Music, one of the most well-trusted online violin dealers, also offers more options in the Franz Hoffman line as well as various other beginner and intermediate violins.

For around the same price, I would personally rather have the Tower Strings Entertainer violin. Much better quality for just a little more.

Pros

Affordable
Set-up and ready to play
Comes
Good for young children

Cons

Standard student quality
Orange, beginner-looking finish
Not ideal for quickly advancing students

Click Here for Pricing

Knilling Perfection Violin

This brand is a long-time standard in the violin industry for good quality beginner violins. My choice for a Knilling Violin would be the Knilling Perfection model. What’s different about this violin? It comes with geared perfection pegs!

Having a violin that is easy to tune saves so much time in lessons, which is one reason I love this violin. My students who have this violin can’t say enough about the pegs.

If you want a violin that is super easy to tune straight out of the box, like the Tower Strings Entertainer EasyTune, this is another violin option for you.

Pros

Easy to tune
Comes with Perfection Pegs installed
Great looking finish for the price
Good sound for beginners
Great for young children

Cons

Not the best quality violin for the price

Click here for pricing

Carlo Lamberti Sonata Violin

This violin offers a good blend between the beginner and intermediate levels with a price point to match. These violins are made in China and then shipped to the U.S. where they receive the correct set-up from a qualified luthier. Some of my students have this violin model and they enjoy a superior, focused tone. This violin comes with a comfortable chin rest, a tailpiece with fine tuners built-in (for ease of changing strings), and Thomastik Vision strings, a good intermediate level set of strings.

Shar Music offers various upgrades in the Carlo Lamberti Line such as the Classic, Symphony, and Master Series.

Pros

Strong Tone
Tailpiece with built-in fine tuners
Good strings
Good for advancing beginners

Cons

Doesn’t come as an outfit

Click here for pricing

What violin brands to avoid?

Many times, a new student will come to a lesson with a violin that won’t stay in tune. The sound is scratchy, the bow is difficult to control, and the strings are difficult to press down. Sometimes the bridge doesn’t have the correct curvature and the student will continuously hit other strings. I can usually guess what brand of violin this is. There are two repeat offenders: Mendini and Cecilo. Many students purchase these violins because they look like decent violins, but they are far from it. While these two companies do make more advanced beginner level violins, they also sell cheap VSOs. While I’ve never tried their more advanced models, I don’t think I want to. When there are so many other great beginner violins out there, why support a company that produces what I would call a gimmick?

Violin Brands To Avoid

Mendini
Cecilo
Eastar
Lagrima
JMFinger
Aliyese
Amazon Basics
Sky
Vangoa
Amdini

Since there are probably more BAD “violins” out there than good ones, this list could go on and on.

What violin would I buy?

If I were buying a violin for my own child, I would purchase the Tower Strings Rockstar or Legend Violin with perfection pegs or the Fiddlerman Concert Violin with perfection pegs. Even if I were there to tune it, I would want my own child being very comfortable tuning their own violin, and the perfection pegs make that possible. If I were buying a violin for a very young child, requiring a violin under a 3/4 size, I might go with the Tower Strings Entertainer or Fiddlerman OB1 or Apprentice with perfection pegs.

If I were an adult beginner purchasing a violin for myself? The Fiddlerman Artist Violin with perfection pegs or the Gliga Gama would be my first pick (they are also the most expensive). There is something to be said about having a violin that looks and feels as nice as it sounds. Having something of quality makes you WANT to open the case, look at your beautiful violin, and play it.

If I couldn’t afford that, I’d get a Fiddlerman Concert with perfection pegs or a Gliga Genova.

Shop Wisely

One thing I’ve noticed while searching for “the best beginner violins” is a plethora of websites listing what they claim are the best beginner violins. I’ve found that many of these websites recommend violins that I know from experience are atrocious. As you read their pros and cons on a particular violin, you may be able to tell that the writer has no experience with this violin at all, they are simply regurgitating reviews. While many of these websites are legitimate, many exist to make money off of affiliate links. Affiliate links allow website owners to make a small commission on products, at no cost to the person using the link. I too use affiliate links as a way to help support the cost of the website, but I don’t promote products for the sake of earning a commission. The whole reason I created my website was to educate students and stop them from wasting money on VSOs.

Don’t be fooled! Purchase a quality violin and you won’t regret it!

Check out my Step by Step Guide to Starting Violin Lessons and double check that you have everything you need to make learning the violin fun with my checklist on What to Buy for Violin Lessons.

Happy Practicing!