An Intermediate Violin You Can Start With

The Louis Carpini G2 is considered more of an intermediate violin. But you don’t have to be an intermediate player to play an intermediate violin! A nicer instrument can actually make it easier to learn all the basics, so a beginner could absolutely start learning on this violin.

It also has the capability to handle intermediate and advanced techniques, so you won’t have to worry about outgrowing its capabilities anytime soon.

I got the upgraded Dominant strings and the Giuliani Premier bow, and I definitely recommend both of these upgrades. They allow you to get so much more out of this violin.

Sound and Response

First off, the violin is really lovely. It has a lighter finish and some beautiful flaming on the back.

The thing I noticed immediately when I first played this violin was its response. As soon as I put the bow to the string, I got an immediate, clear, crisp response.

The tone is also more focused than what you’ll find on many beginner violins. It has some brightness, which I love, but it isn’t shrill. It still has warmth and sweetness to it. All of that gives it a more complex tone, with more of that homegrown-rose quality of sound.

If terms like complexity of sound or responsiveness don’t make sense to you yet, check out my video on what you get when you spend more money on a violin.

The extreme ranges of the violin play really well, too. The G string isn’t blatty; it’s full and rich, and it sounds balanced with the other strings. The E string isn’t shrill, either. It’s nice and sweet and resonant.

The Giuliani Premier Bow

I was actually pretty impressed with this little bow. It’s the Giuliani Premier bow, and I was surprised by how much control I was able to get with it. It handles advanced strokes like martele pretty well.

I’m always talking about contact and developing that feel between your fingers, the bow, and the string. This bow lets you develop that skill.

It’s a great bow to start with, but when you’re ready, you could upgrade to a better bow and get even more out of this violin.

One Less Thing for Beginners to Worry About

Another thing I love about this outfit is that it comes with a pre-rosined bow. I got in touch with Kennedy Violins, and they told me that all of their bows included in outfits come pre-rosined.

This might not sound like a huge deal, but it really is helpful.

Brand-new bows require a lot of rosin, and understanding how much rosin a bow needs is a skill that takes time and experience to develop. If you put too much rosin on, you can run into problems. If you don’t put enough on, you may constantly wonder whether the problem is you or the bow.

Add in a brand-new cake of rosin, even if you’ve already scratched up the surface, and it can all combine to make a frustrating experience. Especially if you just want to grab the bow and try out your new violin!

I love that the bows come pre-rosined to the right amount. It’s one less thing you have to figure out as a brand-new beginner.

What I Love Most About the Carpini

I think what I love most about the Carpini is the quality I recognized as soon as I first played it. I love how responsive it is.

I notice this especially when playing pieces like Boccherini or the Minuets from Suzuki. These are light, delicate pieces where a little bit of nuance goes a long way, and the Carpini responds really well to those subtle inputs.

It’s honestly very enjoyable to play.

Who Should Consider the Louis Carpini G2?

Check Pricing on Kennedy Violins

When would something in the Louis Carpini price range be a good option for you?

I think adult beginners can definitely benefit from a nicer violin right from the start. Adults tend to have more discerning ears, and I’ve found they usually pick up on variations in sound pretty quickly and begin to understand more advanced techniques relatively soon.

Adults also get frustrated when violins buzz, squeak, and scratch—and who wouldn’t? But when you’re playing on a cheaper violin, sometimes it’s hard to know whether the problem is your technique or the instrument.

With something like the Carpini, you don’t have to worry as much about the violin holding you back. It can help you work on intermediate and advanced techniques without running into the limitations you might find with a less capable instrument.

That’s the main reason to consider a more expensive violin right from the start: you don’t have to worry about outgrowing its capabilities anytime soon.

This violin would also be great for young adults who are making regular progress. And if you play in an orchestra or play for church, the Carpini offers more projection and power than your standard beginner violin.

Geared Pegs and Final Thoughts

I also had Kennedy install geared pegs on this violin, which I absolutely love. Kennedy can install geared pegs on any violin you purchase.

If you want to learn more about the benefits of geared pegs, check out my video comparing VSO pegs, traditional pegs, and geared pegs.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to upgrade, the Louis Carpini G2 is a great option to consider. I’ll include a link below so you can check the current price and read more in-depth reviews.

Antonio Giuliani Etude Violin Review

When it comes to buying a violin, I always recommend buying from a good, reputable string shop that specializes in bowed string instruments. If the store you’re buying from also sells things like soap or salt shakers, you probably want to move on!

I’ve heard a lot of great things about Kennedy Violins from members of Meadowlark Violin Studio who have purchased violins from them, so I was really excited to try out some of their instruments.

I ordered two violins from Kennedy: the Antonio Giuliani Etude and the Louis Carpini G2. For this review, I’ll focus on the Giuliani Etude, but if you want to know more about the Louis Carpini, click here.

A Good Set-Up

When we talk about “set-up” we’re talking about making sure the violin is set-up for success. As in, do the pegs work? Do they turn smoothly? Is the bridge the correct height and curvature? Is the nut height and string spacing correct? Is the sound post set-up optimally? These are all things that should be checked over when a violin is shipped to you and it’s one of those things that you WON’T get when purchasing from a random music store on a site like Amazon.

You want a real luthier to check over all of these little details with set-up, and that’s what you get when ordering from a real violin shop like Kennedy.

All that to say, the basic set-up on the Antonio Giuliani Etude violin was great. No issues there!

Upgraded Strings and Bow

I opted for the upgraded Dominant strings, and that’s an upgrade I do recommend.

As a beginner, you’re probably not going to change your strings during that first year unless you’re playing a lot. Having better strings gives you a better start, with improved sound and response. It just allows you to get more out of the violin.

I also got the upgraded Giuliani Premier bow, and I’m really impressed with this little bow. It actually allows me to do some pretty advanced bow techniques.

One thing I love about this violin and bow combination is that it can handle more weight than your standard beginner violin. That means you can start learning the skill of relaxing more weight into the string.

I’m always telling students to add more weight. This is something beginner students can struggle with when they have a cheaply made violin. If they add more weight, the violin just maxes out and gives up. But the Etude and the Premier bow actually handle quite a bit of weight.

It also has good resonance. You can really hear the violin ring when those third fingers are in tune!

Should You Upgrade the Pegs?

The Etude violin comes standard with good, working traditional pegs, but Kennedy Violins can install geared pegs on any violin you purchase. If you’re buying this violin for a child, or if you simply don’t want to deal with the hassle of tuning, geared pegs are an upgrade I highly recommend.

If you want to learn more about the benefits of geared pegs, check out my video comparing VSO pegs, traditional pegs, and geared pegs.

And if you’re curious about what you get when you spend more money on a violin, you might be interested in my review of the Louis Carpini violin or my video about what you get when you spend more money on a violin.