I need help to buy a new violin?!
Question: I'm looking for a new violin and I need help on how to look for one or what to look for in a very decent violin. My current one is pretty decent but sometimes it can sound rusty or doesn't project the sound too well in certain locations. I would greatly appreciate tips or suggestions or even store recommendations on what to look for in buying a new violin. Please don't recommend something off of ebay or amazon because I can't exactly test its quality through the internet. Thank you ^_^!
Answers: I'm looking for a new violin and I need help on how to look for one or what to look for in a very decent violin. My current one is pretty decent but sometimes it can sound rusty or doesn't project the sound too well in certain locations. I would greatly appreciate tips or suggestions or even store recommendations on what to look for in buying a new violin. Please don't recommend something off of ebay or amazon because I can't exactly test its quality through the internet. Thank you ^_^!
Trust me, if you actually want a decent violin, DO NOT buy a violin from guitar center or online or anything. Don't even buy one from a music store that sells more than stringed instruments (violin,viola, cello, bass) meaning any music store that sells all different kinds of musical things. They never have enough variety meaning their good ones will probably be more expensive than they should be. If you live in California, preferably Southern California haha, the BEST place for violins at Robert Cauer's Violins. I don't work there but i know they are the best around and most all professionals around the area go there so if you look it up online, you'll find it. It's in Hollywood. They have the best selection and are very professional and don't give you any pressure. You give them a price range and you go into a room and they bring out ALL violins in that price range for you to try out. Also, they pay 80% for trade-in's not bought at their store and 100% back for trade-in's when the violin you have is from their store.
If you DON'T live in california :) look for a violin specialized store. When looking for a good violin make sure that it's purely hand made, preferably on the older side and that you like both the sound and the looks. Compare the sound with youre violin now and maybe also listen to the violins of performers that you like just incase you aren't familiar with what good violins sound like.
As for countries, i can give you a general ranking for violins by countries although it definitely can't always prove is one violin is better than another but overall, there is just a known ranking among violinists in the world.
1) Italian violins
2) French
3) German
4) US
5) Chinese (although you might be able to say now that chinese violins can be tied with US because they are getting much better overall)
the guy from Yellowcard uses something like this
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/F...
or this
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/F...
Try a local music store.Or guitar center or guitar pro.They have more than guitars and will show the quality.