Best Violin for Beginners and Intermediate Students 

9. Cremona SV-500 Premier Artist Violin Outfit – 4/4 Size

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If you are looking for the best violin brands for beginners or intermediate violinists, Cremona SV would be among the top 5 Chinese violins. This instrument boasts of high-quality sound, lightly varnished finishing and a French-made Aubert bridge with a spruce and maple body. It also features a chin rest with the Stradivari violins design. In addition, the D'addario strings are tough and won't tear easily.

This violin comes with a high-quality case with a sturdy foam interior for maximum protection and increased durability. It has high-quality Prelude strings that are made from the United States. Cremona SV-500 violin also features a hygrometer and four bow holders. The bow is made of high-quality hair and Brazilwood. Its fingerboard is made from ebony and has a composite-made tailpiece to lighten it.

This violin is thoroughly inspected by experienced and professional Luthiers in California before setting up, in compliance with MENC standards. As with most standard violins, it comes in four sizes - 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full size. While this violin may not be among the best violin brands for professionals, it's sufficient for practicing.

10.Mendini CVN-300 By Cecilio Violins

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This Cecilio violin is one of the best violins for beginners. It is also suitable for children, which means it is a good first violin. Before you purchase this violin, you should ask your violin teachers what measurement is suitable for you. With an ebony fingerboard and fittings, you get durability and reliability in one instrument. The clarity and responsiveness are superior, and it is a perfect violin for beginners to practice on.

The best violins have a solid spruce, and the violin makers of this remarkable piece did just that. The spruce is durable and robust. It is dressed in D'addario strings for its remarkable tensile strength. The kit includes a hard case, two bows, rosin, shoulder rest and an extra bridge. The inlaid purfling ensures your instrument will stay durable for as long as possible. For a beginner's instrument, it is the best as a first violin and it is a good intermediate violin.

Parts Of A Violin And What They Do

One of the most essential qualities of a violinist is that they understand their instrument. A great violinist should have a lot of knowledge about different musical instruments. However, knowledge of their own instrument is vital. Be it a starter violin or an expert violin; the parts are the same. However, the parts might be made from different materials. Depending on the level or grade of the violinist, the craftsmanship of the violin also changes.

Since most contemporary violins are handmade, or rather any violin worth playing, it is crucial to know the various parts. It is also super important to know how to conduct basic maintenance on your instrument, even if it is a student violin or a good beginner violin. Even a cheap violin should be well-maintained and treated with respect. Here are the parts of a violin body, how they function and what they do.

From the top of the violin:

a) Scroll

For most member instruments of the violin family, the scroll is the carved top on the neck of the violin. Even beginner violins have them. Most of the time, the scroll is carved with spirals; however, sometimes, the scroll can be carved to feature an animal or human head. One cool thing is that you can totally have a personalized scroll. You just have to find the right person for adjustments. The scroll on a violin is always carved.

b) Tuning Pegs

Tuning pegs are the method a violinist uses to tune the violin for better sound quality. Violin playing is hard work that requires technique. All violin brands situate the pegs in the same place, along the neck of the violin. Pegs are the fine tuners of the violin world. The pegs hold the strings tightly stretched, and that causes the violin sounds. Tightening a string will give you a raised pitch, and loosening a string will give you a low pitch. Your violin teacher should teach you how to work the strings.

c) Pegbox

The pegbox is where the tuning strings are carefully inserted. The pegbox rests near the violinist's left hand. Violin pegs are specifically constructed to stick into the pegbox. Without the pegbox, the violin strings would come undone frequently. Each string on a violin has its own violin peg, which fits perfectly into the pegbox. Sometimes, cheap violins or student violins have pegs and peg boxes that do not stay put. Replacing a pegbox is also expensive.

d) Nut

The nut on a violin is found between the pegbox and the fingerboard. The nut holds the violin strings at the right height from the fingerboard. Additionally, the nut lets the strings flow in an even manner across the length of the violin from the neck to the pegbox. The nut also sets the spacing between the strings. Correct stringing is super important to get the sound you desire, even on a violin for beginners or intermediate violins.

e) Neck

The neck bears most of the string's weight as well as tension. It is the long piece of wood between the base of the violin and the scroll. It is the crucial connection between the pegbox and the body of the violin. Supporting the upper part of the fingerboard is also one of its duties. Because the neck bears the tension of the strings and other parts, it has to be well made. Usually, in an expensive violin, the neck is made from maple.

f) Fingerboard

The fingerboard is an essential part of any starter violin. When playing your beginner violin, you press the strings down onto the fingerboard to change the vibrating length of the strings. This has an impact on changing the pitch or how your violin sounds. The fingerboard gives a musician control over how notes sound. It also enables the musician to play musical notes with the natural and correct intonation by stopping the strings invariably.

g) Top

The top is also referred to more easily as the front of the violin. The front of the violin can also be referred to as the belly or the table. It is a convex-shaped top. The front plate of a violin is made of solid spruce wood. Spruce wood is a good choice because it is strong but also lightweight. Aside from that, violin brands and even beginner violins prefer spruce wood because it makes a great conductor of sound from the string vibrations.

h) Ribs

Violin ribs are very thin pieces of wood that make up the sides of the violin. Yes, even beginner violins and the best violin have ribs. Ribs are located between the top and the bottom layers of the violin that enclose the best violin body. Additionally, there are different ways to make ribs. Generally, the methods used on a violin to place the ribs also affect the pitch. The ribs support the torque of the strings and the bow.

i) Strings

The strings on your violin determine how your instrument sounds. Before we go further, you should understand that the tension, mass, and length of your strings determine how it will sound. Budget violins might sound different because the strings are made with other materials (low-quality strings), or the mass and length are different. Vibrations produce sound. Therefore the better your strings vibrate, the better sound they produce.

j) Purfling

Purfling consists of three thin strips placed along the entire edge of your instrument. To tell if your purfling inlay is legitimate, check if the grain is the same. In some affordable violins, the purfling is painted on. However, while purfling is technically for aesthetic purposes, it also prevents cracking along the edges of your violin. Therefore, purfling has also been used to identify older violins that are now very expensive and owned chiefly by collectors.

k) Corner Blocks

Corner blocks are not placed on most student violin brands. However, some violins, even good ones, have never been fitted with corner blocks. So what is the purpose of corner blocks? Firstly, corner blocks are wooden blocks placed on the inside of the violin. They are not decorative, and they have a protective role. They reinforce the construction of the violin. Additionally, they ensure the violin does not crumble or come apart. A cheap instrument might not have corner blocks.

l) F-Holes

The F-holes are hollow, wooden resonance chambers. The F-holes transmit sound and vibrations to the outside of the violin. This amplifies the sound. Initially, before there were sound amplifiers, instruments had to be fitted with amplification. Making F-holes was one of them. Nowadays, the acoustic violin is the modern face of the best contemporary violin makers. It is fitted with F-holes to amplify the sound, and it works beautifully. But, of course, the best beginner violin might have F-holes as well.

m) Bridge

The bridge on a violin raises the strings in a slanting manner to ensure the instrument is better played. It also supports the strings and transmits the vibrations that the strings produce to the rest of the beginner violin. All string instruments have a bridge. Additionally, the sound is transmitted to the soundboard of the violin, where it is then amplified further. Therefore, the bridge of your violin should always be in good shape if you want your violin to keep producing good sound quality.

n) Sound Post

The soundpost transports sound from the front plate to the backplate. A soundpost adds sound stability to the instrument. Every violin model comes with a soundpost. Without a sound post, the violin is just a piece of wood. However, a soundpost gives you the best tone quality and responsiveness. Furthermore, the sound post is considered the "soul" of the violin because it produces beautiful sounds and notes. The way it is placed changes the sound of your violin because it changes vibrational modes.

o) Fine Tuners

These are different from the peg tuners. Every violin, even the best beginner violin, will have fine tuners. Other expensive violin brands have features such as gold-plated fine tuners. Either way, fine tuners tune the sound, but to a lesser degree. Tiny violins such as the best beginner violins or a student violin will most of the time have fine-tuners for all the strings. An advanced violin only has fine tuners for the E-string.

p) Tailpiece

The tailpiece on a student violin or the best beginner violin is to fasten the strings. Fastened strings allow the musician to play the strings freely. The tailpiece also connects the strings to the end of the instrument. Additionally, a well-made tailpiece will enhance the sound or acoustic of your violin, even if it is a beginner violin. If the tailpiece is not made well, your violin will not sound its best nor play at its full potential.

q) Tailpiece Gut

The tailpiece gut secures the violin tailpiece to the endpin. When it comes to the tailpiece gut, always go for the thicker gut. A thick gut does a better job at securing the tailpiece. Furthermore, the best violin has a stable tailpiece gut. However, you should also note that a thick tailpiece will not stretch and therefore not allow a lot of vibration in the tailpiece. This may alter the sound quality of your instrument.

r) Chin Rest

Every quality instrument has a unique way of being supported while being played. For example, a guitar has a guitar strap that goes over the shoulder. A violin is naturally cradled in the nook of the neck. However, this is not enough to keep it from sliding off. You also have to rest your chin on the instrument to keep it in place. A chin rest is specially made on the violin to enable better grip. Furthermore, the chinrest also protects the violin. You can have the best violin, but repeated usage without a chinrest will ruin it.

s) Saddle

The saddle is a block of wood located inside the violin. The saddle can be found on all violins, including beginner violins. It is helpful in relieving pressure created by the stringing force. It helps to spread the pressure evenly across the whole instrument. This is very important because the saddle ensures there is no force being concentrated on one part of the violin only. The tension created by the violin bow is powerful enough to break delicate parts of the violin.

t) Pickup

A pickup is actually a transducer. A transducer senses mechanical vibrations that are produced by musical instruments, and in this case, the violin. For example, a violin produces vibrations when the violin bow strums across the strings. These vibrations are then picked up by the pickup and then converted to musical notes after being amplified. Most student violins use temporary pickups, which is fine if it is your first violin.

What to Consider when Looking for Beginner Violin Brands

1. Why You Want to Play Violin and For How Long

Violin playing can be a hobby or a skill that you want to engage in for fun or professionally. If you are a beginner violinist but want to grow your skills and play professionally in the future, you want to invest in a high-quality violin. One that will serve you without experiencing warped bows or snapped strings. Also, if you're looking at the long term, make sure you are purchasing a violin that has spare strings and rosin. This means you'll have a seamless playing time, even when the unexpected happens.

If you are buying for a teenager passionate about violin playing, buy a violin that serves both teenagers and adults.

2. Make and Design of Violin

A good violin should not only produce a great sound but should also appeal to your eyes. You can get beginner violins that have a natural look and an oily finish. Take your time to research from music stores the designs and constructions of violins. The best violin should make your music time comfortable and enjoyable. Here, consider things like chinrest, shoulder rest, and a professional case.

Also, consider the color options. You want to have a violin that makes you happy and even motivates you to play. During your purchase, make sure not to forget this.

3. Price

Different brands have different price points based on a number of factors.

While price can be a reflection of the quality, it's not always the case. When considering the price, look for a violin brand that's reputable and offering affordable violins. Famous brands enjoy economies of scale and can afford to charge less without compromising on quality. Ultimately, what you want is to get value for your money. Also, don't look at the price as stand-alone; weigh it against the features and benefits you'll get

4. Help of a Violinist Friend

If it's your first time getting a violin, the many options can be confusing, and you can still make a mistake. If you have a friend who plays the violin, you can involve them in the buying process. They can help you see some fine details that you can easily miss out on.

Types Of Violins

There are multiple types of violins. From Mozart to Beethoven to Jean Luc Ponty, there have been hundreds of types of violins throughout the years. From the best beginner violins to the acoustic violin, there have been many improvements to date. The design and make of the violin have changed as well. Furthermore, the best violin brands and best acoustic violin brands are renowned all over the world for exceptional quality. First, let's look at the types of violins.

i) Electric Violins

An electric violin does not produce sound the way a classical violin would. This particular violin brand requires a sound box to amplify the sound more. If you play an electric violin without connecting it to a sound system, the sound produced will be very low. Additionally, an electric violin is played the same way as a classical violin. It will still need a shoulder rest, violin bow, and chin rest to play an electric violin.

While most classical violins have a hollow body, an electric violin does not. Most violin makers don't see the need to make electric violins hollow because they are connected to a sound amplifier. Additionally, an electric violin requires much more equipment to set up. Technically, an electric violin does not make the best student violin, and most violin instructors don't recommend it. Furthermore, electric violins sound more artificial compared to their classical counterparts.

ii) Silent Violins

Before we get into what silent violins are, it is noteworthy that no violin is silent. Silent violins are like electric violins. The only difference comes in the electronics. Silent violins are engineered to have headphones plugged in instead of amplifying systems. Additionally, there are different brands of silent violins. This type of violin is one of the best violins for students. It is also a good beginner violin and one of the best student violin brands.

It is easier to listen to yourself during practice. After using a silent violin for practice, you can move on to a classical one once you get better. The silence is what is considered the best feature. You don't have to bother anyone else. You should also know that the silent violin sounds exactly like an electric violin. Therefore, you will be hearing the same sound. You will only be using headphones instead of a sound system.

iii) Semi-Acoustic Violins

This unique type of violin has both electric and acoustic options. If you want to, you can play the violin without connecting it to a sound system. The hollow body lets you play it like you would a classical guitar, and the built-in electronics give you amplification like an electric guitar would. Furthermore, this type of violin tries to merge the best of both worlds. They are a good-sounding violins; however, they are not suitable as violins for beginners.

It is popular because it works for every occasion. Furthermore, it is classical as well as contemporary, and if you are struggling between the two options, then the semi-acoustic one might be for you. Lastly, you will have multiple varieties of music to play because it is a versatile instrument. With a few switches here and there, you can quickly transform this semi-acoustic violin into an acoustic violin and vice versa.

iv) Violins With 5 Strings

The violins with five strings have the fifth string as a lower C string. The four-string violin is very similar to the five-string violin. There are no discernable differences except that the five-string violins have a larger peg box to house the extra string. The purpose of an added string is to give musicians freedom to explore music as well as get more range with experimentation. There are also semi-acoustic, electric and silent violins with five strings.

The five-string violin combines the pitch range of both a violin and a viola. This increases versatility when it comes to musical notes. Additionally, there are many other violins that have up to seven strings and more musical notes.

Frequently Asked Questions

a) Who is Considered a beginner violinist?

A beginner violinist can range from a person who's using the violin for the first time, violin students and also kids learning to play the violin.

b) What is the Cost of a High-Quality Beginner Violin?

This question doesn't have an obvious and specific answer. The reason is, the quality varies from one person to another. That said, a good quality violin that will last long, produce excellent sound, and assemble easily may cost you at least $100. While there are other budget violins that will cost you less, they may fail in meeting these minimum thresholds. Therefore, it helps to save and wait a little longer to buy something that can serve you a lifetime.

c) What Makes the Best Violins for Beginners?

Beginner violinists want an outfit within a lower price range, easy to learn and play, has spare strings, and the ones that are already set up.

d) What Should I Also Consider before Buying a Violin Online?

Even after you have settled for a particular violin, it is important to consider what its customers have to see. Do they consider the violin maker as detail-oriented and offering value for money? Again, those with experience are best suited to give a realistic picture.

e) What is the best Make for Violins?

The best violin brand has a spruce top and a maple back. Combined with an oily finish, these give the violin an attractive color and a natural look.

f) What Two Things about Violin Must I Consider?

The best beginner or intermediate violin should excel in sound and durability. These are affected by the materials used, the experience of the luthier, and the type of accessories present. If you can test the violin before making a purchase, it can help reduce disappointment. Then, you'll know precisely the kind of sound to expect.

The Bottom Line

The ability to make music is beautiful. Whether you use a violin or you are starting out as a violinist, there are multiple sources of information on the internet. Additionally, the violin is the most challenging instrument to play because it is very complicated. Whether you are good at playing the violin or just starting out, there are many violin choices for you. All you have to do is select the one that will suit your needs.