My 8 year old starts on Tuesday and we have to get her a half sized violin. There seem to be loads on Amazon with case for 50-60 quid, with Prime we could get it in time.

Makes seem to be Stentor (slightly pricier) or Forenza. Will these do the job? Any other suggestions?

Thanks

PS Renting seems silly at 30 quid a quarter.

earplugs?

We went to the local shop. Cost wasn’t much more and advice was good. Would you consider a secondhand violin from a shop?

Murray – yes, would consider that. Local shop starts at 80 quid for similar packages to those on Amazon.

A friend has just got one for her 7yo – I’ll ask (though she’s a sax player, so was getting advice from friends – it will be 3rd hand advice). I agree that renting seems silly – mini aracers cornet was only 2 terms rental and he’s now been playing 2 years (though I’m a trumpet player, so confident buying one s/h that I’d know if it was ok). Has she only just decided to start that you’re looking now? I appreciate it’s not helpful now, but we were looking for instruments in August (have got a trombone for mini mini), and it’s surely too late to get a rental anyway – TBH I won’t get advice until Monday.

…actually given the timescale I’d go to a shop as advised if that’s the price they’re asking. Should be a good s/h market in those.

Support your local shop n they may trade in when time comes to upgrade.

Like LBS if not used and everybody uses Amazon ,local economy goes pear shaped .

aracer – we had assumed that the lessons we bought included a rental instrument – the early communication said as much. The local shop would sort a rental for us but it just seems silly cost wise. She tends to stick with things and has friends learning as well so more likely to keep going I think.

If the brands on Amazon are decent, I’d just get one ordered but I have no idea…

mountainman – its a valid point but the local economy includes me and 80 versus 50 isn’t even trying IMO.

PS Renting seems silly at 30 quid a quarter.

Sounds like a fiddle to me.

(though she’s a sax player,

There’s far too much sax and violins these days.

has friends learning as well

Ah – you can send her round to friends house for group practice then, win win.

80 vs 50 including useful advice for something she might have for a couple of years doesn’t seem so bad to me if your best other source of advice is here.

oh and a <groan> for Cougar

There’s far too much sax and violins these days

Bravo!

Luckily my two play woodwind. How I love concerts featuring the learner violin groups…. 🙄

Hello CB – were selling a nice Knight 1/2 size violin, with bow and good case. It helped our lad distinctions at Grade 1 & 2.

£50 posted ono….

matt – thanks for offer but we went for a Forenza.

2nd earplugs/ear defenders

Agree on ear plugs.

The first month sounds like someone removing sudoreme from a cat…..

Luckily my two play brass (well strictly speaking plastic in the case of mini mini at the moment!) Haven’t got first hand experience of a child learning the violin, and assumed it was a bit of an urban myth how awful it was – will have to ask my friend how it’s going! Picking up mini from his wind band today though, the string band is in a nearby room and it’s the first time I’d really heard them – I don’t think it’s just my personal preference, but I’m still very glad I have brass players, and the band is grade 1 to grade 3 standard.

Normally rental fees are knocked off the purchase price if you choose to buy. A sixty quid Amazon instrument is likely to be crap. Stentor or Gewa do very decent beginner violins which you will be able to sell on when she goes up a size (or packs it in). The Amazon purchase will probably end up as junk.