﻿ How to Find Violins for Beginners? How Much Does a Violin Cost? | Mozart Violins


Before the Internet, a beginner violin could only be purchased at local music shops & violin shops, so choosing between a couple of (often overpriced) violins was quite easy. Nowadays, with the Internet, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of violins on Craigslist and many other online retailers. There are violins that sell for $70 and violins that sell for $3000.
So what’s the difference and how do I go about finding the right violin for me?

Go through these 3 questions to narrow down your choices:
  1. What level of violin am I looking for? Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced? A Beginner violin ranges from $150-300, an intermediate violin range from $300-700, and an advanced violin can start at $700 and go up to $10,000.
  2. How do you plan to use this violin? Am I planning on learning how to play the violin or am I planning on using the violin as an art piece? For learning, in order for the violin to last you one to two years, the violin needs to be made out of solid wood. Otherwise, the violin will break within 6 months due to the lack of strength. As an art piece, a plywood violin will be fine.
  3. New or used? Now that you know what grade of violin you’re looking for, you will need to ask yourself if you are going to buy a new violin or used violin. We recommend individuals to start with a new beginner violin, since a new beginner violin is more affordable than an older instrument. This may sound paradoxical, since we typically assume that newer things are worth more, but for violins, its the opposite. The older the violin, the more beautiful the sound and the more expensive. That's why Stradivarius instruments are so expensive. For intermediate and advanced players, either new or used will work depending on your preference and the violin's sound quality.
Now that you know what grade of violin you are looking for, it’s time to find that beginner or intermediate violin. When shopping for a beginner violin, make sure you go through our 9 secrets to buying a quality beginner violin test to avoid buying a lemon. We recommend you to bring this along with you when you look for violins, as some violins may not pass this test. If it doesn’t, look for another violin. Violins that don't pass our basic test will be frustrating to use and cost a bundle to repair.