After 27 yearsof wanting to play I bought a $40 special "VSO" to see how I went. Turned out well over all in that it is playable enough, but now I want something a little less laughable by community standards. While shopping I learned of Kennedy violins and I have a pupil model on the way, I am super excited! 😀
@@user-iz4st3zx1v thankfully this all worked out for now. I am however ready for an upgrade! I’ve played some others and possibly might get mine set up again with some nicer strings perhaps
Great video I've watched the dozens of violin videos in the past weeks and this one is the most explanatory yet keep up the great work I'll be in your shop in the next couple months 😊
I picked up a used violin for $350 made by a single Chinese luthier. My local shop was impressed at how good it sounds. He said it was a 13-1500$ violin. It is deep and Rich and projects well. My son has a Watanabe Ken that he likes a lot. They are both similar quality, but sound very different. The Watanabe is more silvery with a very even tone.
Some pros use tier 2 violins. Irish violin players buy by the tone and playability, and don’t usually seek a ‘pro’ level. Irish music feels homely and warm kind of rustic which adds to its beauty
Glarry Violins most expensive is about $100.00. Will need a setup but has a spruce top, figured maple back and sides, ebony chin rest, ebony pegs, ebony tail piece, etc. The bow is redwood with ebony and mother of pearl frog. Tailpiece, pegs and bow have mother of pearl and brass inserts. Sounds good and it's high quality construction. Good value for me.
Yes there are several nice youtube reviews of super cheap Glarry violin by highly skilled violinists. To my ear, Glarry violin sounds wonderful (of course when in the hands of expert violinists). Only thing I wonder is that if sample of the Glarry violin given to these violinists to test were cherry picked to be "cream of the crop".
Thanks for interesting and informative video! I’m a wannabe (guitar oriented) luthier and I don’t know much about violins yet (but it’d be fun to try to make one one day).
I would consider my Cecilio CVN 400 a cheaper tier 2 (I've had it over 10 years now). After failing to set it up the first time, I managed on the second. Recently went and did a bunch of small upgrades and I enjoy the improvement. My electric, a CEVN however is more tier 1, but I mostly use it for practicing late at night. Still looking for a good upgrade. A lot of less expensive violins don't keep pace with my current one, and while I feel like I need something better, but sure what at my price range will do. I'm kind of in love with the Anton Gerad.
Yes, I agree that set up is super important and it looks like you found this out. Even a not so great instrument can be greatly improved by good set up! BTW, the Gerards are great! If you order one at one point, I would definitely recommend upgrading the strings because strings make a big difference. 👍 they come preset up with preludes, which are good strings for the money, but the violin is definitely better than the strings. 😉
@@KennedyViolins one of the best upgrades I did on both my violins was changing strings. The acoustic now has Dominants with Pirastro gold label e, and I have D'Addario NS strings on the electric. Miles of difference on playing around to find what I like.
I studied classical guitar at Sydney Conservatorium and took up the violin as a second instrument in my early 20s. My first violin cost me two hundred Australian dollars, and whilst my main violin now is a 1913 Eduard Reichert, I still use that 'first violin' quite often. It's a no-name, likely German-made from the 19th Century and it's so good that I still use it, for its lovely rich tone and ease of playing, for certain pieces. Sometimes, even a total novice, as I was back then, can be a winner. Either that or it was stolen and sold by the thieves for quick $$. I try to dismiss this as the thought of losing 'my instruments' would hurt so much that I wouldn't want that to happen to anyone else let alone myself be the recipient of that sadness for the potential previous owner.
I found the number one problem is strings for student violins and the setup. Nut is high/low; bridge is thick and usually located in the wrong place, and sound post is way off. All my kid's violins; had a luthier make sure the nut was correct and a good bridge; sound post in the correct position; and I change out the super heavy tail piece and chin rest with a composite Whittner and that will usually drastically change a violin from a crap one to a playable one.
Yes, you are 100% correct. The #1 aspect that affects a violin's playability is the setup. That is why at Kennedy Violins, we insist that EVERY violin is set up by us at our WA facility. We will NEVER allow anybody else in another country to set up our violins. Thanks for pointing this out. 👍
@@KennedyViolins I feel if you are a violin store and you push an improperly setup violin out the door, then you are setting up a student for failure. Which IMHO is a shameful thing to do.
@@twoblink Yes, we totally agree. That is why we make sure every one of our violins is set up in the US when the violin is ordered. However, this does add cost because US labor is expensive and that is why most shops do not spend the time to do a proper setup.
I bought a 1991 Erich Pfretzschner " Strad copy " back in 1998 for $300. It has a real ebony fingerboard & purfling ect but I swapped the tail and chinrest for a newer smarter one. Have you ever heard of this make and would it be a tier one or tier two ? ...( hoping it's a two but rather know the truth haha )
I bought a Mendini for a beater and higher humidity conditions and the sound post is GLUED in place. It's not horrible by any means but it certainly doesn't have a lovely tone like my nice one.
How about buying 2 tier violin and modify thickness of plates, would it make the sound better? Or 2 tier violins plates are thicker because the wood is not as dense as those in higher tiers even though its traditional maple and spruce so you cant make it thinner or it may break? Is thinner better because it doesnt mute the vibrations as much similar like with bridge? I wonder also if cheap varnish affects the sound making plates more hard and unable to vibrate as much if one can sand it down and apply some different
I think that all of your conclusion/assumptions are correct. Yes, thinner is often better but only if the density of the wood can handle it, and where it's grown has a lot to do with that. Also, a cheaper finish does affect the ability of the plate to vibrate, so you are correct on all fronts! You are also correct about re-graduating a cheap violin. Many high-end "American/European" violins are just cheaper Chinese violins that have been re-graduated and nicely varnished and this often yields a superior violin.
I'm thinking about flying to Europe and buy a violin to upgrade. I live in Southeast Asia where the humidity is 80-90% daily. Is it going to be good decision? I'm afraid the humidity difference will affect the violin.
Well, this question can be answered in a very complicated way, with a lot of exceptions and complications. However, I think realistically the best thing to do is just provide you with a simple answer, which is that your violin will probably be perfectly fine. As long as you keep it indoors and obey the same rules that you do usually, like don't put it in front of a vent and don't leave it in front of a window or a draft or something like that, then your violin will acclimate to the new conditions. It will sound different in the different conditions and it may go out of tune quite a bit when you go to Europe because it may not be as humid. Your pegs may slip as a result. People travel around the world with their violins all the time and the biggest inconvenience is the fact that it throws the violin out of tune and you have to deal with that. Other than that, the violin should be perfectly safe.
The thing with cheap instruments is to take around the block, play them and see if you can dedicate time and money, if yes then get one with better materials.
hello, good video. What do you think of the olive wood pieces, tailpieces, pegs and chin rests, to give it uniformity in color, but I wonder if it is a good decision?
I’ve come to the conclusion that violin values are a mine field and apart from a new purchase of a big brand seller and the obvious dogs of and older unbranded instrument, where does that leave the up and coming novice? I bought an older unbranded violin recently, I admit on a bit of a whim for cheap, and spent quite a lot of time cleaning it up adding new strings and tailpiece and it looks pretty good. Pronounce flame on the back plate and matching sides and quite tight spruce grain on the front and nicely carved neck and scroll. But as I’m a novice I have no idea if it was a good buy or not, who’s to say it’s not worth maybe 4 or 5 times what I paid?
Thank you very much for sharing this. Also curious to know which was lighter or easier to play; the one which is easier to play may be better from ergonomics and musculoskeletal perspectives, so I feel. Even if sound may not be as sweet, please could you suggest if there are any cheap or cost effective violins, but lighter and with low string height, easy to play, good for the thumb design? (I recently stopped using shoulder rest, then observed that the violin I was using had string height of around 1 cm near the high end of the finger board. Being an amateur I had not noticed till now and was using a 600g violin suited perhaps for the seated position (another style, perhaps more ergonomical when compared and where players rarely go beyond the 5 th position) but like a western one
The primary mistake that you are making is thinking of violins as toasters. Violins are hand-made products that the makers attempt to make as consistent as possible but never perfect. Just about any violin you purchase will have a different set-up. It's up to the the set-up luthier to set the violin up in a way that they believe is the best. Just about any violin can be set up to be easy to play or hard to play. It really depends on the luthier. There are many violins for sale that are pretty good violins BUT the set-up is so bad that they are basically unplayable or very difficult to play. This is the primary advantage of a Kennedy Violin. Even though we have some very inexpensive violin offerings, we insist that all of our violins are set up to very specific standards regardless of the level of the violin. Therefore, whatever violin you purchase, the primary concern you should have is whether the violin is set up well or not because even a "great" violin can be set up poorly and be very frustrating to play.
@@KennedyViolins Thanks for the reply. Sorry if my previous message caused a confusion which violin I was using. I was talking about a locally made beginner's basic violin, made to local playing style, eastern holding style, that I mistakenly used with a chin rest in western holding style. (not a Kennedy violin ). I hope to explore Kennedy violins soon. Do you deliver to India. Also please let me know if I should rephrase my comments to avoid confusion?
@@manufrancismathew7657 Hello Mathew, as far as I know, any violin will be easier to play with a smaller neck and lower strings. It probably does not matter if you play it Eastern or Western style. Hope this helps! BTW, we only send violin to the US.
@@KennedyViolins Thank you very much for kindly and patiently explaining in admirable detail. I also just remembered that I had the old eastern violin (some makers use heavier wood for eastern style playing) overhauled by an amateur luthier a few years back. So your first guess was right too. Besides I had to be more careful from the moisture perspective too. I hope to either overhaul my current one with a local professional luthier or I will try to buy a Bunnell violin through my relative within your shipping area.
Hi I just bought a Louis Carpini G2 for my son. I think what would've helped me more is somewhere on the page of each violin if you guys had where it's made (not only assembled) it would be great.
It got my Höfner AS160v violin which cost $300 3years ago. And it wasn't set up when we opened it to the store but luckily the retailer was skillful of setting up my new violin ahhahaha. But today my violin fittings is completely different because of sounds that im looking for and the look of it....
I am learning and I put my finger in first position on the A string and I get a C out I can get a B if I move my finger to the nut. Is this a sign of a cheap violin or could it be something else? Thank-You! I love all your videos!!!
My guess is that your A is tuned too sharp/high OR your tuner is inaccurate. Even the cheapest violin will generally not yield such results. I would definitely try tuning your A again and make sure it is tuned to a 440-442 htz. Let me know if this works!
Ohhhh Thank-You! For your reply! That makes sense. I am using a cheap tuner. You are a stand up guy, seriously, You could have used this opportunity to sell a violin. But your honest answer, makes me want to see if you’re selling anything that I can afford 👏
So I used a tuner that read in Hertz and my A string was in the 200s , not 440. Thanks for that! And yes when I use the other tuner I get a B!!! Thank-You!
Laminate is pretty common in inexpensive double basses and cellos, and there definitely are laminate "violins" as well. There are also hybrid instruments, where the top is solid wood, though I think that's most commonly seen in double basses.
I appreciate the info you provided here but would consider information comparing the tiers of violins in your shop more useful. I'm not buying a $15,000 violin. LOL I did order a Anton Gerard and hope I like it. figure its worth trying because of the 45 day return period. in case I don't like it and want to swap it out for a different one. I was torn between it and the viticek. I liked the looks and price tag for more on the gerard but wondered just what I'd be missing for that extra $600 and if it would have been worth it or better to save the cash. I can see how others might have similar questions perhaps considering the cheapest student model you have vs a higher up option. so a video comparing and explaining the differences of your catalog would be quite useful to folks trying to figure out how much money they want to spend/save vs what they'd get/lose out on.
Yes, you make very good points. I should do a video comparing several violins at one time. I think that many people would find that interesting. For these videos, I generally try not to "push" my own product too much and try to just provide general information but you make a good point. We recently gave away a Gerard in a giveway on Instagram and Facebook and I had to play it for a demonstration video. The violin sounded very very good, so I think that you'll be pretty impressed if you've played other violins at the same price point. However, I will point out that it had Obligatos strung on it and the set-up was really good. Of course, your violin will be set-up extremely well but I don't know what kind of strings you had installed. Strings make a big difference. I would suggest playing the violin for as much as you can for 2 weeks. We are very liberal with our return policy, so you really don't have to worry about that. We just want happy customers. It takes a good 6-8 hours at least to do the initial break-in on the violins; otherwise they can sound a bit tinny at first. After about 6 months, they generally start sounding really good. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Just try a lot of instruments. Don't buy online as a beginner. Rent first if possible. Consider, that a violin may sound very different under the ear than from the other end of a room. If you mostly play for yourself, it is important to have played each instrument you consider buying yourself. The violin you might like under the ear is not the violin others might like and sometimes even not the violin you like best from the other side of the room! Violins of one price range can sound very different, so if you don't like one instrument, that does not necessarily mean you should spend more money, so before stepping up the price range, listen to more violins of the same price range! More expensive is NOT always "better for YOU", and more expensive does not even always mean better sound, at least in the price range $1000 to $4000. Also, there are some hobby players who really love their $500 violins, so "cheap" does not always mean bad for every single player!
Hi, I'm a violin teacher and I've just started playing in an orchestra. I have been playing on and love my intermediate violin. For teaching, I'm okay with having an intermediate instrument as I travel to my students homes and don't want to buy a more expensive instrument and have some type of damage happen to it. That said, I feel that in my lessons and in orchestra I need a better level instrument. Is it possible to have two different types of instruments? Should I look at buying a better violin for my lessons and Orchestra or should I get another less expensive instrument for teaching?
I think it should be okey for using an intermediate instrument for both of the situations as long as it is playable and sounds right. In the orchestra, it should be okey for using an intermediate instrument as many people are playing and the little details or "better sound" will not noticeable. Unless it is a quartet or soloist situation where there is less people playing which make the small details noticeable that might need an "expensive" instrument. All depends to you I think, if you want to try a better instrument, why not? And if your violin sounds good and right to you and anyone hearing it, why need a new one then? Just my sincere opinions, thank you.
Absolutely! When you make the plunge, I'd recommend purchasing a used instrument - in the higher price ranges, you generally get a higher quality instrument for less money than you'd pay for new. You can check your local folk music shops, or craigslist. Plus the violin gets to add another player to its' story and that's just cool. I love playing my $300 guitar, but my $1000 guitar is the thing I'd use to perform.
An instrument that is set up so poorly that the violin's mechanics are simply impossible to manipulate. For example, the strings could be so close to the fingerboard that as soon as you draw the bow, the strings vibrate and hit the fingerboard and just make a buzzing sound. Another common example is a bridge's arch is carved too flat, and this makes it impossible to play one string at a time. There are many examples, but there are many ways in which a terrible setup will make an instrument nearly impossible to play.
If I inherited my Pa's violin and my Grandpa's Viola.. youngest in over 150 years old.. I'm better on them they are that good.. Would those be tier 4 instruments?
Pretty much any violin that is 150 years old is going to be a top-tier instrument. However, it may need some work. There is a good chance there is some plate separation and the bridge is warped. It depends on how well it's been maintained. If it's maintained well with new strings, straight bridge etc. it'll probably sound pretty darn good!
@@KennedyViolins good to know as I'm too poor for an appraisal.. priceless in my eyes, as I played them as a child. Been relearning them for 3-5 years after brain injury and arms shattered.. They sound amazing, I wish I knew more about the youngest violin, my Grandpa took the makers lable off to devalue it on purpose but my viola has a 1749 year mark. My dream is to be as good as my ancestors one day.
@@KennedyViolins I lied, 1740, the mark is so old I misread I just rechecked. 1740 violin body strung as a viola (family way). My Violin (no lable) was picked out by my grandpa to pair with the viola as a set sound. Spent a year looking for it and gave it to my Pa when he was 8 in 1947. I just escaped abuse and was homeless for a bit I don't have the money for appraisal :(
It doesn’t matter which country your instrument the set up in. if I set up in the United States doesn’t make it any better than being sat up in any other country..
This is nice practical survey from the point of a seller and from luthiers who gave him instructions. Quite valuable thou. The other part might be the survey from the point of an experienced player. That story is even more exciting, it will go far beyond the first one because it is very subtle, considerably closer to the core of what music really is for. However to understand that, one has to be a player.
In the video, I point out that I have a unique position. I am a parent, teacher, player, customer, and business owner. I was attempting to speak from all vantage points in the video but I suppose that's a tall order. Nonetheless, it is me!
There is a youtube video where a professional violinist compares $69 Glarry violin against 10 million dollar Stradivarious. Of course Stradivarious is much better, but $69 Glarry is not bad either. Certainly more than good enough for most people aspiring to make some nice music at home.
I don't know if I've seen the video but chances are, if they can get their hands on a Strad, they're a pretty good player. 90% of sounding good on a violin is the player, so if they are quite accomplished, they can make just about anything sound pretty decent. The difference is how much skill it takes and how hard the player has to try to make the violin sound good. If a person doesn't have the skill, then they are at the mercy of the violin, and in that case, they might sound like two cats fighting in the alleyway! If you are referring to the video with Ray Chen, he is one of the best violinists in the world, so ya.......he can make a fishing line strung on a garbage can lid sound good.
I bought a 30$ violin online, when it got to me the Sound Post is dislodged, and the fucking finger-board is flimsy and bending. Got a refund for that.
I gave up after tier 2 explanation. The biggest failing of this video is it does not explain how the materials and setup affect the sound. Saying the setup on a tier 2 violin might not have been done right is meaningless relative to the inherent sound of the instrument. It’s like saying it wasn’t tuned properly therefore the instrument is bad. And implying that a setup in the US is, by default, superior to someone not working in the US is ridiculous. I’ve been watching many videos on building, restoring and maintaining violins. This is the first to prate on about non-traditional materials or methods without talking about how materials and construction methods affect the sound and playability. I stopped after tier 2 because I did not learn a single thing that could help me select an instrument.
This comment is rather disappointing. The video is not made to help you select an instrument, but to help someone who does not know, to understand why there are such price ranges and what the meaning is behind these price ranges. The video did a remarkable job at achieving just that. To be more concrete with the example you gave, the video does not imply that a setup in the US is superior to a setup elsewhere, but shows you that this is one of the reasons why one violin can be more expensive than another, as labour costs differ. And sure, there will be plenty of other video's on the sound and playability that will help you select your violin, but that is just not what this video is about.
I have two Cecilio violins, my acoustic is a CVN-400 I paid 175 for over 10 years ago. It is a really nice resonation to it, but I did have to set it up myself (failed the first time) and the good sound I have now required time to build up. I'm still considering looking at a higher quality violin, but having trouble choosing. I really want to go look in person. After time you really do have opinion on the sound. I like Cecilio, they tend to make useable violins, but they are very much what I consider entry level.
Great option if you want to scare someone away from these instruments! :-D With some luck, $30 will buy you a set of strings that respond and function properly.
After 27 yearsof wanting to play I bought a $40 special "VSO" to see how I went. Turned out well over all in that it is playable enough, but now I want something a little less laughable by community standards. While shopping I learned of Kennedy violins and I have a pupil model on the way, I am super excited! 😀
Did it arrive yet? I hope it works well for you!
@@LinCalc it did and I love it!
@@Reannon5 great!
@333Orobas 666 that is a rotten experience 😔 this world really stinks at times
This makes all of the sense in the world. Thank you for the detailed, well thought out explanation.
Glad you liked the vid!
Just bought mine for $45…$150 in the set up and rehair…ready to start learning! Great video
Good luck!
@@user-iz4st3zx1v thankfully this all worked out for now. I am however ready for an upgrade! I’ve played some others and possibly might get mine set up again with some nicer strings perhaps
Thank you. I’m finally starting to understand this aspect of violin value.
Great video I've watched the dozens of violin videos in the past weeks and this one is the most explanatory yet keep up the great work I'll be in your shop in the next couple months 😊
I picked up a used violin for $350 made by a single Chinese luthier. My local shop was impressed at how good it sounds. He said it was a 13-1500$ violin. It is deep and Rich and projects well. My son has a Watanabe Ken that he likes a lot. They are both similar quality, but sound very different. The Watanabe is more silvery with a very even tone.
What a treat to find you. My Liz used to talk about you all the time.
Really appreciate your guidance! Thank you!
Always glad to help!
Really excellent overview! Thank you, Sean
Glad to help!
Extremely Helpful. Thank You for making this
Great, Mr. Kennedy! Thanks!
Some pros use tier 2 violins. Irish violin players buy by the tone and playability, and don’t usually seek a ‘pro’ level. Irish music feels homely and warm kind of rustic which adds to its beauty
Glarry Violins most expensive is about $100.00. Will need a setup but has a spruce top, figured maple back and sides, ebony chin rest, ebony pegs, ebony tail piece, etc. The bow is redwood with ebony and mother of pearl frog. Tailpiece, pegs and bow have mother of pearl and brass inserts. Sounds good and it's high quality construction. Good value for me.
Yes there are several nice youtube reviews of super cheap Glarry violin by highly skilled violinists. To my ear, Glarry violin sounds wonderful (of course when in the hands of expert violinists). Only thing I wonder is that if sample of the Glarry violin given to these violinists to test were cherry picked to be "cream of the crop".
Been looking at one of these for grand daughter
Thanks for interesting and informative video! I’m a wannabe (guitar oriented) luthier and I don’t know much about violins yet (but it’d be fun to try to make one one day).
Glad you found it interesting!
Thank you for the video. Well put together and helped me on my search!
Thank you, Joel! That is very informative :DD
Well said, particularly the difference in the top end..
I would consider my Cecilio CVN 400 a cheaper tier 2 (I've had it over 10 years now). After failing to set it up the first time, I managed on the second. Recently went and did a bunch of small upgrades and I enjoy the improvement.
My electric, a CEVN however is more tier 1, but I mostly use it for practicing late at night.
Still looking for a good upgrade. A lot of less expensive violins don't keep pace with my current one, and while I feel like I need something better, but sure what at my price range will do. I'm kind of in love with the Anton Gerad.
Yes, I agree that set up is super important and it looks like you found this out. Even a not so great instrument can be greatly improved by good set up! BTW, the Gerards are great! If you order one at one point, I would definitely recommend upgrading the strings because strings make a big difference. 👍 they come preset up with preludes, which are good strings for the money, but the violin is definitely better than the strings. 😉
@@KennedyViolins one of the best upgrades I did on both my violins was changing strings. The acoustic now has Dominants with Pirastro gold label e, and I have D'Addario NS strings on the electric. Miles of difference on playing around to find what I like.
@@JaydedCammie . .
Excellent video!👍🏼
Thanks for letting me know!
I studied classical guitar at Sydney Conservatorium and took up the violin as a second instrument in my early 20s. My first violin cost me two hundred Australian dollars, and whilst my main violin now is a 1913 Eduard Reichert, I still use that 'first violin' quite often. It's a no-name, likely German-made from the 19th Century and it's so good that I still use it, for its lovely rich tone and ease of playing, for certain pieces. Sometimes, even a total novice, as I was back then, can be a winner. Either that or it was stolen and sold by the thieves for quick $$. I try to dismiss this as the thought of losing 'my instruments' would hurt so much that I wouldn't want that to happen to anyone else let alone myself be the recipient of that sadness for the potential previous owner.
Well, at least the instrument is being played. That's the important part! 👍
@@KennedyViolins Thank you, and yes it does get regularly played.
Thank you very much. now i know which price range i will be looking into.
Glad to help!
I found the number one problem is strings for student violins and the setup. Nut is high/low; bridge is thick and usually located in the wrong place, and sound post is way off. All my kid's violins; had a luthier make sure the nut was correct and a good bridge; sound post in the correct position; and I change out the super heavy tail piece and chin rest with a composite Whittner and that will usually drastically change a violin from a crap one to a playable one.
Yes, you are 100% correct. The #1 aspect that affects a violin's playability is the setup. That is why at Kennedy Violins, we insist that EVERY violin is set up by us at our WA facility. We will NEVER allow anybody else in another country to set up our violins. Thanks for pointing this out. 👍
@@KennedyViolins I feel if you are a violin store and you push an improperly setup violin out the door, then you are setting up a student for failure. Which IMHO is a shameful thing to do.
@@twoblink Yes, we totally agree. That is why we make sure every one of our violins is set up in the US when the violin is ordered. However, this does add cost because US labor is expensive and that is why most shops do not spend the time to do a proper setup.
awesome logo with the V
It’s crazy that I just came across this video, because your brand is where my violin came from lol
I bought a 1991 Erich Pfretzschner " Strad copy " back in 1998 for $300. It has a real ebony fingerboard & purfling ect but I swapped the tail and chinrest for a newer smarter one. Have you ever heard of this make and would it be a tier one or tier two ? ...( hoping it's a two but rather know the truth haha )
I bought a Mendini for a beater and higher humidity conditions and the sound post is GLUED in place. It's not horrible by any means but it certainly doesn't have a lovely tone like my nice one.
Yikes! Well, that's one way to make sure it doesn't move.
Right on 👍
😎
I bought the bunnel premier violin from you guys. Very nice instrument for the price
Glad to hear that! Remember, our customers are customers for life, so don't be afraid to let us know if you have questions in the future.
Why does the description say that 1.2k is cheap
The seller must make a profit
How about buying 2 tier violin and modify thickness of plates, would it make the sound better? Or 2 tier violins plates are thicker because the wood is not as dense as those in higher tiers even though its traditional maple and spruce so you cant make it thinner or it may break? Is thinner better because it doesnt mute the vibrations as much similar like with bridge?
I wonder also if cheap varnish affects the sound making plates more hard and unable to vibrate as much if one can sand it down and apply some different
I think that all of your conclusion/assumptions are correct. Yes, thinner is often better but only if the density of the wood can handle it, and where it's grown has a lot to do with that. Also, a cheaper finish does affect the ability of the plate to vibrate, so you are correct on all fronts! You are also correct about re-graduating a cheap violin. Many high-end "American/European" violins are just cheaper Chinese violins that have been re-graduated and nicely varnished and this often yields a superior violin.
Nice violin guide video need review someday if I'll by a new one again once i've developed my knowledge and skills :)
Very good video that solved my puzzle. Thanks
When I started playing my parents bought me a stradivarius.
Stradivarius clothes are ok, i guess
Yooo
Lucky you ❤️ hope i have that kind od violin too 🥺
Heck - all I got was a Guarneri del Gesu, 1732.
@@itsjim2875 Give u 100 cash............( 3 installments. and a guarantee please. thanks.
I'm thinking about flying to Europe and buy a violin to upgrade. I live in Southeast Asia where the humidity is 80-90% daily. Is it going to be good decision? I'm afraid the humidity difference will affect the violin.
Well, this question can be answered in a very complicated way, with a lot of exceptions and complications. However, I think realistically the best thing to do is just provide you with a simple answer, which is that your violin will probably be perfectly fine. As long as you keep it indoors and obey the same rules that you do usually, like don't put it in front of a vent and don't leave it in front of a window or a draft or something like that, then your violin will acclimate to the new conditions. It will sound different in the different conditions and it may go out of tune quite a bit when you go to Europe because it may not be as humid. Your pegs may slip as a result. People travel around the world with their violins all the time and the biggest inconvenience is the fact that it throws the violin out of tune and you have to deal with that. Other than that, the violin should be perfectly safe.
The thing with cheap instruments is to take around the block, play them and see if you can dedicate time and money, if yes then get one with better materials.
Thank you!
You're welcome!
hello, good video. What do you think of the olive wood pieces, tailpieces, pegs and chin rests, to give it uniformity in color, but I wonder if it is a good decision?
I’ve come to the conclusion that violin values are a mine field and apart from a new purchase of a big brand seller and the obvious dogs of and older unbranded instrument, where does that leave the up and coming novice? I bought an older unbranded violin recently, I admit on a bit of a whim for cheap, and spent quite a lot of time cleaning it up adding new strings and tailpiece and it looks pretty good. Pronounce flame on the back plate and matching sides and quite tight spruce grain on the front and nicely carved neck and scroll. But as I’m a novice I have no idea if it was a good buy or not, who’s to say it’s not worth maybe 4 or 5 times what I paid?
Thank you very much for sharing this. Also curious to know which was lighter or easier to play; the one which is easier to play may be better from ergonomics and musculoskeletal perspectives, so I feel. Even if sound may not be as sweet, please could you suggest if there are any cheap or cost effective violins, but lighter and with low string height, easy to play, good for the thumb design? (I recently stopped using shoulder rest, then observed that the violin I was using had string height of around 1 cm near the high end of the finger board. Being an amateur I had not noticed till now and was using a 600g violin suited perhaps for the seated position (another style, perhaps more ergonomical when compared and where players rarely go beyond the 5 th position) but like a western one
The primary mistake that you are making is thinking of violins as toasters. Violins are hand-made products that the makers attempt to make as consistent as possible but never perfect. Just about any violin you purchase will have a different set-up. It's up to the the set-up luthier to set the violin up in a way that they believe is the best. Just about any violin can be set up to be easy to play or hard to play. It really depends on the luthier. There are many violins for sale that are pretty good violins BUT the set-up is so bad that they are basically unplayable or very difficult to play. This is the primary advantage of a Kennedy Violin. Even though we have some very inexpensive violin offerings, we insist that all of our violins are set up to very specific standards regardless of the level of the violin. Therefore, whatever violin you purchase, the primary concern you should have is whether the violin is set up well or not because even a "great" violin can be set up poorly and be very frustrating to play.
@@KennedyViolins Thanks for the reply. Sorry if my previous message caused a confusion which violin I was using. I was talking about a locally made beginner's basic violin, made to local playing style, eastern holding style, that I mistakenly used with a chin rest in western holding style. (not a Kennedy violin ). I hope to explore Kennedy violins soon. Do you deliver to India. Also please let me know if I should rephrase my comments to avoid confusion?
@@manufrancismathew7657 Hello Mathew, as far as I know, any violin will be easier to play with a smaller neck and lower strings. It probably does not matter if you play it Eastern or Western style. Hope this helps! BTW, we only send violin to the US.
@@KennedyViolins Thank you very much for kindly and patiently explaining in admirable detail. I also just remembered that I had the old eastern violin (some makers use heavier wood for eastern style playing) overhauled by an amateur luthier a few years back. So your first guess was right too. Besides I had to be more careful from the moisture perspective too. I hope to either overhaul my current one with a local professional luthier or I will try to buy a Bunnell violin through my relative within your shipping area.
Hi I just bought a Louis Carpini G2 for my son. I think what would've helped me more is somewhere on the page of each violin if you guys had where it's made (not only assembled) it would be great.
❤Thanks for your information The Hernandez Family Colorado 🎉.
Glad you liked the vid!
It got my Höfner AS160v violin which cost $300 3years ago. And it wasn't set up when we opened it to the store but luckily the retailer was skillful of setting up my new violin ahhahaha. But today my violin fittings is completely different because of sounds that im looking for and the look of it....
I am learning and I put my finger in first position on the A string and I get a C out I can get a B if I move my finger to the nut.
Is this a sign of a cheap violin or could it be something else?
Thank-You! I love all your videos!!!
My guess is that your A is tuned too sharp/high OR your tuner is inaccurate. Even the cheapest violin will generally not yield such results. I would definitely try tuning your A again and make sure it is tuned to a 440-442 htz. Let me know if this works!
Ohhhh Thank-You! For your reply! That makes sense.
I am using a cheap tuner.
You are a stand up guy, seriously,
You could have used this opportunity to sell a violin.
But your honest answer, makes me want to see if you’re selling anything that I can afford 👏
@@patriciahouston-martinez6858 LOL. Well, just let me know if you have any other questions I can help with!
So I used a tuner that read in Hertz and my A string was in the 200s , not 440.
Thanks for that!
And yes when I use the other tuner I get a B!!!
Thank-You!
@@patriciahouston-martinez6858 Cool, glad we figured it out!
Joel what do you think or meens about Clifton Strauss violin?
thanks for the great video!!
You're welcome!
All violin made of solid wood, right? I never heard any violin made of laminated (some guitars are). Let me know if it's true or not. Thanks.
Laminate is pretty common in inexpensive double basses and cellos, and there definitely are laminate "violins" as well. There are also hybrid instruments, where the top is solid wood, though I think that's most commonly seen in double basses.
I got a Cecilio CV-500. I didn't have to set it up. I'm new to violin and it seems to play ok. Am I ok playing it as it came?
I appreciate the info you provided here but would consider information comparing the tiers of violins in your shop more useful. I'm not buying a $15,000 violin. LOL
I did order a Anton Gerard and hope I like it. figure its worth trying because of the 45 day return period. in case I don't like it and want to swap it out for a different one. I was torn between it and the viticek.
I liked the looks and price tag for more on the gerard but wondered just what I'd be missing for that extra $600 and if it would have been worth it or better to save the cash.
I can see how others might have similar questions perhaps considering the cheapest student model you have vs a higher up option.
so a video comparing and explaining the differences of your catalog would be quite useful to folks trying to figure out how much money they want to spend/save vs what they'd get/lose out on.
Yes, you make very good points. I should do a video comparing several violins at one time. I think that many people would find that interesting. For these videos, I generally try not to "push" my own product too much and try to just provide general information but you make a good point. We recently gave away a Gerard in a giveway on Instagram and Facebook and I had to play it for a demonstration video. The violin sounded very very good, so I think that you'll be pretty impressed if you've played other violins at the same price point. However, I will point out that it had Obligatos strung on it and the set-up was really good. Of course, your violin will be set-up extremely well but I don't know what kind of strings you had installed. Strings make a big difference. I would suggest playing the violin for as much as you can for 2 weeks. We are very liberal with our return policy, so you really don't have to worry about that. We just want happy customers. It takes a good 6-8 hours at least to do the initial break-in on the violins; otherwise they can sound a bit tinny at first. After about 6 months, they generally start sounding really good. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hey is the Fiddlerman OB1 violin or Antonio Giuliano’s violin Etude better?
Well, I'd have to say that my opinion is just slightly biased.......
Are the best pieces of wood from Quarter sawn wood?
As far as I know, all violins are made of wood that's been quarter-sawn. 😉
Just try a lot of instruments. Don't buy online as a beginner. Rent first if possible. Consider, that a violin may sound very different under the ear than from the other end of a room. If you mostly play for yourself, it is important to have played each instrument you consider buying yourself. The violin you might like under the ear is not the violin others might like and sometimes even not the violin you like best from the other side of the room!
Violins of one price range can sound very different, so if you don't like one instrument, that does not necessarily mean you should spend more money, so before stepping up the price range, listen to more violins of the same price range!
More expensive is NOT always "better for YOU", and more expensive does not even always mean better sound, at least in the price range $1000 to $4000.
Also, there are some hobby players who really love their $500 violins, so "cheap" does not always mean bad for every single player!
Hi,
I'm a violin teacher and I've just started playing in an orchestra. I have been playing on and love my intermediate violin. For teaching, I'm okay with having an intermediate instrument as I travel to my students homes and don't want to buy a more expensive instrument and have some type of damage happen to it. That said, I feel that in my lessons and in orchestra I need a better level instrument. Is it possible to have two different types of instruments? Should I look at buying a better violin for my lessons and Orchestra or should I get another less expensive instrument for teaching?
I think it should be okey for using an intermediate instrument for both of the situations as long as it is playable and sounds right. In the orchestra, it should be okey for using an intermediate instrument as many people are playing and the little details or "better sound" will not noticeable. Unless it is a quartet or soloist situation where there is less people playing which make the small details noticeable that might need an "expensive" instrument. All depends to you I think, if you want to try a better instrument, why not? And if your violin sounds good and right to you and anyone hearing it, why need a new one then? Just my sincere opinions, thank you.
Absolutely! When you make the plunge, I'd recommend purchasing a used instrument - in the higher price ranges, you generally get a higher quality instrument for less money than you'd pay for new. You can check your local folk music shops, or craigslist. Plus the violin gets to add another player to its' story and that's just cool.
I love playing my $300 guitar, but my $1000 guitar is the thing I'd use to perform.
How do you define "unplayable" ?
An instrument that is set up so poorly that the violin's mechanics are simply impossible to manipulate. For example, the strings could be so close to the fingerboard that as soon as you draw the bow, the strings vibrate and hit the fingerboard and just make a buzzing sound. Another common example is a bridge's arch is carved too flat, and this makes it impossible to play one string at a time. There are many examples, but there are many ways in which a terrible setup will make an instrument nearly impossible to play.
Curious what an Amadeus 4/4 violin is worth
If I inherited my Pa's violin and my Grandpa's Viola.. youngest in over 150 years old.. I'm better on them they are that good..
Would those be tier 4 instruments?
Pretty much any violin that is 150 years old is going to be a top-tier instrument. However, it may need some work. There is a good chance there is some plate separation and the bridge is warped. It depends on how well it's been maintained. If it's maintained well with new strings, straight bridge etc. it'll probably sound pretty darn good!
@@KennedyViolins good to know as I'm too poor for an appraisal.. priceless in my eyes, as I played them as a child. Been relearning them for 3-5 years after brain injury and arms shattered..
They sound amazing, I wish I knew more about the youngest violin, my Grandpa took the makers lable off to devalue it on purpose but my viola has a 1749 year mark.
My dream is to be as good as my ancestors one day.
@@lunevermeil1400 1749? Perhaps you should get it appraised.
@@KennedyViolins I lied, 1740, the mark is so old I misread I just rechecked. 1740 violin body strung as a viola (family way).
My Violin (no lable) was picked out by my grandpa to pair with the viola as a set sound.
Spent a year looking for it and gave it to my Pa when he was 8 in 1947.
I just escaped abuse and was homeless for a bit I don't have the money for appraisal :(
Which it better a $200 violin that gets stolen from you or a $1000 violin stolen from you ?
🤪
My violin AND my mandolin were stolen.
@@nickiemcnichols5397 😱 You should check the local pawn shops. They usually end up there pretty quick.
The manufacturer must make a profit
It doesn’t matter which country your instrument the set up in. if I set up in the United States doesn’t make it any better than being sat up in any other country..
Then prestige of a name of a instrument
ok thanks
Profit to value price range to pay for quality
This is nice practical survey from the point of a seller and from luthiers who gave him instructions. Quite valuable thou.
The other part might be the survey from the point of an experienced player. That story is even more exciting, it will go far beyond the first one because it is very subtle, considerably closer to the core of what music really is for. However to understand that, one has to be a player.
In the video, I point out that I have a unique position. I am a parent, teacher, player, customer, and business owner. I was attempting to speak from all vantage points in the video but I suppose that's a tall order. Nonetheless, it is me!
There is a youtube video where a professional violinist compares $69 Glarry violin against 10 million dollar Stradivarious. Of course Stradivarious is much better, but $69 Glarry is not bad either. Certainly more than good enough for most people aspiring to make some nice music at home.
I don't know if I've seen the video but chances are, if they can get their hands on a Strad, they're a pretty good player. 90% of sounding good on a violin is the player, so if they are quite accomplished, they can make just about anything sound pretty decent. The difference is how much skill it takes and how hard the player has to try to make the violin sound good. If a person doesn't have the skill, then they are at the mercy of the violin, and in that case, they might sound like two cats fighting in the alleyway! If you are referring to the video with Ray Chen, he is one of the best violinists in the world, so ya.......he can make a fishing line strung on a garbage can lid sound good.
What about a yamaha violin?
They make great motorcycles... 🚴♂️
I bought a 30$ violin online, when it got to me the Sound Post is dislodged, and the fucking finger-board is flimsy and bending.
Got a refund for that.
Ya, sometimes you get what you pay for.
there is no tier 1... it's a scam...
A better well setup instrument will be better for all players , VSOs should be outlawed an waste of time , money and resourses .
I gave up after tier 2 explanation. The biggest failing of this video is it does not explain how the materials and setup affect the sound. Saying the setup on a tier 2 violin might not have been done right is meaningless relative to the inherent sound of the instrument. It’s like saying it wasn’t tuned properly therefore the instrument is bad. And implying that a setup in the US is, by default, superior to someone not working in the US is ridiculous. I’ve been watching many videos on building, restoring and maintaining violins. This is the first to prate on about non-traditional materials or methods without talking about how materials and construction methods affect the sound and playability. I stopped after tier 2 because I did not learn a single thing that could help me select an instrument.
This comment is rather disappointing. The video is not made to help you select an instrument, but to help someone who does not know, to understand why there are such price ranges and what the meaning is behind these price ranges. The video did a remarkable job at achieving just that. To be more concrete with the example you gave, the video does not imply that a setup in the US is superior to a setup elsewhere, but shows you that this is one of the reasons why one violin can be more expensive than another, as labour costs differ. And sure, there will be plenty of other video's on the sound and playability that will help you select your violin, but that is just not what this video is about.
I have a CVN-300 violin and it was $130.00 and it had all the things you said it would not have
Looks like you got a great deal 👍
I have two Cecilio violins, my acoustic is a CVN-400 I paid 175 for over 10 years ago. It is a really nice resonation to it, but I did have to set it up myself (failed the first time) and the good sound I have now required time to build up. I'm still considering looking at a higher quality violin, but having trouble choosing. I really want to go look in person. After time you really do have opinion on the sound. I like Cecilio, they tend to make useable violins, but they are very much what I consider entry level.
in other words all violins suck except the very expensive fiddle.
30 dollar violin is the best for beginners😊before investing to exoensive one
No its not the quality is Frickking bad beginners should be buying a 500 dollar violin
Great option if you want to scare someone away from these instruments! :-D With some luck, $30 will buy you a set of strings that respond and function properly.
I have a tier 1 violin.
Not in the best interest to hear a "Violin salesman" for recomendations, but let's give it a try
Anything under $3,000.00 is just shit
@@03041976001 My teacher said one time when she tried some instruments that she couldn’t stand the $70,000 violins lol.
You by a VW you get a VW, You buy a Caddy you get a caddy. Mainly you get what you pay for.
Ya, mostly.