What makes a ‘good’ violin?

A good violin is one that is comfortable to play, made from good quality materials (such as solid wood and ebony fittings) and has been set up by a professional luthier, rather than coming straight from a factory. A lot of violins bought online can be dramatically improved by simply being set up properly. If you’ve already purchased a violin and think it could benefit from a set up, you can book a service here

Why shouldn’t I just buy a cheap violin online for my child (or myself)?

Many children’s violins are now made in large factories abroad. They are produced en masse and sometimes under exploitative conditions. Violins cannot be wholly made and set up by machines, so if you are purchasing a violin for £50, consider what little time must have been spent making that instrument for it to be a financially viable product to the supplier.

Whilst some low cost instruments offer value for money, many of them do not serve as adequate instruments to take a student very far into their studies. In addition these mass produced violins are usually poorly set up which affects a students enjoyment and ability to play. Every violin that is either made from start to finish in my Sheffield workshop, or sourced elsewhere is given the same care and attention to ensuring the instrument leaves us properly set up and ready for its player.

I ensure they are set up to a high standard with good quality fittings and are also there for any support you may need after.

How are your handmade instruments prices set?

Making a violin in my workshop can take up to three months from start to finish, so my pricing reflects the materials and labour cost. For instruments not made in my workshop I operate on standard retail pricing that allows me to dedicate the time to ensure everything that leaves the workshop is a high enough quality to support its player through their studies.

How much should I spend?

This is a very common question and quite a hard one for me to answer as everyone’s situation is so different. If you cannot spend more than around £200 on purchasing a violin, I normally recommend that you instead rent one and save up in the mean time if possible. Producing a violin is a lot of work, and so cheaply made instruments have inevitably cut more corners and this can really affect the playability of the instrument. If a child is playing on a poorly made, and poorly set up instrument they are more likely to quit.

How often should I change the violin’s strings?

If you or your child are having regular lessons and practicing at least a few times a week in between, I recommend changing your strings every six months to one year. More advanced students doing more than one hour of playing per day may find their strings need changing more frequently.

You can tell when strings need changing as it can become harder to play in tune, if the strings really need replacing they’ll appear tarnished or begin fraying at the top or bottom area.

Where should a violin be kept?

Somewhere dry, away from drafts or radiators and with a relatively stable temperature between day and night.