AnswerBot answers:

Number two!!!

AnswerBot answers:

In my experience, most electric violins, especially the inexpensive models, aren’t particularly complicated with regard to their components. From the looks of it, that one has a standard piezo pickup (similar to what you might find on an electric/acoustic guitar) and a simple preamp; basically, you stick batteries in it, and plug it into an amp, no real complicated controls besides volume knobs. If you run into problems, probably most guitar shops could help you figure out the outputs and knobs (they are not that different on a violin). Setup can be done by anyone who knows how to set up a normal violin. I think the real problem you might run into (and what the reviewers might be running into) is that a really cheap instrument just doesn’t sound all that good – if the components are cheap, and the build quality isn’t that great, no amount of tweaking will make it sound like an expensive model, manual or not.

AnswerBot answers:

There are several places to look for electric violins. You can go online and look at: South West Strings (swstrings.com) -They have amazing customer service, call them if you have any questions about instruments (800) 528-3430
- or http://www.electricviolinshop.com/yamahashowdown.cfm- part of yamaha. This website from yamaha describes the types of electric violins they sell. I am a violinist and I play the electric and acoustic violin. From my expierence, the best electric instument for the money is the Yamaha silent violin.

You may also want to look at getting a five string instrument. Http://www.electricviolinshop.com/catalog_submenu_results.cfm?keywords=5%20string&category=6&Submit=Search
I bought a four string and I regret it. It has a C string as well as the normal violin strings. It will last your child longer, so the extra money may be worth it.

You can also go to shar music. It also has the yamaha silent violins and others as well. Http://www.sharmusic.com/electricviolins.asp?catID=466

Here are the silend violins from sharmusic
Yamaha Concert Select Silent 4-String Electric Violin
Custom KUN shoulder rest with adjustable height, ebony pegs and fingerboard. Built-in preamp with reverb settings offers better signal processing and a more refined tone than less expensive student electric violins. Available in black, candy-apple red, or antique brown. Yamaha Products cannot be shipping outside the United States. Item # YV1
$ 599.00

Yamaha Silent 4-String Electric Violin
Deigned for both silent practice and performance settings. Features the traditional body styling of the Yamaha Electric violin, plus an upgraded dual piezo pickup system, providing a more powerful output signal with more tonal balance and a nicer bass response. Available in black, brown, cardinal red, and ocean blue. Yamaha Products cannot be shipping outside the United States. Item # YSV4
$ 1,050.00

Yamaha 4-String Electric Violin
Rugged stage and studio model provides the durability, powerful tone, and rapid adjustment capacity needed for the professional electric string player. Feature a revolutionary pickup system with sensors under each string that resonate 3-dimensionally, providing amazing tone. Available in amber brown, pearl red, and cosmic blue. Yamaha Products cannot be shipping outside the United States. Item # YEV4
$ 1,150.00

AnswerBot answers:

I personally don’t like Yamahas, because for me, when I go into a shop wanting a violin, i’d like the company name to have “strings” or “violin” in it.

If you have 4000 dollars on hand, you could get an amazing custom made (it takes them 6-8 weeks b4 even thinking about shipping it to you) 7 string violin.

They also have their cheaper instruments….

Www.woodviolins.com

I like this company, because if you join the forum, you can have the Customer Service (Mark- the owner of the compay- ‘s wife) and the general manager of the company to answer any questions, and the WV forum family…
Also, they custom make the instrument. Unless you get the sv4..

As i said, the Viper 7 string violin is 4,000 dollars (or in the neighborhood). I’d imagine the 5 string would be 2,000…

Oh, did i mention the WV instruments can come with frets?

AnswerBot answers:

For that price you’re going to get a very basic student instrument. It won’t sound like much but it will be playable. Go to a string specialist, not a general music store. The quality of the set-up is very important on a string instrument, and general music stores don’t usually know how to do it properly.

If you just want to play for a while and see how you like it, rent a violin. Most beginning students are playing rental violins. Many stores will let you apply a portion of your rental fees to a purchase if you decide to buy one later.