If you’ve decided to start learning the violin, but just didn’t realize how expensive they can be, then I’m happy to say I can be of service.
Generally speaking, a good violin is going to cost you a pretty penny.
That being said, there are some pretty good cheap violins on the market these days.
I’ve put together a list of the best cheap violins to help you get learning as quickly as we can!
Money shouldn’t be an obstacle, not when it comes to music, right?
Snapshot: Top 10 Cheap Violins In2024
- Eastar EVA-330
- Eastar EVA-2
- Eastar EVA-3
- Sky 201
- Sky 102 – Cheapest
- Mendini MV400
- Mendini MV500+92D – Best Overall
- Mendini MV300
- Vangoa Vintage Electronic Violin
- Bunnel Pupil Violin – Highly Rated
Buying a Great Cheap Violin
I’ll be honest, getting your hands on a great cheap violin isn’t easy.
The thing with violins is that they need to be made with good quality materials in order to sound good. So, of course, when you’ve got a smaller budget it becomes much harder to find a violin that sounds great.
However, I’ve become pretty savvy over the years and I know a thing or two about hunting for instruments at a reasonable price point. The trick is to look for violins made of solid wood (rather than laminate or plastic) that have been handcrafted, rather than mass-made.
At the end of the day, a cheap violin will never sound as good as a high-end violin, but we can certainly try to get as close to the real thing as possible. If you want to push your budget a bit more I recommend reading our articles on the best violins under $500 and the best violins under $1000.
Now, I’m going to assume that you’re a beginner if you’re looking for a cheap instrument.
So, I’ve found some really affordable violins to help you start your violin learning journey!
I’m excited…
The Best Cheap Violins in2024
1. Eastar EVA-330 Violin Review
Eastar are known for their tuners and other musical accessories which I absolutely love. When I saw they also made violins, I have to admit I was a little skeptical. However, I trusted the brand so I thought I’d give the EVA-330 a go and I was so glad I did.
Body & Neck
As I mentioned earlier, solid wood is the key to making a good quality violin. The Eastar EVA-330 has a solid spruce top and maple back and sides. It’s also 100% handmade, which is another tick on my “must-have” list when it comes to cheap violins. Usually, violins’ purflings (those two lines around the body) are inlaid with ebony. However, the Eastar EVA-330 has copper inlaid purflings.
Purflings basically stop your violin from caving in when you’re traveling or if it’s in storage for a while. They essentially add a bit of extra structure to your violin, so the fact that this one has copper purflings isn’t a downside, don’t worry. Copper purflings are definitely better than none!
Bow & Hardware
The EVA-330 comes with two bows, which is really good value for money, I’d say. Alternating between two different bows will stop your bow from warping. Also, remember to loosen off the bow (by turning the little knob on the end) after every time you play.
This will stop the wood from warping too. As my regular readers will know, I’m not the biggest fan of fixed-in fine-tuners because they can sometimes create a bit of a buzzing sound. However, they work perfectly fine for beginners. In fact, you’ll probably benefit from them (violins can be tricky to tune, I’ve had a few screaming matched with mine in my time).
Sound
Cheap violins have a tendency to sound pretty tinny, but this one is bang on the money. It actually has a lot more character than I was expecting, to be honest. It’s so important to learn to play on a violin that sounds good. Otherwise, you won’t know the difference between your own mistakes and the violin itself!
All in all, the EVA-300 has a lovely colorful sound with just enough mellow-ness (is that even a word?) to balance out the edge. Just lovely!
Spec Summary
- Body Material: Spruce top, maple back and sides
- Neck & Fingerboard Material: Maple neck, ebony fingerboard
- Strings & Tuners: Eastar violin strings, ebony tuning pegs and fixed in fine-tuners
- Bow: Two brazilwood bows with unbleached Mongolian horsehair
- Nut & Saddle Material: Ebony
- Bridge: Eastar
- Tailpiece & Chinrest: Aluminium tailpiece, date wood chinrest
A lovely hand-carved, solid-wood violin for beginners with a colorful sound
Final Thoughts on the Eastar EVA-330
I’m incredibly surprised by the quality of this violin given its price. I think it’s an amazing beginner violin and would be great for kids or adults alike.
2. Eastar EVA-2 Violin Review
- The Eastar EVA-2 4/4 quarter violin is made of spruce wood panel, maple back board and side plate with inlaid in antique varnish. This is primary practitioner friendly product, the fingerboard is...
I know the EVA-330 was cheap, but if you’re after something even cheaper then the EVA-2 is your man. It’s also optimized to help you learn, so that’s great!
Body & Neck
The EVA-2 is still really well crafted but it is made with slightly cheaper materials. Don’t worry, it still has a spruce top and maple back and sides, so they haven’t skimped on what really matters. The finish on the neck is a little bit harsh but I may just be picky.
Violins should never have the same finish on the neck as on the rest of the violin, as it will stop your hand from slipping properly as you play. However, I do think they could have blended the finish a little nicer down onto the neck (okay, after reading that back, I realize I am just way too picky).
Bow & Hardware
Fingerboards are usually made from ebony because it’s the part of your violin that’s most likely to warp. However, the EVA-2 has a pearwood fingerboard. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just a little softer than ebony, so you may have to upgrade a bit sooner. But, hey, I’d take an early upgrade for that price! I love that the fingerboard has markers for your finger placement because that’s usually what beginners struggle with most.
Don’t worry though, if you don’t want to go for this fiddle, you can always paint some finger markings on with some Tipp-ex, then just clean it off once you’ve got them down (that’s right, I’m full of good ideas)!
Sound
For the price, the EVA-2 sounds great. I’ll admit it’s not quite as smooth sounding as the EVA-300 but it has that same, lovely colorful tone which I love. If it sounds a little bit squeaky straight out of the box, don’t panic! It’s just a combination of using a new violin bow and new violin strings.
Neither of them will have any rosin on yet, so your bow will have nothing to grip to. It’s an easy fix though! Just sand down your rosin a little bit so the hair on your bow picks it up quicker (told ya I was full of good ideas)!
Spec Summary
- Body Material: Spruce top, maple back and sides
- Neck & Fingerboard Material: Maple neck, pearwood fingerboard
- Strings & Tuners: Eastar violin strings, pearwood tuning pegs, fixed-in fine tuners
- Bow: Brazilwood bow with unbleached Mongolian horsehair
- Nut & Saddle Material: Pearwood
- Bridge: Eastar
- Tailpiece & Chinrest: Aluminium tailpiece, pearwood chinrest
A really cheap, yet good-quality violin that’s perfect for complete beginners
Final Thoughts on the Eastar EVA-2
This is another great affordable option. If you can afford the EVA-330 then I would go for that one because it is of a slightly higher quality. That being said though, the EVA-2 is a fantastic little violin and is everything a beginner would need.
3. Eastar EVA-3 Violin Review
- The Eastar EVA-3 4/4 violin is made of spruce wood panel, maple back board and side plate with inlaid in antique varnish. This is primary practitioner friendly product, the fingerboard is inlaid with...
Well, apparently Eastar is my new favorite brand? Didn’t see that one coming! The EVA-3 is probably my favorite out of the three Eastar violins on this list, here’s why…
Body & Neck
Matte finish! Yay! Anyone who has read my blogs before will know how much I hate getting sweaty hands from glossy violins (I know, it’s gross but the struggle is real). I hate to say it but as a beginner, you won’t be used to holding up you’re instrument which, to be honest, is half the battle.
I mean, it’s a workout! So yeah, violins with a matte finish will be your new best friends. Aside from the matte finish, I love the antique look of this violin. It looks a heck of a lot more expensive than it actually is, that’s for sure.
Bow & Hardware
I love that the EVA-3 has independent style tuners. As you progress, you might want to remove some to minimize the buzzing noise that they make. I prefer just having one on my E string, but it’s all down to personal preference. I have to say, I’m not the biggest fan of the Eastar strings. Good strings (like D’Addario Pro-Arte or Prelude strings) only cost around $10, so you might want to switch them out once you’ve progressed a little.
Sound
The EVA-3’s sound is definitely its biggest asset. The matte finish doesn’t just do wonders for your hands, it does wonders for the sound as well. I mean, it’s colorful but still quite mellow and smooth. For a cheap violin, it really does sound wonderful. I played some stinkers in my time as a beginner, so I wish this violin was around back then!
Spec Summary
- Body Material: Spruce top, maple back and sides
- Neck & Fingerboard Material: Maple neck, pearwood fingerboard
- Strings & Tuners: Eastar violin strings, pearwood tuning pegs, independent-style fine tuners
- Bow: Brazilwood bow with unbleached Mongolian horsehair
- Nut & Saddle Material: Pearwood
- Bridge: Eastar
- Tailpiece & Chinrest: Aluminium tailpiece, pearwood chinrest
An amazing beginner violin with a gorgeous mellow, yet colorful sound
Final Thoughts on the Eastar EVA-3
This is definitely my favorite of the three Eastar violins in this article. I love how it looks, how it sounds, just everything about it really! Obviously, it doesn’t sound as good as a high-end violin, but I still can’t quite believe the price if I’m honest.
4. Sky 201 Violin Review
- Beautiful 4/4 SKYVN201 student violin perfectly made for beginning Violin player.
- Professionally set up and ready to play.
- Package comes complete with 1 Brazil wood bow, 1 lightweight triangular violin case and 1 rosin.
Okay, I love this violin from Sky Music. The only reason it’s not higher up on my list is that it doesn’t come set up, ready to play. You’ll have to set the bridge up yourself, which might be tricky for beginners.
Body & Neck
Solid-wood body? Check! Handcrafted? Check! I just love this violin. It has a spruce top and gorgeous flamed maple back and sides. I mean, if you rock up to your lessons with this violin, you’re going to stand out, I’ll tell ya that much. Sorry, got a bit carried away there.
I love that the Sky 201 is finished with a beautiful oil varnish. Oil varnish stops the violin from getting that horrible “tinny” sound that most cheap violins have. It also allows the grain of the spruce to shine through. Gold stars all round for this violin!
Bow & Hardware
Okay, the hardware does let this violin down a little bit. The pegs are a bit slippy and the bridge is a little bit on the thick side (sorry bridge). However, do not fear as I am here with some more top tips for cheap violins. First of all, before you try to tune your violin, take the pegs out and sand them ever so slightly to give them a bit of grip, then they won’t slip so much!
Second of all, you could put up with the bridge but it does make the violin sound a little muted. So, I’d recommend buying another bridge (like this Aubert Teller one).
Sound
If you play the Sky 201 with the bridge that it comes with, it sounds nice but it doesn’t have much volume or resonance. However, if you swap it for a good-quality one it sounds absolutely lovely. We’re talking mellow, colorful, and resonant!
Spec Summary
- Body Material: Spruce top, maple back and sides
- Neck & Fingerboard Material: Maple
- Strings & Tuners: Sky Music strings, maple tuning pegs, fixed fine-tuners
- Bow: Brazilwood
- Nut & Saddle Material: Maple
- Bridge: Sky Music
- Tailpiece & Chinrest: Maple
A lovely flamed-maple violin for beginners or violin collectors
Final Thoughts on the Sky 201
Aside from the dodgy bridge, I love this violin. The Sky 201 is another great affordable option for beginners. If you’re a violin collector and enjoy doing a little bit of work to your instruments to make them sound better, you’ll probably love this one. It’s well-made and can sound beautiful with the right hardware.
5. Sky 102 Violin Review – Cheapest
- Beautiful 1/4 SKYVN201(PTTVN101) student violin package that comes complete with 1 Brazil wood bow, 1 lightweight triangular violin case and 1 shoulder rest.
Here’s a slightly cheaper option from Sky Music. The 102 is pretty similar to the 201 (woah that’s confusing) in terms of quality, but there are a few differences between the two besides the price.
Body & Neck
Similarly to the 201, this violin also has a lovely flamed-maple back. However, the grain of the wood doesn’t shine through quite the same. It does have a lovely satin finish, though which I love, of course, but that just comes down to personal preference at the end of the day.
I’m not going to lie, I think the purflings may be painted on. I would usually run a mile from a violin with painted on purflings but I think if you just want a violin to get you started, then this one from Sky would do the job.
Bow & Hardware
The hardware on this violin isn’t exactly of the highest quality but, as I said, it will do the job for a complete beginner. If you’re sort of sitting on the fence as to whether you want to be a serious violinist or just buy one to play around with then I’d suggest you go with this one.
There’s no point splashing the cash on a really good quality violin if you won’t get the use out of it! On the plus side, the 102 does actually come set up and ready to play so you won’t have to spend ages getting your bridge in the right position.
Sound
The Sky 102 sounds pretty similar to the 201 but it’s not quite as smooth or as mellow. That’s probably down to the aluminum tailpiece. It doesn’t have that horrible, cheap “tinny” sound though, so it’s 100x better than most of the cheap violins you’ll come across.
If you’re looking for a violin that just “does the job” then the Sky 102 is probably the best one for you. I know that sounds funny but I also know that some of you are probably just looking for a violin that sounds nice enough and that will arrive in one piece. If that’s you, you’ve found it!
Spec Summary
- Body Material: Spruce top, maple back and sides
- Neck & Fingerboard Material: Maple
- Strings & Tuners: Sky Music strings, maple tuning pegs, fixed fine-tuners
- Bow: Brazilwood
- Nut & Saddle Material: Maple
- Bridge: Sky Music
- Tailpiece & Chinrest: Aluminum tailpiece, maple chinrest
A nice little violin for casual learners with a lovely satin finish
Final Thoughts on the Sky 102
I’m slightly torn when it comes to this violin. On the one hand, it’s not made quite as well as the rest of the violins in this article, but on the other hand, for that price, it’s still a pretty good beginner violin. As I said, it would be perfect for a very casual learner who doesn’t want to splash the cash on better quality.
6. Mendini MV400 Violin Review
- A great violin for beginners, these hand-carved, solid wood, half-size violins are charming starter stringed musical instruments for students of any age.
- Our Mendini violin kit also includes a lightweight, hard carry case with backpack and shoulder straps, two Brazil wood bows, two bridges, violin rosin, an adjustable shoulder rest, and additional...
- This full size violin is a symphony of artistry - designed with inlaid purfling, an ebony fingerboard, an alloy tailpiece with 4 integrated fine tuners, and a beautiful varnish finish.
Mendini is a key player in the cheap violin game. They make some really great affordable instruments so that people from any walk of life can afford to learn on a well-crafted violin, which I think makes all the difference.
Body & Neck
As far as craftsmanship goes, Mendini is probably the best when it comes to cheap violins. They’re actually owned by Cecilio (fun fact), so you can always be assured your violin will be of great quality. You can probably tell by merely looking at the 400 model how much attention has gone into crafting this instrument.
It has gorgeous ebony inlays and a really pretty spruce top with the grain showing through the varnish. I honestly love this violin but I know you’re here for cheap and cheerful, so that’s why it’s in the second half of the article.
Bow & Hardware
Okay, are you ready for this? The Mendini 400 comes with two lovely brazilwood bows, two bridges, ebony fittings, and an extra set of strings. If that’s not getting your money’s worth, I’m not sure what is! Are you ready for the best part though? It also comes with a 1-year warranty. Beat that!
I’m just kidding, but I do love this fiddle (clearly). Obviously, if you don’t have the budget for a Mendini, don’t worry! I just had to include it in my reviews because, in my opinion, the Mendini 400 genuinely is one of the best affordable violins out there.
Sound
This violin is definitely fit for an orchestra. Orchestral players tend to favor violins that are less colorful or edgy and more mellow so that they blend nicely with other instruments. So, if you plan on playing your violin in a group or in an orchestra, you’ll love this one. I mean, it’s still not quite on par with higher-end violins but it does have a really beautiful deep mellow sound with great volume and resonance.
Spec Summary
- Body Material: Spruce top, maple back and sides
- Neck & Fingerboard Material: Maple neck, ebony fingerboard
- Strings & Tuners: Cecilio strings, ebony tuning pegs, fixed fine-tuners
- Bow: Two brazilwood bows with unbleached Mongolian horsehair
- Nut & Saddle Material: Ebony
- Bridge: Cecilio
- Tailpiece & Chinrest: Alloy tailpiece, ebony chinrest
A gorgeous, mellow violin that’s perfect for an aspiring orchestral player
Final Thoughts on the Mendini MV400
Although it’s a little bit more pricey than other violins on the market, I think the Mendini MV400 is worth the extra money. It would be perfect for an aspiring orchestral player or someone who plays in a band.
7. Mendini MV500+92D Violin Review – Best Overall
- ELEGANT DESIGN: As beautiful as most stringed musical instruments, this violin for kids and adults has a hand-carved 1-piece maple back, neck and sides. A beautiful varnish finish and inlaid purfling.
- 4/4 VIOLIN LEARNING KIT INCLUDES: 2 bows, extra set of violin strings, a quality rosin, adjustable shoulder rest with padding and a chromatic string tuner with metronome. Comes with lightweight hard...
- THE RIGHT SIZE: To measure which size violin is best, measure from the neck to the middle of your left-hand palm (as if holding an invisible violin in straight outstretched arm). Consult table below.
I honestly rave about this Mendini to every violinist I meet (yup, I’m that person). It would make the most perfect gift for an aspiring violinist. Again, it’s a little bit on the pricier side but, honestly, I’m surprised I managed to find any violins under $200 that were half decent.
Body & Neck
Look how beautiful that fired maple is? There’s no way I could leave this one off the list. I know I’m probably being dramatic but I genuinely think the Mendini MV500+92D is a work of art. There, I said it! Maybe I’m just a little bit biased when it comes to this violin.
Like I always say, spending a little bit extra on a violin that will last longer is probably worth it if you’re serious about learning. However, if you don’t have the budget for it just yet, this Mendi would be the perfect upgrade after you’ve got to grips with the basics!
Bow & Hardware
Of course, the violin I’m hyping up has independent style tuners! Why am I so obsessed with them? I must have had a really bad experience with fixed ones in the past or something. This Mendini comes with really good quality ebony fittings. The ebony tailpiece is going to help get more resonance and a nicer tone from your violin. It’s little details like these that make all the difference to the sound of your fiddle.
Sound
The Mendini MV500+92D has such a rich and powerful tone. In fact, if you’re a complete beginner you might not like it because you won’t be used to the volume yet. This is the perfect affordable violin for slightly more advanced players. It could be used for either solo or orchestral playing because it has quite a malleable sound. Oh man, I just can’t get enough of it.
Spec Summary
- Body Material: Spruce top, maple back and sides
- Neck & Fingerboard Material: Maple neck, ebony fingerboard
- Strings & Tuners: Cecilio strings, ebony tuning pegs, independent style fine-tuners
- Bow: Two brazilwood bows with unbleached Mongolian horsehair
- Nut & Saddle Material: Ebony
- Bridge: Cecilio
- Tailpiece & Chinrest: Ebony
A gorgeous, powerful violin for more advanced players or serious beginners
Final Thoughts on the Mendini MV500+92D
The Mendini MV500+92D would make a lovely gift for an aspiring violinist. It really is beautiful, and not just to look at. Its rich, powerful tone would sound absolutely wonderful on stage. This is definitely one for more advanced players or serious beginners.
8. Mendini MV300 Violin Review
- Full size 4/4 set for beginners: our set includes everything violins for kids or adults need. Travel case with backpack straps, accurate tuner, adjustable shoulder rest, extra set of violin strings...
- Designed for Quality, Durability and Reliability: Our beginner violin comes with durable stainless steel strings, boxwood pegs that hold tune and are made to be dependable throughout your first years...
- Quality Assurance: All of our band & orchestra musical instruments are inspected in California before shipping. Violins come with strings already strung and instructions to quickly set up the bridge...
If you fancy a Mendini but the first two were a little out your budget, don’t worry! The Mendini MV300 is incredibly cheap considering it’s made by such a well-trusted brand. It may not quite be up there with the 500+92D, but it’s about as close as you get for the price.
Body & Neck
The Mendini 300 is a classic go-to violin for beginners and I can see why. It’s so cheap but it certainly doesn’t look it. I love the satin antique finish of this violin, it makes it look quite professional (and works wonders for those beginner stress sweats). You can still see the grain of the wood shining through the varnish which is just gorgeous.
Plus, I have to say, in terms of playability the Mendini 300 is definitely one of the best for beginners. Its neck is shaped really nicely and I feel like it’s much easier to play than a lot of other cheap violins. Despite being under $100, it still has inlaid purflings. That speaks volumes for the craftsmanship.
Bow & Hardware
The Mendini MV300 comes with a lovely brazilwood bow. It’s strung with genuine unbleached Mongolian horsehair which is incredibly surprising considering the price. It has maple fittings but I can’t really complain about them, to be honest.
I know ebony is stronger, but for a violin this price I don’t really mind the maple. Plus, the great thing about Mendini violins is that they actually work quite well for intermediate players as well. So, as long as you don’t grow out of it, the Mendini 300 will probably last you a while.
Sound
It may not be the smoothest sounding violin, but wow is it powerful. For a cheap violin, it sounds absolutely amazing. As I mentioned earlier, cheap violins don’t always sound amazing straight out of the box. However, speaking from experience I know that this Mendini will sound better and better the more you play it.
It’s really mellow and not too colorful, which I think is great for a beginner violin. You don’t want too much edge when you’re just starting out!
Spec Summary
- Body Material: Spruce top, maple back and sides
- Neck & Fingerboard Material: Maple neck, maple fingerboard
- Strings & Tuners: Cecilio strings, maple tuning pegs, fixed fine-tuners
- Bow: Brazilwood with unbleached Mongolian horsehair
- Nut & Saddle Material: Maple
- Bridge: Cecilio
- Tailpiece & Chinrest: Maple chinrest, alloy tailpiece
Amazing sound for a cheap violin
Final Thoughts on the Mendini MV300
The Mendini MV300 is the perfect first violin for beginners. It’s actually recommended by a lot of teachers because it’s so reliable and has such a nice sound. It may not be quite as fancy looking as some of the other fiddles on this list, but it’s definitely up there with the very best cheap violins.
9. Vangoa Vintage Electronic Violin Review
- ✔️ [Satisfying Practice & Thrilling Perform] Vangoa silent electric violin perfectly fits beginners to bring quiet moments for families, during your learning time. With headphones, you can be...
When I was researching the best cheap violins, I came across this Vangoa Vintage Electronic one and it got me thinking. An electronic violin would actually be a great option for beginners living in a shared space. Just plug your headphones in and practice away!
Body & Neck
The body of this Vangoa electric violin is made completely of solid maple, then covered in a metallic varnish for more color and a crisper sound. It looks pretty snazzy, in my opinion. I mean, if you get private lessons I’m not sure what your teacher would have to say, but if you just want to teach yourself then it would certainly be a good option. One thing I really love about this violin is how light it is.
Most beginners struggle to play for long periods of time because holding up a violin can be a bit of a workout! This one makes it so much easier to get those practice hours in.
Bow & Hardware
This Vango violin comes with a normal brazilwood bow that’s strung with unbleached Mongolian horsehair so it plays more or less the same as a normal violin. The only difference is, you have to plug it in to hear anything (make sure you remember to do that, it’s the kind of thing I’d forget).
You will have to set up the bow yourself but it’s fairly easy thanks to the little guide on the body. Just remember to loosen off the strings before you slide the bridge up or you might snap it by accident. I love that the Vango electric violin has a carbon fiber tailpiece. It gives the sound amazing clarity and a really powerful tone. It even has independent-style fine tuners. I’m in love!
Electronics
Now for the fun part! The violin comes with a jack so you can plug it into your amp or headphones for silent practice. Most learners struggle with their confidence in the beginning. Violins can make some pretty awful sounds if you’re not too sure what you’re doing! This way, you don’t have to worry about your family or your flatmates hearing you practice. You can just wait until you’re more confident to impress them all. That’s what I’d do anyway!
Sound
The thing about cheap violins is that they don’t tend to have very good volume or resonance. So, an electric violin would prove to be a pretty good solution. Plus, it sounds exactly like an acoustic violin, just amplified a bit. I have to say, it’s a little bit edgier and brighter sounding than some other cheap violins.
However, it can give you some really precise intonation once you’ve gotten to grips with the tricky finger positions! Even if you’re a more advanced player, I’d recommend giving this violin a go. It’s so fun to play around with!
Spec Summary
- Body Material: Solid maple, metallic varnish
- Neck & Fingerboard Material: Maple
- Strings & Tuners: Steel strings and maple tuning pegs
- Bow: Brazilwood bow with unbleached Mongolian horsehair
- Nut & Saddle Material: Maple
- Bridge: Maple
- Tailpiece & Chinrest: Carbon fiber tailpiece and maple chinrest
A fun cheap electric violin
Final Thoughts on the Vangoa Vintage Electronic Violin
I’ve never really thought about how useful an electronic violin would be for a beginner before but I think it would really help to build confidence. If you’re a beginner and you want to hold out on buying a good acoustic violin until you’re a bit more experienced, I’d highly recommend this Vangoa electric one.
10. Bunnel Pupil Violin Review – Highly Rated
- [HIGH-QUALITY CLEARANCE] This instrument is marked down due to a slight cosmetic defect that does not affect playability or sound in any way. Our customer service team is on hand to answer ANY...
Okay, I’ve definitely spoken about this violin before but I just wanted to end on a classic from Kennedy Violins. Kennedy Violins is definitely a well-trusted brand in the violinist community. So, if you’re looking for a violin that will see you through all of the stages of learning, look no further.
Body & Neck
Kennedy Violins pride themselves on knowing exactly where their wood has come from and how long it’s been aged for. There’s no wonder this Bunnel Pupil violin is such a hit amongst so many students. It has a classic spruce top and maple back and sides but, I have to say, you can tell the wood has been aged well when you hear the violin.
Plus, it’s finished with a gorgeous satin oil varnish which really adds to that expensive sound. I know this violin isn’t the cheapest of the cheap but compared to most violins it’s still really affordable.
Bow & Hardware
The Bunnel Pupil violin is completed with genuine ebony fittings that really add to the longevity of the instrument. I mean, it’s all fine and well buying a really cheap violin but you will have to replace most of them in a couple of years. This violin, however, will probably live longer than you! Plus, it comes complete with my favorite D’Addario Prelude strings.
Sound
The Bunnel Pupil violin sounds really smooth in the ear as you play and holds intonation incredibly well. It has such a warm, mellow sound and makes practicing such a dream. If you hadn’t noticed already, I learned to play with a Bunnel Pupil violin and I still play it now! See what I mean, it definitely lasts well. The sound only gets better the more you play it as well. It’s just gorgeous!
Spec Summary
- Body Material: Spruce top with maple back and sides
- Neck & Fingerboard Material: Maple neck with an ebony fretboard
- Strings & Tuners: D’Addario Prelude Strings, ebony tuning pegs, and fixed fine tuners
- Bow: Brazilwood bows strung with unbleached Mongolian horsehair
- Nut & Saddle Material: Ebony
- Bridge: Custom made by Kennedy Violins
An amazing student violin with a lovely warm, mellow sound that will last a lifetime
Final Thoughts on the Bunnel Pupil Violin
The Bunnel Pupil violin would be perfect for an adult learner. It ages so well and you probably won’t feel the need to upgrade for a long time. The only downside is the price but I’d definitely recommend the investment if you’ve got the budget for it.
Anyone Can Learn to Play the Violin With A Small Budget
I hope this article has proved that absolutely anyone can learn to play the violin.
Thanks to brands like Mendini and Eastar, people from any walk of life can learn to play the violin.
Whether you’ve got a bit more of a budget to play with, or you’re looking for an absolute bargain, there’s definitely a violin out there for you. I think the price of instruments can be really disheartening, so I’m really happy that there’s so many affordable options on the market now.
I really hope I’ve helped you to find the best cheap violin for your budget! I’ve certainly got some in my basket.
Oops… Can you ever have too many violins?
Further Reading:
- Which Wood Is Best For Violin?
- Violin Sizes – Find Out What The Perfect Size Violin For You Or Your Child
- Violin Anatomy – What Are The Different Parts Of A Violin?
- Viola vs Violin Compared – Learn The Key Differences Between These Instruments
- How To Clean A Violin At Home (Body, Strings & Inside)
Fiona is a musician and writer. When she’s not working, she’s either playing the ukulele or finding another instrument to add to her collection.