Violin Buying Guide for Beginners

The violin has a reputation for being hard to start. A well adjusted instrument in the right size takes much of that difficulty away. Here is what a beginner needs to know.

Fiddle or violin

They are the same instrument. Fiddle is the name used in bluegrass, old time, country and folk music. Violin is the name used in classical music. The difference is in how it is played, not in what you buy.

What an outfit is

Beginner violins are usually sold as an outfit, which means the violin comes with the things you need to start playing rather than as a bare instrument. The Cremona SV-75 Premier Novice outfit is made for students.

Sizes

Violins come in fractional sizes for children and full size, written 4/4, for teens and adults. A teacher or shop can measure arm length to confirm the size. A violin that is too large is hard to hold and hard to play in tune.

A shoulder rest helps

A shoulder rest clips to the back of the violin and fills the space between the instrument and your shoulder. It lets you hold the violin without tension in your neck.

Strings

Student strings are built to last and to be easy to tune. D'Addario Prelude strings are a common student choice. Replace strings when they sound dull or start to fray.

Setup matters most on a violin

A violin depends on its bridge, sound post, pegs and string height more than almost any other instrument. If these are off, it is hard to play and sounds thin. We check and adjust each one on our bench in Athens, Tennessee before it ships.

Lessons

A few lessons at the start save months of frustration with bow hold and posture. We teach violin and fiddle in the shop. See our lessons page.

Browse fiddles and violins. Curious about other bluegrass instruments? Read the banjo buying guide and the mandolin buying guide.