6 Best Violins for Beginners of 2024

When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Learning to play the violin can be a great way to get into music. But we understand just how difficult it can be for beginners to choose the right model.

Violins are a great instrument and are easy to transport to and from practice. They also sound great when you start to master them.

Thankfully, we have found the best beginner violins and violin sets for your early musical needs.

Our top pick is the Cecilio CVN-300. This model is available in a range of sizes and comes with a complete kit.

Take a look below for the six best beginner violins, and start learning today!

Best Violins for Beginners

1. Best Overall – Cecilio CVN-300

SPECS

• Weight: 5 lbs
• Dimensions: 32" x 12" x 5"
• Material: Maple and Spruce

Investing in the Cecilio CVN-300 means you will get a great beginner violin for an affordable price. You will also benefit from a pretty comprehensive starter kit.

If you are in the market for a great beginner violin, you probably won't have everything you need. Thankfully, the beautiful CVN-300 beginner instrument also includes:

• Two bows
• Tuner
• Rosin
• Case
• Lesson book
• Shoulder rest
• Extra bridge

The Cecilio CVN-300 is available in four sizes: full size, 3/4, 1/4, and 1/2. It is made from Maple with a solid Spruce wood top. These materials improve the sound and quality of the instrument.

The violin uses an antique varnish for a shiny finish.

Cecilio is known as one of the more affordable violin brands that provide instruments with a rich sound quality.

2. Best for Those on a Budget – Aliyes 4/4 Full Size Beginners Violin

SPECS

• Weight: 3.04 lbs
• Dimensions: 31.6" x 10" x x5.2"
• Material: Maple and Spruce

The Aliyes violin offers a low-priced option for those on a budget. It is important to mention that budget violins won't offer the same sound quality as premium instruments. However, they are a great place to start.

This Aliyes model, in particular, produces a pure tone and clear sound. It is made with a spruce top and maple back and sides. Ebony fittings and aluminum-magnesium alloy violin strings complete the instrument.

As well as getting a dependable violin that is perfect for beginners, you will also receive a hard case, bow, bridge, and strings. This provides the users with incredible value for money.

3. Best to Travel With – Cremona SV-130

SPECS

• Weight: 0.8 lbs
• Dimensions: 20.5" x 7.25" x 3.5"
• Material: Maple and Spruce

Whether you have invested in an acoustic violin or an electric violin, being able to safely transport it to and from practice is essential. That is why the Cremona SV-130 is on our best beginner violins of 2024 list.

The Cremona SV-130 comes with a high-quality hard case that is impact-resistant. But you don't buy a violin purely for the case, so let's look at some of this model's other benefits.

You can choose from a range of colors for this great model. These include sparkling black, blue, purple, and traditional brown.

You will also have a great choice of sizes, making it perfect for all violin beginner age groups.

Despite being in the affordable violin price range, the build quality is surprisingly good. You will feel confident with this model between the solid build and the great case.

4. Best for Sound – Paititi Artist 100

SPECS

• Weight: 2.55 lbs
• Dimensions: 31" x 11" x 5"
• Material: Solid wood, Maple, Spruce

You will typically have to invest in a high-quality instrument to get the best sound from a violin. As a beginner violinist, you might be unsure about paying the thousands needed for the best violins.

The Paititi Artist 100 is an excellent low-priced violin that offers the user a full, balanced sound. This is great for those who don't want to sacrifice quality but don't have the money to spend on a high-quality violin.

The chestnut brown finish is a great traditional choice for this model and comes with a range of accessories, including a bow, tuner, and case.

The lightweight carry case is ideal for getting to and from practice without lugging a huge case around with you.

The sound quality is great from the Paititi Artist 100, and you will also enjoy a 1-year warranty. This will give you peace of mind as you learn.

5. Best for Build – Stentor 1500 4/4 Violin

SPECS

• Weight: 3 lbs
• Dimensions: 4.5" x 25.5" x 8.25"
• Material: Maple and Spruce

Stentor is widely regarded as one of the best beginner violin manufacturers. They are known for being affordable and well-built.

The maple backs and ribs are hand-carved, as is the spruce front. The Stentor 1500 also boasts ebony fittings, creating an excellent violin for beginners.

The exquisite build provides a solid instrument for beginners and creates great sound. Beginners can expect a responsive sound and a good tone from this instrument.

The pegs and fingerboard are made out of ebony. This is because ebony is a more durable wood, and tuning pegs and fingerboards tend to see a lot of action on stringed musical instruments.

The Stentor 1500's durability comes in handy as it is also suitable for intermediate learners. This means you won't have to buy a new violin straight away as this model can still be used as you gain experience.

6. Best Design – Kinglos 4/4 YZ1201

SPECS

• Weight: 1.21 lbs
• Dimensions: 23.23" x 8.27" x 3.35"
• Material: Maple, Spruce, and Ebony

The first thing to mention about this instrument is that it is not a novelty item despite its unique appearance. Maple and spruce are used to craft a violin with great sound quality.

Investing in this instrument will also mean you receive a:

• Case
• Rosin
• Bow
• Bridge
• Shoulder rest
• Strings

What sets the Kinglos acoustic guitar apart from the others is the incredible styles you can choose from.

The styles provided elegantly complement the classical music the instruments produce.

Styles include:

• JY Series - A classy white body with a blue and white floral tailpiece and shoulder rest.
• LY Series - Contrasting black fittings against the colorful floral pattern of the body.
• XC Series - A pink and yellow floral pattern that is complemented by black fittings.
• YZ Series - A Classic blue and white floral pattern that is reminiscent of traditional Chinese porcelain.
• HBS Series - An eye-catching black-and-white option.
• NHS Series - A large, colorful butterfly is the main feature of the design.

Ebony tuning pegs are used on these models to guarantee long-lasting performance.

Best Violins for Beginners Buyer's Guide

Knowing what to look out for when buying a violin online is important. Keep reading to discover the essential things you must consider before spending any money. This will help you on your first steps to becoming a violin player.

Size

Choosing the correct size of violin will make a big difference to your comfort and performance.

The length of your arm will determine the best beginner violin size. The following sizes will help to clarify the best for you.

These sizes are based on measurements taken from the neck to the wrist.

• 1/16 violins for arm lengths of 13 ¼"
• 1/10 violins for arm lengths of 14 ¼"
• 1/8 violins for arm lengths of 15 ¼"
• 1/4 violins for arm lengths of 17 ¼"
• 1/2 violins for arm lengths of 19"
• 3/4 violins for arm lengths of 20 ½"
• 4/4 violins for arm lengths of 21 ¼"

Some models and violin brands will only be available in certain sizes, limiting your options.

Measurements for the correct size violin are typically easy to get. The best violin size will be dictated by the length measured from the base of your neck to your wrist.

You can also measure from the base of the neck to the center of the palm to find out the largest violin someone can use comfortably.

Quality

Choosing a high-quality violin does not always mean spending a fortune. Many reasonably priced violins are made from high-quality materials.

Some of the most commonly used violin materials include maple for back plates, necks, ribs, and scrolls. Spruce is often used for the front plate.

The violin's sound and resonance mostly come from the top. Spruce can help to carry sound waves because it has a high stiffness-to-weight ratio.

Maple offers strength and shock resistance qualities to the back and sides of the violin.

Ebony is often used for violin fittings. This includes the:

• Tailpiece
• Tuning pegs
• Fingerboard
• Chinrest

The reason that ebony is used is because it is tough and durable. Ebony is also an aesthetically pleasing wood that provides a natural contrast.

It is possible to find modern models with an aluminum tailpiece. This is because it is easier to fix fine-tuners into aluminum tailpieces. This makes it easier to tune for beginners.

Other important factors to consider when checking the quality of a beginner violin are the:

• Purflings
• Scroll
• A book-matched back

The purflings are the lines that run around the top edge of your violin and bind it together. They provide great aesthetics but are also important to the instrument's structure.

Strong wood purflings like ebony are a sign of a well-made violin.

A delicate scroll also indicates good craftsmanship. Checking how precise and well-shaped the scroll is will help you identify a good violin.

A book-matched violin back is when the maple's natural 'flame' design matches up on the back. This is only relevant on violins with a two-piece back.

While book-matched backs don't impact the sound quality, they indicate excellent craftsmanship.

Sound

The tonal range of the violin should ensure the lowest and highest notes can be produced clearly. The strings, build quality, and wood used will all play a part in this.

The projection is the ability of the instrument to fill a space with the sound it creates. A violin playing in an orchestra must rise above other sounds, especially for solos.

The responsiveness of a violin dictates how easy it is to get the correct tone. It refers to how well the violin's top plate is driven into vibration by the bridge.

All of these elements will determine how good the sound from a violin will be.

Easy Setup

The violin you purchase should be set up properly by the luthier. They will check the installation of the pegs and other parts of the violin. The bridge will be checked to ensure the curvature is correct, and they will also check the string tension.

Factory-made violins will be sent out without these checks, and it could result in a poor sound or experience.

Another important factor when buying your first violin is choosing one that is easy to tune.

Accessories

Most stringed musical instruments will come with some kind of accessories. This could be as simple as spare strings, or you might enjoy more comprehensive packages.

An affordable beginner violin kit could help you save money on bows, strings, cases, and other accessories. Take a look at our best violins for beginners above to see which options come with additional extras.

If a case is included with a violin package, you should take the time to check its quality and style of it.

You should determine the protective qualities of the case to ensure your violin is protected against bumps or being crushed in storage.

You should also consider the shock protection of a case and how well it absorbs impact.

Thermal protection and case suspension can also be considered. However, this is typically more of a concern for more expensive, fine instruments.

The strings you use will also play a big part in how responsive the instrument is, the quality of tone, and the projection.

Brand and Price

If you want to invest in a great violin, exploring the best violin brands is a great idea.

You will get the best violin performance from high-quality instruments. Unfortunately, the cost of these can run into the thousands.

Thankfully, we have uncovered some of the best violin brands that provide affordable acoustic violins.

The browsing through the brands below, you will find the perfect violin for beginners:

• Cecilio
• Aliyes
• Cremona
• Paititi
• Stentor
• Kinglos

There are lots of other great violin brands to explore, and reading beginner violin reviews can be an excellent way to find them.

You should expect to pay anywhere from around $80 to $500 for beginner models. Prices will vary depending on the brand and materials. Always ensure the violin you invest in is made with high-quality materials.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What material is best for a violin bow?

Choosing the best beginner violin is important, as is choosing the right bow. The three most common materials for violin bows are:

• Pernambuco
• Brazilwood
• Carbon Fiber

Pernambuco wood bows are considered one of the best violin bow materials. This is because it is very strong and is not as likely to warp.

Brazilwood is another great option. It is slightly softer than Pernambuco but is more affordable.

Carbon fiber is another great option that is strong, durable, and won't warp.

What is a violin-shaped object?

Violin-shaped objects, or VSOs, are violins that are of such poor quality that they don't produce the correct sound.

Violin-shaped objects are typically painted and varnished to replicate a quality violin. They will have cheaper fittings and be made from mystery woods that the seller does not disclose.

Are electric violins good for beginners?

It is widely advised that beginners start with acoustic violins before moving on to electric ones.

The main reason for this is that electric violins have more components for beginners to deal with. It is better to focus on getting the basics down before considering this.

What violin strings are good for beginners?

Beginner violins typically come with steel core strings because it is easier for them to stay in tune.

Steel core strings are very responsive and deliver bright, clear sounds. They are generally an inexpensive and long-lasting option.

They can sound a little tinny, so upgrading your strings as your skills develop is recommended.

Synthetic core strings can be a good option for advanced beginners. They sound more like gut strings but also stay in tune easily.

Gut strings are less responsive and more expensive. However, they produce a rich, warm tone. This type of violin string is best suited to violinists with good experience and technique.

Conclusion

The beginner violins in this guide offer something for everyone. If you want to try playing violin, there are great affordable options that sound great.

Entry-level violins don't have to be expensive. However, they should be of a certain quality in order for the pupil to easily begin their musical journey.

A great starting point is the Cecilio CVN-300, which stands out due to its affordability, comprehensive starter kit, multiple size options, and high-quality materials.

If you’re on a budget and looking for a violin with pure tone, clear sound, and durable construction, the Aliyes 4/4 Full Size Beginners Violin offers exceptional value for money.

The violin is a well-respected instrument and is a great skill to learn. If you are interested in starting music lessons soon, investing in a good-quality violin will help you start playing music.