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Hello
I have a friend that wants to buy a violin for his girl friend birthday, she has quit the violin a few years ago and is wanting to play again.
What brand to avoid ?
What brand to buy with a budget of 500 to 600 euro ?
Thanks in advance for you help
Best
Cyril
As a long-standing strings player (double-bass), the short answer is: the question cannot really be answered concretely.
IMO, his best option would be to find a good luthier, and have his girl friend try out a variety of instruments within his budget. Literally every instrument is different (even the machine manufactured ones will vary somewhat). Whatever instrument she is most comfortable playing should be the instrument of choice. If she currently cannot really play, follow the advice and suggestions of the luthier.
Also important, part of the cost must include at least a decent student bow. While a good player can make adjustments in playing technique to compensate for a poor bow, one ends up having to fight with the bow to produce a good tone. Better to get a decent bow that one does not have to battle against. At the overall budget, of 600 euros, you should be able to find at least a tolerable student instrument and bow. Most likely, you will be looking at instruments made in China, and while not truly a first choice, their quality has improved considerably from a few decades ago.
It would also be best to NOT buy off the internet. To be playable, a violin must be properly set up: the location of the sound post can greatly change an instrument's tone, the bridge needs to be at the right height so the strings tension and height above the fingerboard is correct, to mention just two adjustments. Whatever money is "saved" by buying through the internet can be completely lost (plus more) to pay someone to set up the supposed "good deal" instrument to bring it up to a playable condition. Better to pay a little more up front from a good luthier.
Another reason to establish a relationship with a good luthier relates to maintaining an instrument. One eventually needs to buy new rosin, replace strings, get the bow rehaired, as well as sometimes needing other repairs.
In the U.S. there are a few mail order firms that specialize in student string instruments - firms that are known to have good reputations. There undoubtedly are similar firms in Europe that might be worth exploring.
One slightly OT story relating to luthiers: a good luthier can work wonders. The tone of my own bass (not a particularly good one, but not bad either) became much improved when a luthier simply replaced its solid tail piece wire, with a multi-strand wire. An adjustment that one would tend to think would have no effect, actually made a real difference.
Best wishes for your friend's instrument search.
<edit> Oh, one other thing, a good luthier often will have a very good trade-in program for replacing a beginning instrument with a better one, should the need to purchase a better instrument arise.
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