Having been out of the music loop for quite some time now I have been looking for the off chance to get back into a bit of music, and love the sound that electric violins can be manipulated to produce, but after putting some money down on one in a town over tonight, since there wans't much else available in the 100km area.

I kind of want to know if I selected the wrong one all together or what type I will be looking for since I'm sure if that happen to be the wrong one I can just get the money down towards another one he can get from his supplier.

He said it was a Stentor Electric Violin, not knowing much about alot of companies I'm not sure which exact model but the only one I could find from them is this model which is an amplified acoustic at least to my small amount of knowledge though not sure if there are others Stentor has.

Link (Stentor HARLEQUIN ELECTRIC)

Now if this is the Violin, I'm looking more or less for trying to do some Violin Rock, Gothic etc, the sort of sound that a normal acoustic can't produce to my knowledge.

Song inspiration comes from the Electric Violin (though this uses a keyboard but sound can be replicated by a EV.
Marie-Mai Déjà Loin

That or many other Heavy/Medium Rock EV'ists that I've heard but with a violin like the one above can it be manipulated to replicate these kind of sounds or is this basically just an Amplified Acoustic Violin, Not a true Electric Violin, if not I will look elsewhere to pick up what I believe is an more known as a Silent Electric Violin.

I Appreciate any help.

Also if anyone knows anyone knows of some good material books for EV beginners to learn the basic Violin (likely Acoustic) then to Electric Violin techniques and up.

Okay, okay, hear me out.

If you are a beginner, never played the violin before, know nearly nothing about it, I think you have made the wrong choice in paying a lot for an electric first. I think you should pay a hundred dollars for a beginner acoustic violin, mess around on that and see if you like playing it and are capable of producing sound and playing (not that I know whether you can or not, but some people just can't). I suggest looking online at the Florea on Woodwind/Brasswind, which is what I started out with although I paid a little more to get the "professional" version.

If you decide after that, that you like playing the violin and want to learn more, I would suggest buying the electric violin. There is an order in which you're suggested to learn things, and right now, you probably couldn't play any songs. Every violin is different, and to know which is right for you, you need to be able to play something to know if you like the sound compared to another. Believe it or not, even Electric violins can differ in tone and quality.

As far as method books, I would suggest the Essential Elements (EE) books, and then Suzuki books to compliment that. EE books are more instructional, they come with a CD, and they're simple lines that can help you read music and learn positions. Then the Suzuki books can help you practice your note reading, because those are more pieces instead of method.

My friend has an electric viola, (she started out on an acoustic) and it's pretty much the same as playing an acoustic as far as finger placement, etc goes. This website might be of help as far as EV technique goes.

http://www.lightbubble.com/bowed/equip.htm

I hope this is helpful!

See semi-acoustic violin on e-violins.com. Semi-acoustic violin has advantages of electric instrument (easy amplification, using reverb..) and player has natural feeling during play. On the page you can see violin with frets which is easy to play nicely to beginners or to guitar players.

The picture shows an ordinary violin presumably with a pick up of some sort. I would have thought that if you played it without an amplifier that it would sound and play like an ordinary instrument. I doubt it will sound very good as either an ordinary violin or as an electric violin. A proper electric violin would generally not have a body that looks like an acoustic violin. The thing that you need to bear in mind is that you will not be able to use the electric violin in an orchestra or chamber music but only in pop music and possibly folk music (if they will tolerate it). The received wisdom as I understand it is to get a proper violin for your main instrument and learn on that. If your friends decidde to create a pop group and ask you to join, the proper violin can still be used because you can mike it. If you decide that an electric violin is really reequired then you can get a proper electric violin as a second instrument.

AN acoustic/electric violin is mostly for increasing the volume. They will sound like a normal acoustic violin, untill you mess with the amp. like over driving it, or other effects. The problem with the acoustic violins is that they use a pizzo mirophone and can get feed back. Pure electric violins will not have the same complex sound as a good acoustic violin. But won't suffer from feed back either. They tend to sound quite dull. Some are picking up the tones from the bridge, like a mic, others with pick ups like an electric guitar. Those that use pick ups seem to be the better models, BUT you will not be able to use synthetic nor gut strings with these. That leads to a duller sound.
Some electric violins use a body that is solid. These will never give as rich a sound as thoses that have a body for the sound to reverborate in.
For a beginner, especially with others in the house, a CHEAP electic is a blessing. You can learn the violin with out every one else having to suffer through all your mistakes. Just use headphones. This is what I use my electric Sojing violin for. Some have had problems keeping there Sojings in tune, I have not. I have changed the strings to Dominants, and the tail piece to an ebony one with fine tunners. This helped the sound a bunch, but still, it won't hold a candle to my better acoustic, strung the same.
Violin can be a tough instrument to play. A lot harder than the brass family. I play trumpet, baratone, and tuba. These were much easier to learn. Even though the fingering is the same except with fretts, I found the mandolin easier to learn than violin. I am finding banjo harder to learn. Any ways, start with an el-cheap-o. It's nice to have a beater around for trips and such, as good violins are quite expensive. It's nice to have a cheap ($40-80) to take to jams, picinics, etc...
I know you are thinking rock, but fiddling is a ball. I don't know any-one else that will admit to playing both classical and fiddle, but I enjoy both. I have used my cheap Sojing to get enough volume to be heard over the electric guitars, drum and basses, and it sounds fine at a square dance. When you start tweaking the tones with your electric effects, I doubt a much higher priced electrc violin would be needed. Now if you want the rich tones but amplified for classical, then you would be best getting a good acoustic and adding the electric pizzo pick up. Even the best made electric violins won't sound as good as a well made spruce and maple violin with gut strings.