Hello-

I`ve been looking to buy a violin, but have two problems:

1) I`m a college student, so I can`t pay a whole lot for one
2) I`ve never played a violin, so I don`t want people kicking down my door while I`m still learning how to play.

This violin caught my attention:
http://store.musicbasics.com/vln-e-100-4-4.html

What really attracted me to it is that it`s electric, so I can play in silent mode with less risk of making enemies with my neighbors. However, I`ve heard some bad things about some of the other less expensive electrics (the Sojings come to mind), so I was wondering: has anyone had any experience with this violin? Is it worth buying or not?

Thank you

The idea, apparently, is that since its electric the volume is completely adjustable and you can easily find one that will disturb no one. Sounds reasonable, but it doesn`t explain electric guitar neighbors.

The guy across the hall introduced himself amiably, said 1) he was a "musician" and 2) what times are best for him to practice and 3) just let him know when he`s bothering me. Turns out he`s 1) a rock-and-roller (rather than a musician), 2) the times that are best for him to practice are when reasonable people are trying to sleep, and 3) if you knock on his door he ignores you completely. The way he understands the volume knob is that it confers the advantage letting him play much LOUDER than a violin can.

My advice is to get a real violin because your neighbors will be much more tolerant of an instrument with cultural status, and they`ll probably only hear it in the hall anyway. Use a normal mute during the day and a practice mute at night. If necessary you can hang up blankets and use boxes to absorb the reverberation. Begin taking lessons immediately. You can also try this trick: Just before and just after each practice session play virtuoso solo violin recordings on your stereo to keep your neighbors confused and reverential.

Or, rather, "...since it`s electric...." Sorry.

I forgot to say that very inexpensive real violins are easily available. Naturally they won`t be the best violins, but so what? You can always upgrade later.

In response to your question on this particular violin, I have had experience with it and I strongly recommend against it.
Reasons being: First it is an acoustic electric (not silent when playing "unplugged") so no matter what you will make noise that will more then likely be heard by your neighbors. Secondly the placement of the F holes are completely wrong, which in turn adds to making the sound you get from it undesirable (but still not bad considering you are just starting and wouldn`t notice the lack of quality in sound). Thirdly the instrument itself is ment to be more of a mock violin then an actual playable instrument. It`s cool to look at but that`s about all it is.
If you are looking for a "silent" violin then you need to look for one that seems kind of incomplete, (not one solid piece) you will know what I mean if you see one. My honest opinion is to stay away from this one unless you really can`t afford anything else. However I will say (while trying not to contradict myself) that if you like this one you found and don`t find anything better then you should go with it...no one likes to play an instrument they`re not happy with.
All things considered any violin will be good enough for you because you are just starting out, and probably wouldn`t even notice the difference between what a cheap violin and a high quality violin put out.

This is just MY opinion. Good luck!

Re: "First it is an acoustic electric (not silent when playing "unplugged")...."

A little perspective:

The only ELECTRIC instrument I can think of offhand that is silent unamplified is the Hammond organ, although the Hammond company called the Hammond organ (I mean, by the bye, instruments such as the B3 and M3 and so on) "electro-mechanical", rather than "electric". Electric instruments create sounds mechanically (which is why you can still hear them) and have pickups (little electromagnets).

ELECTRONIC instruments, such as synthesizers, for example, generate sounds non-mechanically (electronically, in fact--hence the term--, with feedback loop oscillators). You cannot hear electronic instruments without amplification.

In general, what is electronic uses a tube or transister. Is it true, of course, that all amplifiers have tubes or transisters, so, yes, the end product will in a sense necessarily be electronic. It is also true, of course, that what is electronic will necessarily be electric as well, but in music we use the term "electric" to mean an instrument that is not electronic. The distinction is significant aesthetically as well as technically.

I can`t imagine an ELECTRONIC violin.

Guitars that involve significant amounts of acoustically amplified as well as electronically amplified sound are called "hollow body electric guitars".

Something else to consider:

If your college has a music department, it probably has practice rooms, and you might use these to practice your violin, depending on music department policy--you may be required to take a music class.

http://www.chrisbsmusic.com/barberacviol.html



the Barcus Berry are pretty good electric violins