This might sound simplistic but, I`m confused.

I can walk into a music shop, hand over £300 and walk out with a good acoustic guitar which I can take home and play straight away. A set of strings will cost about £10 and a good case about £60.

I am now considering taking up the violin and find everything so complicated. All the dealers say they set-up or change the bridge, give a better bow and fit better strings. Why aren`t these things done in the first place? and why do strings that are 1/3 the length cost 3 times as much as guitar strings and why are the cases so expensive? Do I really need a £100 case for a £200 fiddle?

Secondly, I will most probably go ahead with a £200ish starter kit but, I have been looking at more expensive models for a possible upgrade next year. On the American Gianna site I have seen the Tuscan, and I know this is the wrong way to approach things, but it appeals (on aesthetics alone). Does anyone have any info on them and are they available in the UK?

Thanks

Jeff

Hi Jeff, my answers in ##


I am now considering taking up the violin and find everything so complicated. All the dealers say they set-up or change the bridge, give a better bow and fit better strings. Why aren`t these things done in the first place?

# In some places they are. It`s just that those shops will charge vastly more for the violin. So some shops don`t offer it at all and some offer this sort of set up as an option. #

and why do strings that are 1/3 the length cost 3 times as much as guitar strings and why are the cases so expensive? Do I really need a £100 case for a £200 fiddle?

# A decent set of strings (dominants) can be had online for as little as £23. Cases can be had for £30. #

Secondly, I will most probably go ahead with a £200ish starter kit but, I have been looking at more expensive models for a possible upgrade next year. On the American Gianna site I have seen the Tuscan, and I know this is the wrong way to approach things, but it appeals (on aesthetics alone). Does anyone have any info on them and are they available in the UK?

# Unlikely: suppliers on both sides of the atlantic are often completely different. Stentor is unknown in the US, Scott Cao and Eastman are unknown over here. Gianna may be prepared to send you one anyway, but that does seem to me to be an awful lot of money to spend at this stage. #

I suggest that you look around the `net and see how difficult it is to make a decent-sounding violin, what good strings are made of and how they`re made, and how very fine adjustments in the setup can vary the sound greatly.

Liz

Many thanks for being the helpfullest of the helpful people who have given me advice (looking through the forum I would assume that many will endorse that) and I await my Marlborough with bated breath.

I have seen many guitars (and one violin with a cut-away for the left hand. As a person with a full Edward VII imperial, perhaps I should get a cut-away beard to accommodate the rest.

Thanks again

Jeff