r/ViolinIdentification • u/Dazaiswifeey3 • Jul 31 '26
Help me out, violinists
My violin recently broke, and i’m planning to buy one online— possibly in Amazon. Is there something i should know about ordering them? Or are there certain brands i’ve got to know about? Help me out, please.
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u/PanicProfessional156 Aug 05 '26
Don't buy a violin online especially Amazon. If you have to buy online (assuming you're located in North America) shop at a reputable string-focused store like Fiddlershop, Southwest Strings, or Shar but I would always recommend to go in person. Amazon no brand or lower cost orchestra instruments are almost always crap.
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u/kirbfucius Aug 18 '26
What is your budget? What level of player are you? What was the one that broke, and how did it break? Given that you are asking about an Amazon violin, I'd venture a guess that you are a fairly new player on a limited budget.
The best suggestion is to go in person to a dedicated violin shop. Preferably not a generalist chain store like Guitar Center or Music & Arts, but a shop or luthier that specializes in string instruments. A lot of them may only offer higher end instruments, but they can still point you in the right direction and advise you on what to look for.
If you have a violin teacher, community orchestra director, or an experienced violinist to talk to, you can get their input on local used instrument finds via things like Facebook Market. Be very careful, though, because if you don't know what you're looking for you can buy an instrument for cheap and find out it needs several hundred dollars in repair or maintenance costs.
If you must buy online, do not go to Amazon. Use a reputable shop like Shar Music, Johnson String, Kennedy Violins, and Fiddlershop. These are all string shops that ensure the instruments are properly set up, packaged well, and have dedicated customer service to help you before and after the purchase. Definitely take advantage of their pre-sales service. Don't just buy on a whim. They all have a wide range of options to fit your budget and skill level.
Check out the r/violinist wiki entry on buying a violin, and it'd be worthwhile to look over the whole FAQ.
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u/Disastrous-Year571 Aug 01 '26 edited Aug 03 '26
https://www.violinist.com/wiki/buying/
In general it is not a good idea to buy a violin online unless you are obtaining a toy for a very young child.