10 Best Violins 2020 [Buying Guide]

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Heather
Patton

Jennifer
Trimbee

Samantha
Dewitt

How to Choose the Best Violin

The violin is a popular instrument, from orchestra members to students just getting started. There are a lot of different types of violins and a ton of different features to look for, so we’ve tried to include a wide selection of those features on the list of our best rated violins. Before we get started looking at violins, here are some things you should keep in mind while you’re shopping for your new instrument!

Material: What type of wood is the violin made of? Maple and spruce are the most common types of wood for violins, but basswood and other types of hardwood sometimes feature in the construction of violin bodies.

Size: The violin size refers to the scale of the instrument. There are ¼, half, ¾, and full-scale violins, though full-sized violins are the most popular. This is a preference among students just learning the instrument.

Case Included: Some of the violins on this list will come with a case to make it safer and easier to carry your violin around. We’ll let you know if this particular purchase includes a violin case for your convenience.

Pieces: How many pieces come with the purchase? Most of the violins on this list come with accessories and things that you’ll need to get started. We’ll let you know exactly what else you’re getting with your order.

Student: There are some violins on this list that are perfect for students. These violins make it easy to learn to play and often come with a host of accessories. We’ll let you know if it’s a student violin here.

Warranty: A warranty is a guarantee that the product is solid, and it’s going to continue to work. If it breaks or stops working within this time frame, you could get a refund for your money or a replacement violin.

Top 10 Products

Now we can dive right into the best student violin review, as well as the best professional selection as well. We’ve put a lot of time into presenting you with only the best choices for the violinist in your life. Our top pick and budget pick are the best of the best, so make sure to stop there first before sliding down the rest of our list. Get your rosin ready and let’s get started!

Kennedy Bunnel Student Violin

This full-sized violin by Kennedy Bunnel is one of the best violins for beginners on our list. It’s a student violin that comes with everything that you need to get started, including a classic violin case, rosin, a shoulder rest, additional strings, and even a Brazilwood bow. It’s ready to play as soon as it arrives, as it’s gone through all of the setup and final assembly it would need to get you started. It’s a beautiful instrument that also comes with a clip-on tuner in case you want to make adjustments (or after replacing the strings), as well as a beginners book from Kennedy Bunnel that shows you the basics of violin-playing. This violin is made of maple, with ebony fittings and an oiled finish that will make you look great while you work on sounding great. It also happens to be one of the best-sounding violins, with all of its high-quality features and strings.

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Cecilio CVN-300 Fitted Violin

Next up on our list is a full-sized violin from Cecilio that isn’t going to break your bank. This instrument might be inexpensive, but it’s still got a ton of high-quality features. It’s a good violin for advanced players as well as students and beginners. No matter your skill level, you’re going to love how this violin sounds. It comes with a tuner, a book of lessons to get you started if you’re new to the violin, as well as a hard case and two Brazilwood bows. The horsehair on these bows is unbleached, straight from Mongolian horses. It doesn’t get much better than this! It also comes with a rosin cake to keep your bowstrings supple, an adjustable shoulder rest, and an extra bridge in case you need it. That’s a lot of accessories at a great price! This spruce and maple violin has inlaid purfling on the neck and sizes, with antique varnish for that classic look.

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Mendini MV500+92D Wood Violin

One of the best violins for intermediate players is the MV500 from Medini. It’s a full-sized violin that is entirely hand-carved, from the spruce top to the single-piece back and sides. This is a sturdy instrument that looks and sound great! The fingerboard is made of ebony, and the tailpiece comes with four detachable fine tuners to make sure that you’re always getting the sound you want. Included with your purchase is a Cecilio string tuner (the 92D model) with a metronome, two Brazilwood bows with horsehair straight from Mongolia. It also comes with a lightweight hard case, making it easier to carry your violin around, and an adjustable shoulder rest to help you find the most comfortable playing position. Two bridges, an extra set of quality strings, and a rosin cake finish out this sizeable kit. It’s a perfect gift for players of any skill level. The violin is beautiful, and we love that it’s entirely hand-carved.

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Bailando Violin Starter Kit

Bailando makes one of the best advanced student violins on our list. It’s a half-sized violin, which makes a nice change from the full-sized trend in high-quality violins. This is a student violin that has been completely handmade, with no manufacturing process in the making of the body. That’s pretty impressive. It has an alloy tailpiece with four fine tuners, as well as an ebonized fingerboard, pegs, and a chin rest to keep you comfortable. The top is hand-carved solid spruce, so you’re getting a great acoustic sound from this violin no matter how much or how little you know about playing. It comes with a shaped foam carrying case to keep it safe, a rosin cake, extra bridge, set of strings, and an E-tuner. The bow is a Brazilwood stick bow, great for getting the feel of the instrument. And the best part about this violin? It comes in a set of amazing colors, like this brilliant purple!

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Sonart Solid Wood Violin

Next up we have this beautiful hardwood violin by Sonart. It’s a full-sized violin that is handmade and hand-carved. It’s a smooth, natural violin made with great materials. Because of the solid construction, it isn’t going to warp or change as you use it, which is great for a violin with a great price! The texture on the wood is visible, adding to this violin’s beautiful appearance. It comes with everything you need to get started, including a carrying case, bow, an extra bridge, and a rosin cake. Because of that selection, this is a great choice for a beginner who may not know what they like for their accessories yet. This violin not only looks great, but it also sounds amazing as well! When you have a student or a beginner in your life who is just getting the hang of the violin, this is definitely one of the best purchases you can give them as a gift.

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Teekland Acoustic Violin

This acoustic violin by Teekland is the only ¾-sized violin that we chose to feature, mainly for the wealth of features that it contains. This is a fairly simple violin at a stellar price. If you’re just getting into playing the violin, or you aren’t sure that it’s for you, you should definitely check out this kit first. The maple is a beautifully burnished maple, with basswood back and sides for stability. The other components, including the fingerboard, pegs, and chin rest are all made of a lightweight, inexpensive ABS plastic. The tailpiece where the strings attach to the bottom of the instrument is made of an aluminum alloy that is sturdy and light. This affordable violin comes with a hard case, two rosin cakes, and a ¾-sized bow, so you can technically get started right out of the box, provided you have a tuning instrument on hand. It’s a beautiful, durable violin. You’re going to love it!

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Bunnel Pupil Violin Outfit

Bunnel is back on our list again with this smaller violin. The half-sized Pupil Violin from Kennedy Violins is meant to be used by students, but just about everyone can enjoy playing, even if they have years of experience. This kit comes with so many different features and extras that you’ll have everything you need specifically for your half-sized violin. If you’re used to larger sizes, this might be a great outfit to get when you transition to a smaller violin. It comes with a Brazilwood bow, molded foam hard case, rosin, an extra set of strings, and even a cleaning cloth. It’s completely set up by the professionals at Kennedy Violins so you can start playing right out of the box. This instrument has a beautiful oil finish, ebony fittings, and a classic appearance that you’re going to love. Plus, it comes with a lifetime warranty if something ever goes wrong. That’s pretty amazing!

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SKY Solid Wood Violin

This solid maple wood violin is a great-looking instrument by SKY. This will definitely be a hit with your student or beginner violinist. In addition to being a beautiful instrument, it’s also professionally set up. You can take it out of the box and immediately start playing, and that’s great for new players. This purchase comes with a variety of accessories to get you started, including a Brazilwood bow, a violin case for easy transportation, and a high-quality shoulder rest to make sure that you are comfortable while you practice. The outside is varnished with oil, and the top is solid spruce, reinforced with maple everywhere else on the instrument. It’s a full-sized violin, great for practicing those notes and movements before you move to something smaller. A one-year warranty against manufacturer defects tops off this amazing package. It’s affordable as well, great if you aren’t sure that violin is your instrument but want to try it out.

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Windsor Violin Super Kit

Windsor makes this violin ‘super kit’ with a ton of accessories to help you get playing. First, it comes with a full-sized violin with a classically contoured body, making it comfortable to learn while you look great. Of course, the highlight of this kit is the fact that you’ll have everything you need right out of the box. You won’t have to buy any other accessories to trick out your violin! It comes with a padded violin case that’s easy to carry around, as well as a lightweight music stand for when you are learning to play a piece. There are two sets of high-quality strings that come in addition to the ones already on the violin, as well as a violin tuner to help you get the perfect sound, and two packs of rosin to keep your bow supple and sounding great. It also comes with a full-sized bow so you don’t have to worry about buying one.

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YMC VL-NR Violin Starter Kit

When it comes to the best violins for advanced students, we’ve saved the best for last. This starter kit by YMC comes with a ton of different accessories as well as a high-quality violin. The instrument is hand-carved and made of spruce and maple, with a rosewood fingerboard and chin rest. The tailpiece with its four fine tuners is made of a sturdy alloy. It comes with one ebony Brazilwood bow, a shaped carrying case, shoulder rest, and electric tuner. This kit also includes rosin, a set of strings, polishing cloth, and even a hanger stand. No matter what your skill level, this violin kit will have everything you need. These full-sized violins come in a variety of colors, from antique to black, and even purple, pink, green, and blue. Customize to your heart’s content while you’re learning the basics of violin-playing. The materials are high-quality, and this violin will definitely last you a while.

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About the Author

Samantha Dewitt

Expert Researcher and Writer

Samantha Dewitt is a lead researcher and writer for GeekWrapped, writing under a pen name. She gets excited about pet, baby, and science products and has over 12 years of experience.

Best Violins

Top 10 Buying Guide

Our Recommendations

Kennedy Bunnel Student Violin

Cecilio CVN-300 Fitted Violin

How to Choose the Best Violin

Top 10 Products

Kennedy Bunnel Student Violin

Cecilio CVN-300 Fitted Violin

Mendini MV500+92D Wood Violin

Bailando Violin Starter Kit

Sonart Solid Wood Violin

Teekland Acoustic Violin

Bunnel Pupil Violin Outfit

SKY Solid Wood Violin

Windsor Violin Super Kit

YMC VL-NR Violin Starter Kit

About the Author

TOP PICK

Kennedy Bunnel Student Violin