Violins are renowned for being one of the best classical instruments, and are still popularly played today. Trying to find the perfect violin for your child can be very difficult.
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Every child has their own needs, requirements, personal preferences and skill level that need to be taken into account when purchasing a violin. Ensuring that you make the right choice is vital so your child can enjoy their instrument.
The following violins are all perfectly suited for children and will help to give them the best experience when playing the violin. If you are not sure what to look for when choosing a violin, follow my step-by-step buying guide below to make sure you are buying the right instrument to suit your child.
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1. Cremona SV-175 Premier Student Violin Outift
The SV-175 is specially designed for children of all skill levels, and is made using a variety of tonewoods. This violin is Cremona’s most popular violin in the last 30 years. The body of this instrument is made from high-quality solid maple wood, maintaining durability and stability while still being lightweight and comfortable.
The maple is carefully blended with hard spruce wood, giving this violin a light glow. The hand carved body is attached to a solid, durable ebony fingerboard which is decorated with ebony styled fittings.
At the tip of the fingerboard are solid ebony pegs that are hand carved with a Swiss-styled appearance. These pegs are used to make up the four, easy-to-use tuners which allow your children to quickly customize their tuning to a personalized style of play.
What’s Great About It: Strung using the highest quality D’Addario Prelude strings, this violin is one of the best quality violins on the market. Each violin comes with an LB-13 Brazilwood bow, so your child can start playing right away.
2. IMusic ½ Size handcrafted Acoustic Violin
This beautiful half-size model is ideal for younger children, offering a full starter kit that remains one of the most affordable options on my list. This violin has been handcrafted using the finest tonewoods that help to create a beautiful, pitch-perfect sound with every single chord.
The back and sides are produced using high-quality maple wood, topped by solid spruce that enables this violin to remain sturdy and strong while still being lightweight. All the wood used to produce these violins is kept in a specially controlled wood storage area and is naturally air dried for up to 10 years before being expertly crafted into a violin.
High-quality strings run up the fingerboard, protecting your child’s fingers from wear and tear, and maximize play-ability, giving your child the confidence they need to learn and persevere.
What’s Great About It: As part of the beginner set, you’ll receive an electronic tuner, a waterproof Nylon hard case for easy and safe transport, and an extra set of strings.
3. Sky Children’s Violin 1/16
The Sky 1/16 Children’s violin is ideal for younger children and beginners because of its smaller size. The body measures around 8-inches long, meaning your children can easily pick up this violin and play.
The violin is hand carved and is coated with a high gloss, superior quality finish that helps protect your violin from scratches caused by everyday wear and tear. The body is crafted using solid wood materials and comes with its own genuine Mongolian horsehair bow.
What’s Great About It: This lightweight violin has a hardwood fingerboard topped with hardwood pegs, increasing the durability of the violin. Each violin comes with a lightweight rainproof canvas that protects your violin and makes transport a breeze.
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4. ADM Acoustic ¾ Size Beginner Violin
Carefully designed with children and beginners in mind, the ADM beginner violin is perfect for eager children who want to start playing straight away. Boasting a gorgeous dark brown finish, this is easily one of the most attractive violins on my list. Every element has been hand carved to perfection, and is made from the highest quality tonewoods.
The maple back and sides come together to create a solid and sturdy foundation for the hand-crafted spruce wood top. ADM have prioritized comfort with an ebony chin rest that ensures your child is easily able to find a comfortable chin position.
The body is connected to the ebony fingerboard, which is professionally decorated with fully functioning ebony pegs, so your child can customize their sound.
What’s Great About It: The beginner set comes with its own lightweight transport case, protecting your violin while traveling. Also included is a high-quality Brazilwood round stick bow, strung with unbleached horsehair.
5. Sky 1/10 SKYVN201 Maple Violin
Professionally tuned and set before delivery, the Sky Maple Violin is perfect for beginners and younger children. The body of this beautiful violin is made using the highest quality maple, heavily flamed to give the violin its stunning appearance whilst increasing durability.
The body is topped with solid spruce wood, maximizing durability and comfort while playing. The entire violin is oil varnished to maintain the gorgeous styling and creates a barrier to protect the body of your violin from scratches. The 1/10 size is ideal for children, allowing them to easily learn notes and songs.
What’s Great About It: Each violin comes with its own genuine Mongolian horsehair bow and a lightweight carry case to protect your child’s violin in transport. One of the heavier violins on my list, this is a fantastic choice for beginners and younger kids.
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The Most Comprehensive Buying Guide To Children’s Violins
When it comes to violins, purchasing the right one for your child can be challenging. To give you a helping hand, I’ve compiled a step-by-step guide on what to look for when trying to find that perfect instrument.
Size
The most important factor to consider when purchasing a violin for your children is its size. If your child is given a violin that is too large, they will find it very difficult to learn.
My top tip for beginners is to rather buy smaller than larger. This way, your child will still be comfortable when playing, and you can buy them a larger one if they decide to continue playing as they get older. There are many sizes available, which you can find here.
Bridge
The bridge is one of the make-or-break features for many children. The bridge of your child’s violin should be professional fitted before being used. If the bridge is set too high, your child will find it difficult to press down on the strings when playing. If the wrong kind of bridge is installed, the strings of the violin will be too close together which will also cause issues.
All the bridges on the violins above will have been professionally set, but if you’re buying second-hand, it can be difficult to tell. If the bridge is misplaced, you’ll have to take the violin to a music store to be expertly replaced.
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String Size
There are many strings available for violins, all dependent on what level your child is at, and what violin they are using. The majority of violins come with high-quality steel strings which are ideal for professional and experienced players, but this type of string can cause serious damage to your child’s fingers when they are just starting out.
Non-metal strings are the best choice for children and beginners. There is a wide range of non-metal strings available including Thomastik, Corelli, Larsen, Pirastro and D’Addario. Any of these strings are ideal for your little maestro.
Shoulder Rest
Shoulder rests are designed to optimize comfort and stability while playing. By investing in a high-quality shoulder rest, you are encouraging your child to maintain the correct posture so they won’t suffer from tension or shoulder stress.
Many of the violins designed specifically for children or beginners will come with a shoulder rest, but it’s worth noting that these may be of poor quality. It’s always worth checking to see that the instrument won’t cause your child any discomfort.
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Chin Rest
The ideal chin rest should allow your child to look straight ahead while also being able to look at the fingerboard. There is a wide variety of chin rests available and by choosing the wrong one you could be subjecting your child to a lot of discomfort, which could discourage them from wanting to play the violin.
Most child and beginner violins will come with a chin rest already but you must check whether your child is comfortable with this rest. If not, it’s imperative that you purchase a new one.
To Conclude
Always remember that this is a fantastic hobby for your child, and there are many benefits to encouraging your child to learn an instrument from a young age. To ensure your child has the best experience, prioritize comfort and make sure that your child is happy when playing. This way you can guarantee your child will have a long and happy relationship with their violin.
