Ms. Natalia Vasiieva, a violin instructor from The Community Music School began teaching group lessons on Tuesdays and Fridays this past school year. For anyone still needing to rent a violin, I've contacted Daryl at Fogt's Music on Tamiami Trail and he can provide a student violin at a discounted cost of approximately $15-16 a month for a minimum of three months. Please mention that it is for the Waldorf School.He has an inventory of rentals which are available immediately.

If you are, however, interested in purchasing a student violin, there are a number of brands at a very reasonable cost. Some of them can be found on the website: www.musiciansfriend.com. They have several complete violin packages for around $100 including free shipping. There are also several promising inexpensive violin packages that are available on eBay. Contact me if you would like more information regarding this resource.

I've also included below some perspectives on purchasing an instrument from a gentleman that
makes violins.

TIPS FOR PURCHASING THE STUDENT VIOLIN
Tip Number 1: Understand what you are looking for:
• Is this for a beginning student? If so, size is important:
• Violins come in four basic sizes, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and Full size (at 9 I started with a
3/4)
• Take your young student to a credible instrument dealer and let him try the various
sizes
• He should be able to hold the violin with his hand at the top of the finger board and
his elbow bent at 90 degrees
Tip Number 2: Know your budget:
• While we all want the best for our student, it makes little sense to spend $10,000 on a
violin for a beginner
• Renting might be the best option for the first year (see whether your student "SHOWS
PROMISE")
Tip Number 3: Know what is available
• Violins are mass produced today, and have been for years
• Those that are mass produced today are actually often better than those mass produced 20
years ago
• Mass produced violins often lack the features that give the violin a beautiful sound
• Older, often antique, violins will generally look a lot worse, but sound a lot better,
but these are not generally available for sale in the local musical instrument store
Tip Number 4: Look, Feel, Listen ... examine the instrument
• The older mass produced instruments generally have "printed" purfling. Purfling, while
decorative, actually serves a purpose. The tops of violins are typically made of
spruce, a soft, wide grained wood, which has a natural propensity to split. Purfling,
which is actually three pieces of wood (ebony, willow and ebony) is inlaid approximately
1/4" in from the edge of the top, and serves to stop any splits which start at the edge
of the top. This is similar to the purpose served by the hem in your pants, which is to
keep the fabric in you pants from fraying.
• If at all possible, get a violin with inlaid purfling, even if the purfling is not real
wood. It will still serve the purpose. You can usually see tiny knife marks where the
top was prepared for the purfling. Printed purfling, of course, will have no cut marks.
(Purfling is also used on the backs of violins, but since they are generally made of a
harder wood, maple, if there is no purfling on the back, it in no way detracts from the
violin.)
• Look inside the violin, through the F holes. There should be a label that tells where
and when it was made, and usually, by whom. If the label is of a mass producer of
violins, you can research the reasonable prices on-line, before making a purchase.
• If there is no label, and the instrument looks handmade, presume it is not a "valuable"
instrument. There just aren't that many of those out there.
• While looking inside the instrument, look at the workmanship. There should be a
soundpost positioned under the bridge which supports the top and is essential to the
sound. If the sound post is missing, do not string the violin up until a sound post has
been properly inserted.
• Listen to the violin. Ask the person selling it to play it for you. If he doesn't play,
take someone with you who does. Your student's playing will probably not demonstrate
the true quality of sound the instrument is capable of producing, so it is best to get a
more experienced violinist to help you decide.
• Look at the neck, fingerboard and scroll. These should be straight, with no warping.

• If the instrument is strung, let your student try it out. Check to see that curve of
the fingerboard and bridge position the strings to allow the movement of the bow to play
a single string at a time. If the curve is too small, your student will become
frustrated when he constantly plays two or more strings at a time.
Tip Number 5: Cosmetics are just that!
• If the instrument is well priced for your budget, sounds good, and is well made for the
price, don't be alarmed if the finish isn't that pretty. A little olive oil and
jeweler's rouge applied and buffed with cheese cloth will typically make the instrument
look pretty.
• A dark varnished violin plays no differently from a "blonde" violin, so don't get caught
up in the color and cosmetic appearance, if it makes a huge difference in the price.
Tip Number 6: Don't forget the bow!
• Most of the time, in the instrument shop you will be able to purchase a bow at the same
time as the violin. Bows can cost more than a starter violin!
• Make sure your student can manipulate the bow, and that it isn't too heavy or too
light. Over the years, your student will get better and better bows, but today's
affordable bows are typically pretty good for the beginner.
• Hold the bow at eye level with the tip away from you and the "frog" down. Make sure the
bow is straight, not warped. The bow on the left is the better choice. The bow in the
right is warped.
• Ensure that when the bow has been tightened up for playing, it still hold a nice arch.
This is where the spring and nimbleness of the bow is realized.
Tip Number 7: If you cannot touch it and hear it, make sure:
• If you are purchasing an instrument on eBay or through any other method that requires
you to rely on the seller's description, ask for LOTS of photos.
• Ask lots of questions.
• Make certain the seller has good feedback and a good return policy.
Tip Number 8: How to carry your violin:
• My first violin, the one I helped my Dad make for my 10th birthday, had the dubious
honor of being carried in an old, beaten up case, donated by my Dad's friend - a great
violinist. I dreamed of the day when I would have a nice sleek case like the other
kids. Of course, their sleek cases housed mass produced violins worth less than the
cases protecting them.
• When I completed my first solo made violin at 13, I received a lovely, sleek case to
house my new instrument....I still carry the old case, with the first violin for regular
use. My fancy case houses my "back-up"!
• Cases today are expensive, but are built to protect the violin (in case the instrument
falls while in transit.) From experience, let me note here, that, if, when your student
is loading all of his gear into the car, he sets his violin in its case down, and
forgets to actually load it into the car, the case is VERY unlikely to withstand the
weight of your car as you back out over it. This is certainly true of my daughter's
oboe case, though I can't honestly say I have had the violin case put to the same test.
In short, I recommend getting a sturdy, fiberglass case, but if you can find a used one,
being beaten up is not a bad thing for a case and it can save you money.
• Make certain you buy a case to fit the violin. If you buy a full sized case for a 1/2
sized violin, it will not fit any better than a full sized violin will fit into a 1/2
sized case.