Donner music are having a big sale on their beginner violins in a range of sizes. Violins were originally $122 then reduced to $39 and with coupon code (SD20) comes down to $32 free shipped. Not sure how you can make them for that however it's worth a shot. I live in Northern NSW and shipping was free.
Enjoy!
My suggestion is the 1/4 size for you sir!
I wish they also had 1/8
I wish they had tiny pianos….
@Jenus: Would make for a great ice breaker on first dates than actually telling it.. If she sticks around after you whip your tiny pianist out for your tiny piano shes a keeper… or a cop.
Probably rubbish. But it's worth a try at that price.
Definitely rubbish - do not buy. As a violin teacher who is very experienced with student instruments, I can 100% guarantee that for $32, you are not getting a real violin. It is most definitely a VSO (violin shaped object) that will not come set up, and won't be fit for use without a very expensive overhaul/proper set up, if you can find a repairer who will even touch it.
Well, there is Olaf the luthier… but he's a nutter for even trying this…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4FwtJjxpTA
in all seriousness though.. everyone in this thread thinking this is a deal should watch this. the guy is a true genius
That's $540 he could've invested in a decent microphone
Please don't buy any instrument that costs this much money. It will break and no repairman will ever touch it. Your child will struggle to play it and then hate music. Just don't do it
What do you recommend? A Stradivarius.
a violin less expensive than stradivarius and more expensive than this ;)
Stradawhovius?
Artist Guitars might be good, I've ordered 3 guitars from them and they have been great for the price. Unsure about the violins but the reviews for them seem okay.
Artist guitars are not good.
I bought one..has a twisted neck. Only noticed it after bringing it home
@edrift: YAMAHA you phools. APX600. I got mine 2nd hand for $180. No comparison to cheap artist guitar.
https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B08199SVYK/ref=acr_dp…
Seems OK to learn on.
And if it breaks you don't repair it, you buy another one…
This is the best one: "Plays and sounds exactly like a Stradivarius"
Adamtuba is 100% right. It's hard enough for a beginner/kid to get a decent/clean sound out of a good violin. Violins are not like guitar pedals; they simply cannot be made ultra-cheaply and sound any good at all. If you saddle a kid with something that it is impossible to get a nice sound from, they will think that they are the failure, and the entire thing with become a nasty and rewardless (soz for the made up word) chore.
Abort, abort, abort
That's what bins are for…
This type of instrument is often called a 'VSO'- violin shaped object by the music community.
It's almost certainly going to sound rubbish and make learning the violin (already a frustrating and challenging learning curve) downright unbearable.
YOLO
Hmmmm
Reviews seem overly favourable. 1715…. 80% 4-5 star 20% 1 -2 star…
https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B08199SVYK/ref=acr_dp…
Pretty misleading to link it filtered to only 5 star reviews. Clear that the 5 star reviewers don't have experience with violin or music, many people talking about the fact that it comes with "accessories" or the "quality of the case" but not understanding how it should sound or feel to play. The negative reviews sound much more realistic.
You mean like this review?
5 out of 5 stars
*Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2020
Size: 4/4Verified Purchase
My first violin ever, I was able to get it set up fine in a half hour with help from YouTube, and I discovered, to my amazement, that it plays and sounds exactly like a Stradivarius.
My First violin ever…
I guess they are good for annoying the neighbours?
Perfect for Halloween if you want sound effects of a violin (and its owner) being tortured
I’m getting Psycho violin hit vibes
any violin sounds like shit the first few years.
Lol good point!
Violin is an aweful sounding instrument when played by a child. I'd rather buy the kids a drum set than hear a terrible wail when they practice.
Would the 3/4 work for an adult that would like to give it a crack at learning violin?
I'd also like to know!
Yes. For learning it would be fine. Depending on your arm length you might fatigue quicker, but the basics/mechanics of learning remain the same.
It's an incredible bargain with very favourable Amazon reviews.
How do the notes work with it being smaller? Are the finger placements for notes closer together than on a 4/4 violin or are there less note positions per string (e.g. 8 notes instead of 10 or something)? Sorry about my terminology lol
I think you'll be better off getting the 4/4, for adults the 3/4 will normally be too small.
I have actually have one of the Eastar violins from Donner and think its perfectly fine for learning. It did take about a week of constant adjustment to get tuned properly and the peg's need to be pushed in to get them to grip so it holds the tuning. I also had to adjust bridge placement a few times and I broke all the strings in the first 2 weeks (lucky there's a spare set included I guess).
The sound does not - resonate? - as far as a more expensive violin which I think is fine as its less annoying for neighbours when you're learning. I will get another when I can play beginner music competently enough I want other people to listen to it.
mvbc85:
Unless you are 'kid size', then no; you need a full sized violin. Read above though, then go and buy a 'real' one from a shop that sells second-hand instruments. Should cost you about $100. Ask them if they'll buy it back from you in a few months for $50, after you realise how hard playing the violin is (I am a violinist; I know what I'm talking about). The violin (and the viola/cello) is about the hardest instrument to learn of all. Pick up a 'fretless bass' and see if you can hammer out 'hot cross buns' of something on that, with no frets to guide you. Then imagine trying to do that with a tiny little neck, where a fraction of a millimetre throws the note out of tune, while using a bow with your right hand to gently vibrate the string.
Ok so you're saying… there's a chance.
Nothing a bit of white permanent marker won't fix. Won't look like a Stradivarius anymore but will sound like one.
Erm … wtf?
This reminds me of a family friend who paid $30K for their son's violin. Granted, he was studying Music at uni and been playing since he was 5 years old or something.
So like, he started with one of these when he was 5? Otherwise I don’t really see the connection
Well, do you really need a violin that costs $30K when you can get one for $30? Sure, the $30 one is probably not going to sound as good, but is it 1000x better?
At $32, as long as it looks good, it's a cheap ornament…
The tuner must be worth $10…
Hell hang it on your wall and look classy lol
Idk. Maybe I need to buy better ears because I can't hear a 10x better sound difference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3ZlqNTAPtU&t=341s
Depends a LOT on the player to bring out the full capacity of a more expensive instrument.
For my level of talent, $32 sounds just about right.
That's because it's being played by a professional violinist who has a well-calibrated technique and an understanding of how to adjust and modify the instrument.
As the violinist herself says, it required a lot more effort to play the cheap violin to make it sound good, including positioning the sound-post (not something that a beginner will know how to do) and adapting to an unstable bow and low quality strings. Indeed, her written review seems to suggest that she had to modify the placement of the strings on the bridge in order to correct the gaps between them.
A rubbish instrument is not going to be sympathetic for a beginner who barely has a grasp of the essentials.
Wait wait, are we talking about violins or Ozito power tools here?
:P
I don't know anything about violins but the $10,000 one was way better.
Having said that, I bought the $32 to try out with the kids.
Adding it to the collection of guitars, drums keyboard, uke and bass I already have.
Perfect for someone you hate with kids!
Dont bother lmao, I m not saying cheap violins are bad to start with. But best not to learn without a violin teacher. Quite difficult and you cant get advice on what to get.
Good toy for the kids?
Never in my life did I think I would buy a violin. But then there was OzBargin…
Intending this to be more of a decoration than a musical instrument I intend to play. Piano and guitar keeps me busy enough.
If you carry it in a case near Hamer hall on concert nights the MSO run you sometimes get in and can get free food and drinks.
Thanks OP, have an old Stentor II from highschool that needs new strings and a bow restring - will be interesting to compare the sound between them
As the owner of a music school for more than a decade, please don’t buy cheap rubbish instruments. You or your children will hate it and won’t progress and may quit music soon or you will have to upgrade to a decent one after a short time. I know it all. Trust me.
Curious how much you would need to spend to get a reasonable but not necessarily a good violin?
I own a variety of cheap instruments that I bought to muck around with, and bought better ones when I was satisfied I wanted to play them more.
Completely agree that cheaper instruments tend to be harder to play (guitar as an example), but most can be setup so they play better and then become far less frustrating to play.
These violins are $32 but the original price was over $100, which isn't super cheap.
the original price was over $100, which isn't super cheap
No, that is super cheap. Instruments are just expensive…
Somewhere around 300. Never buy anything online though unless you really know what you are doing.
For people cash strapped, try music schools. Even if it's a beaten up 2nd hand, it will have been maintained, resonate correctly, and get you through your initial learning for years until you need an more refined 3-5k next step up.
You will need to switch when you hit the limits of the instrument
Conservatory, I guess about 10k up
Once you are at orchestra kind of level, think 20k+
Soloist, well.. 100k+ up to millions
All kind of ballpark for general awareness only.
$300-500 with the understanding that some of them will be crap (some of them will be decent and a few will be surprisingly good). At that price you are buying factory-made student violins from China and it's a crapshoot what you actually get, you will want to get it properly set up by a professional too. Generally you always want to go and try it out at the shop even if you're buying this kind rather than just buying online. I've found low-end guitars much more forgiving than low-end violins/VSOs. And stay away from the coloured ones!
Hello music friend. Is pizzicato a good way of learning the finger positioning on the finger board? I don’t want to be annoying people with the sound of off pitch bowing 😄
Got one to hang beside my PC setup. Nice decoration indeed.
Tempted, just to annoy the hell out of the neighbours and the dog.
Hahaha, you'll be the first one to be annoyed by this toy violin.
First time post - please be kind. Always wanted to have extra information provided about deals such as where it is made, fair trade, environmental impact status etc because for me the best price isn't just the 'price + postage' but also 'price + postage + context' E.g. in this case the violins are made in Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. I'm not saying that is good or bad, but for me it is important to consider.
Do they sell kebabs too?
I donner
Please do not buy this crap, whoever is using it will hate music and want to give up playing. go visit an actual bricks and mortar store. Listen to their advice. No, its not a scam to rip you off.
Get a good learner instrument, setting you back about $300 (e.g an entry level paganini or similar is a good choice from a local store here). Whatever the instrument, it doesnt need to sound like a strad, but at least needs to be accurate to allow learning of tonalisation early on. (ie. what should a g-major scale sound like). Also needs to have reasonable enough strings and bow that you can see the effect of velocity, subtle pressure variance, and more. the junk items make it impossible to try teach those fundamentals.
If you cant afford to buy one, then rent one.
This is like buying your kids the cheapest goggles that leak constantly and floaties that don't float, then wondering why they don't enjoy swimming lessons. VSOs are horrible, my friend has a $99 aldi one and it just blows my mind why this kind of product is produced and is still allowed to be called a violin
The goggles would only leak once because they'd drown if the floaties didn't work
Like the kids will give up the violin and the parents will pat themselves on the back and say "at least we only spent $32 on it"
Absolutely no way this works
For all those people asking how much a decent beginner instrument should cost: looking for a branded instrument like gliga, ragetti, stentor, eastman.
Anything with nylon core string will be easier to play than anything with steel strings, but cost more.
They'll hold their value well. If you buy a used instrument and take care of it, you should break even when you sell it.
Buying a cheap instrument like the one in the post can be $30 down the drain.
What if your child is 2 or 3 and you're going a 1/4 violin. Y/N?
Buy it for the price, not the sound lol
Needs a full twoset review
Not those clowns! HAHAHA.
So after reading all these comments I've come to the conclusion that violinists are pretentious snobs.
Vso this and that… Buy brand XYZ.
Never seen/heard such snobbery for beginner guitars or keyboards.
I have no doubt this $32 violin won't be great, but changing the setup would go a long way to make it playable if it's anything like a guitar (i.e. bridge and nut adjustment).
Everyone needs to start somewhere.. for ozbargainers that happens to be at the $32 price point
This!
This! I have one, it does work although it needed alot of adjustment initially to get it hold tune. I wouldn't buy it for a kid taking lessons but for an interested adult or teen trying a new hobby and teaching themselves I think it's a good option.
While I do plan to buy a better violin, I'm never going to spend over $500 on one ever. I can see why musicians would as its a tool of the trade but can't see why anyone else would spend so much.
Their stance is that you better not to start learning at all rather than start with a cheap and bad instrument (and be discouraged from learning further because of the bad instrument).
To be fair, their argument make sense. You can't really compare a violin with a guitar.
However, that is not a fair reason to give neg votes. As with even the >$300 price tag you are not guaranteed to get a good one.
Who else here got a $50 giftcard after their purchase? Winning
How???
On their homepage it says they are doing a promotional thing. Got lucky and was selected as one of the winners 'first person to make a purchase'
Interesting..
Looks like mine's been shipped with Startrack. As someone without an ounce of musical talent, I'm looking forward to seeing what this can't do. I'm confident I can set off every animal in the neighbourhood and make everyone hate me.
How do you know it was star track?
I got a number but no courier. It didn't track on Star track or Aramex
Above my tracking number it says "Startrack tracking number". It's not showing on Startrack yet, so will see what happens.
Ahh thanks. Mine didn't say that.
After some hunting it looks like it's coming via Aramex from China..has arrived in Sydney already
Violin arrived today.
Taught myself Twinkle Twinkle
Winning
Violin arrived today.
Super impressed with the value of the package and the overall quality.
The carry case is good, nice padding. The violin looks the part. Needed to google to learn how to setup the bridge. Took a long time to tune the violin and learn how the pegs work and the fine tuning knobs. Gave up on using the included electronic tuner and used an iPhone app (GuitarTuna) which was much easier. Sounds good. Amazed at the difference in sound before and after adding rosin to the bow. Before rosin you could hardly hear it. After rosin applied it was nice and loud.
Very happy with the purchase. Now to go learn Twinkle Twinkle like edrift above.
So the website is Australian ".au" but on my credit card statement I received an international transaction fee! Did anyone else get the same?
The website claims to be local which it should as delivery was quite speedy so why did I get charged an international trans fee? Is it a mistake by the bank?
Yeah I got the same charge but it's a Chinese company
No i got charged exactly $32 via PayPal
It's not an Australian company. Read the website.
They are drop shipping from Hong Kong.
mine got deliver from sydney
Finally I'll be able to show people the worlds smallest violin that I'm always playing for them…