Do you want to invest in a violin but don’t have enough cash to buy the most outstanding and expensive ones out there in the market?
Are you now worried that your budget can’t even get you a “good-enough” violin?
Well, we have some good news for you!
Here are some of the best cheap violins for beginners that will give you value for your money.
And that’s not enough, we also take you through a comprehensive buying guide to help you make the best choice according to your needs.
Table of Contents
Best Cheap Violins In 2024 Reviewed
If what you need is a good cheap violin form a reputable brand, then you will love the Windsor MI-1013 1/4 Size Violin.
This instrument is one of the cheapest in the market within its range of quality.
It’s made up of quality materials and its craftsmanship is quite outstanding.
This violin is suitable for kids between the ages of 5-7. So, it can serve your child for a few years before you decide to upgrade.
No products found.
It comes with a well-cushioned carrying case to guarantee the safety of the violin as its being transported around.
The carrying case also contains sufficient space to allow you to keep some other items.
Other accessories included in the package include a hairhorse bow and rosin.
This violin from Windsor brands is constructed with a spruce top. While the other remaining parts are made up of ebony, which includes the fingerboard and the tuning pegs.
It’s well known to release a clear vibrant mellow sound and to allow your child to play with ease, the violin comes with an adjustable chin rest.
- Adjustable chin rest
- Brilliant construction
- Easy to play
- Great decent sound
- Light carrying case with straps
- Strings might need a little adjustment
The Merano MV10 4/4 Acoustic violin makes learning how to play the violin pretty easily.
You simply have to give it a perfect tuning and you can be ready to listen to best sounds with great resonance.
This instrument comes made with a spruce top complete with a maple body, which gives a gorgeous bright appeal that any beginner will be proud of owning.
Also, the violin package comes with a carrying case with adjustable straps for easy and safe movement of the instrument.
You will also find some extra string and one rosin in the package. It, however, requires careful handling as the strings and the bow can easily break.
Also, you might find the strings too tight in the beginning, which would require some adjustments. For this, we highly recommend you get the services of an expert.
- Extra accessories
- Beautiful texture.
- Easy to play.
- Decent sound.
- Easily breakable.
- Too tight strings.
Violin for beginners doesn’t have to look cheap. The SKY 1/10 is a true definition of class that can be easily mistaken for a professional level violin.
The instrument proudly displays impressive craftsmanship, which will set a pace to becoming a great violinist, that too at a cheaper price.
This beautiful musical piece makes an ideal pick for amateur players, who will fall in love with the solid spruce top and the solid maple body.
It comes with a brazilwood bow, rubber mute, bridge, and a triangular carrying case.
The case is light enough to guarantee easy portability and it comes with adjustable straps for a perfect hold. It also contains extra pockets where you can store other accessories.
You will also enjoy a 1-year warranty on all manufacturer’s defects.
- Rain-proof light-weighted carrying case
- Spacious carrying case
- Professional exterior look
- Strong shoulder rest
- Too smooth rosin
- The bridge might need a little adjustment.
As a beginner, the aAugust 4/4 Tennyson Violin makes the perfect violin to help you learn and practice.
It comes plastic-made fingerboard, pegs, tailpiece, and chest rest.
But don’t be deceived into thinking that it won’t last for long as this is quality plastic.
Also, like most violins within this range, the package comes with an arbor made bow, white horsetail, and rosin.
No products found.
You will love the composite wood appearance on the sides, back, and head of this violin, which gives it a classic look.
It also comes with a triangular carrying case, whose insides are very soft to accommodate the equally delicate violin.
- Complete pack accessories
- Amazing price
- Soft light-weight carrying case
- Ease of use
- The carrying case could do better with extra pockets.
No products found.
This stylish wuddi 4/4 Acoustic Violin comes with an equally amazing gift set, which includes a bow and a carrying case.
It’s made up of a great combination of basswood and blacked wood, which will ensure the safety of young players with their non-toxic elements.
It produces decently tuned sounds that will be a great start for beginner players.
The instrument is light enough to be carried around.
It gets even better with the lightweight carrying case; a perfect match for the “little” beauty.
When you purchase this decent cheap violin, you also get to enjoy a 30-days money-back guarantee and a 3-months warranty.
Also, there’s an unconditional replacement or full refund policy for all manufacturer’s defects. What else can you ask for at this price?
- Portable
- Decent quality and reliable
- Wonderful beginner-friendly sound production
- Warranty and 30-days money-back guarantee.
- Some reports on too tight strings
You will enjoy learning the violin with the Merano MV10 1/2 Size Acoustic Student Violin.
The package comes with a maple construction body and spruce top, which makes it attractive at first glance.
And this will definitely boost your confidence as a beginner.
And if you want to achieve the best sound and resonance out of this violin, we highly recommend that to take time to tune it properly.
No products found.
This is because, according to most individuals, the package might come out with a little too tight strings, which need adjustment.
The help of a professional from your local music store would be the best option. Also, to ensure the pegs are in perfect condition, you might have to consider chalking them.
There’s also an extra string in the package, one free rosin, and of course a light soft cushioned carrying case to offer you convenience.
- Bright finish complete with a beautiful texture
- Great sound
- Extra accessories
- Ease of use
- You need to chalk the pegs
- The strings might require a little adjustment
No products found.
Kids need a violin which is light enough and small to fit their small frame for easy playing. And the Hey! Play! Kid’S Toy Violin promises to offer your child exactly that.
This mini toy Violin will be the 1st instrument to teach your kid the basics of violin and usher them to the expectant future.
And for that, it’s incredibly easy and fun to “play” and produces the most amazing first violin tones and rhythm that you encourage them to keep practicing.
No products found.
This instrument is a true definition of thoughtful craftsmanship as it’s made up of a light quality plastic body, together with four strings that your little one can comfortably handle.
You will also love its realistic appearance, which gives a touch of a real violin so that your kid doesn’t get discouraged playing.
There are also 5 notes at the back of the violin to enhance the release of various notes, which will come in handy for practice.
It, however, doesn’t come with a battery but includes, the bow in the package.
- Plays different notes
- Light and comfortable for kids
- Mimics the real violin
- Great way to learn tones and rhythm.
- Great starting point for kids
- No actual play only pretend playing.
No products found.
As a beginner, you want a violin that is not only beautiful but also easy to play.
This Guotongonline New Hot 4/4 violin offers you exactly that and much more.
It comes with a sturdy head, back, and sides made-up of composite wood to guarantee you durability and reliability until you’re ready to upgrade to a professional one.
The violin’s chinrest, pegs, tailpiece, and fingerboard are constructed out of plastic. However, they are still stable and reliable at its price range.
No products found.
With this violin, your child gets to enjoy playing with much comfort with the comfortably made chin rest.
This package comes with extra accessories such as the carrying case, bow, and rosin. The carrying case is triangular and very light to allow easy portability.
- Light-weighted
- Comes with extra accessories
- Sturdy body construction
- Comfortable to play
- No variety of colors.
No products found.
The Cecilio brand never disappoints with its wide range of high-quality musical instruments.
Although their Cecilio 4/4 CVNAE Violin comes at a much cheaper price as compared to other instruments in their range of products, it still proudly manages to display a professional-like appearance.
This is one of the reasons as to why this instrument is one of the most famous among beginner violin players.
In fact, you will hardly notice at first glance that it’s only but a cheap violin mimicking the outlook of a professional one.
The violin comes all well-built with all the necessary parts your kid needs to start their very first practice. With its solid maple and hand-carved built, you wouldn’t think twice about spending on it.
Its strings are made up of steel and you have the option of replacing them for more expensive ones when you wish.
And because of this, this violin serves you with an impressive crispy clear sound, which will get your audiences confusing you for a professional.
The violin’s fine tuners cone nickel-plated and there’s also an AUX cable provision to give you ample time when entertaining a large audience.
- Comes in various colors
- Impressive sound quality
- Adjustable padded shoulder rest
- Ready to play
- 1-year warranty on manufacturer’s defects
- Cheap strings
When you come across a cheap violin that’s made up of maple wood, then know that you couldn’t have landed a better deal.
The Cecilio 4/4CEVN-2BK Violin is, famous for its quality sound and durability.
This electric violin is not only constructed from maple but also uses a 9v battery to run its operations.
And if you love color and glamor, then you will love getting spoilt for choice with its range of colors.
No products found.
Like the Cecilio 4/4 CVNAE Violin, this set also comes with an AUX cord for easy connection to the amplifier, complete with a pair of headphones for a professional-look and private performance.
And the best news is that you get to use this violin even after the beginner phase as it can comfortably handle advanced playing.
- Great for both beginners and advanced players.
- High-quality strings
- Easy tuning
- Complete accessories
- Eloquent appearance,
- The carrying case could do better with more space.
This Crescent 4/4 Full-Size Student Violin is made up of maple just like the Cecilio 4/4CEVN-2BK Violin.
The only difference, however, is that this Crescent violin comes with a fingerboard made from pearwood.
It’s the ideal violin for learners, who would love to upgrade to a better instrument once they reach advanced playing stages.
It also has steel strings and the package includes a carrying case and a bow.
The carrying case is light-weight for easy transportation, whenever the learner is out for practice.
You will love the natural and pretty impressive sound of this violin. And with the included pre-strung strings, you don’t have to worry about string replacement cost.
- Includes a Crescent Digital E-turner
- Velcro strapped carrying case to hold the violin into place
- Spacious and comparted carrying case to store other accessories
- Pre-strung strings included
- Only beginner-friendly
- You will have to tune first.
Well, it seems like maple is the newest trend when it comes to violin construction. And the Mendini MV500+92D Violin isn’t left behind either.
The instrument is cleverly crafted from maple and together with other amazing features, this violin makes a perfect pick for both beginner and advanced players, thanks to its deep and rich sound.
In fact, it’s one of the most famous Mendini violins, so you will be investing your money well.
You will definitely love the gorgeous wood varnish finishing of this instrument.
And with the extra strings that come with the package, you easily get to replace the pre-strung strings and continue enjoying playtime!
When you receive this package, you will find 4-detachable tuners, which will come in handy in helping you achieve your signature tune.
There are also 2 bows in the package and a carrying case with adjustable straps. You might, however, have to replace the chinrest as it might not give you a perfect fit.
- Excellent construction
- Includes essential extra accessories
- Great intonation
- Ready to play
- Great customer service
- Not fitting chinrest
The Mendini 4/4 Solid Wood Violin makes an ideal pick for beginners who love to practice and then graduate to advanced stages, with ease.
This instrument proudly displays a fabricated solid spruce body, complete with maple sides, to give it a beautiful appearance that any beginner player would love to possess.
Its 4-fine tuners are carefully attached to the chin rest and tailpiece, to offer it the ease of playing that you deserve.
The package also comes with an extra bridge and a Brazilwood bow and you get to access a 1-year warranty for all manufacturer defects.
You will also fall in love with the crispy clear warm tone of this violin, which is quite impressive for a cheap violin.
- Well-made bridge
- Impressive performance
- Great craftsmanship
- 1-year warranty for manufacturer defects
- Complete essential accessories
- Not very comfortable shoulder rest and rosin
The first thing that will attract you about this SKY Brand New Children’s Violin, is the popping blue color.
And although sometimes colors can be deceiving, this violin’s impeccable hand-carved quality stands the test of time.
It proudly displays a top-notch gloss finishing for a violin of its price range.
Also, it comes with a Brazilwood bow to ensure your kid enjoys their very first violin lessons.
With the package comes 2-eye pearls, pure Mongolian horsehair, and the rosin.
It also comes in a light-weighted carrying case, which will ensure your best-quality instrument stays in good shape even after years of use.
- Value for money
- Excellent finishing
- Comes in blue and pink
- Great for beginners( kids aged 1-3 years)
- You will have to set-it-up
A beginner requires an easy to play an instrument to help them master the art of violin playing faster than anticipated.
And that’s exactly what the Merano MV300BK 4/4 Full Size Black Violin promises to offer its users.
It comes with a spruce top and a maple body, complete with hardwood pegs, sides, and neck.
Considering the price, the construction of this violin is pretty durable.
No products found.
When you open the package you will also notice the alloy tailpiece, which is perfectly crafted with 4 fine tuners, a perfect match for the fingerboard and chinrest.
You will also find a wooden-stick bow, complete with genuine horsehair.
The carrying case that comes with the package is light-weighted /for ease of movement and it comes with adjustable straps to ensure the instrument is perfectly held into place for maintenance.
- Extra bridge and rosin
- Easy to play
- Decent clear sound
- Basic but functional chinrest
- You will have to tune the strings.
Can A Cheap Violin Sound Good?
First of all, it’s great to experiment with various violins before settling for one. And that includes the cheaper ones.
And yes, you can find a cheap violin that’s made well with all the standard dimensions and specs to give you a decent sound.
So, a cheap violin can make a perfect start especially for beginners working on a tight budget or very fresh ones that would like to try .their luck with the instrument before upgrading to a suitable one.
Although the sound from a cheap violin might not sound as impressive as that one of your favorite musicians, they do a pretty good job.
And if a player learns the ropes pretty first, then they will begin sounding even better with time.
That said, I would like to categorically state that there’s no “great” substitute for the good, craftsmanship, and quality materials that the expensive violin presents.
Remember the kind of materials the violin is made-up of greatly impact the quality of the sound produced.
So, if you can afford to purchase a high-rank violin from the beginning, then do so by all means.
You will end up appreciating listening to your quality sounds and this will push you into practicing and achieving more.
The human mind is very versatile. So, if you give it quality sounds, then it will want to push you into releasing more of those. And the more you play the better you will get.
Also, the kind of objectives you have as a beginner violin player won’t remain the same as you advance,
So, it’s only right that you get a violin that suits your level of professionalism and objectives.
When you eventually start to take violin playing as more of an intermediate player, you will need a reliable violin that can withstand frequent and massive playing.
And, that you won’t get from a cheap violin.
So, yes, a cheap violin can sound as good as you want it to. But it won’t give you the professional tine you need to rise above ranks. You will need a quality violin for this and that doesn’t come cheap.
Things to Consider When Buying A Cheap Violin
Before you head to the stores or place your order of that violin you have been eyeing for a while, let’s look at some of the things to pay attention to;
Price
It’s always advisable to have a budget in mind before you start searching for the perfect violin.
Budgeting will ease the search as you will have several violins to compare as opposed to a large junk of them. For instance, if your budget is $600-$900, then search only within that range.
Remember, some packages might not include a bow and a carrying case, meaning extra expenses.
Quality
I normally say, never compromise on quality. For it’s better to buy a good violin at once at a higher price than a low-quality one that you will have to replace after a few weeks or even months.
As you can see from our best cheap viol list, even cheap ones have a standard quality. So, no matter how much you’re willing to spend, ensure you get value for your money.
Size
The size of the violin you will get should be a perfect match for your age and size of hands. It should be comfortable to hold and play.
That’s why violins are normally categorized in terms of sizes. From ½, ¼, to 1/32 when it comes to children violin choices, it shouldn’t be too large or too small, but fitting.
Used or New
You can always opt to purchase a new or used violin. For a new one, you don’t .have to worry a lot about the quality, because it will come brand new depending on your budget.
You should, however, exercise extra caution when it comes to buying an old violin as some sellers aren’t genuine.
So, it’s up to you to indulge due diligence to ensure the instrument is in perfect condition before committing.
FAQs About The Best Cheap Violins
Why Do Violins Cost So Much?
Violins tend to be expensive because their pricing depends on how old they are and the type of materials used for their construction.
How Long Can A Violin Last?
Violins usually get better with age. And so a quality one can last up to 50 solid years! Of course with good maintenance.
Are Old Violins Better?
Contrary to common assumptions, the age of the violin doesn’t really make it sound batter. What matters is the quality of the materials used for its construction. Good materials last for long.
This combined with great craftsmanship helps it top to produce the most sound.
But, it’s said that old ones are better because of the dedication and great materials used by earlier manufacturers. Some materials are even rare to find today.
Conclusion
Violin learning doesn’t have to be an all expensive affair.
If you don’t have much money to spend, you can buy a cheap one that suits students; needs and then upgrade with time and when you get better.
This review is meant to give you a glimpse of the best cheap violins, you can find in the market. We hope it did help you make a perfect choice as you await to afford a more expensive one.
It’s now time to learn. Get your best foot forward and focus on working towards being the professional that you want to be!
