Pimp Out Your Cheap Violin!!

[@rottenmutt_]

I see people on Amazon saying that the violin they bought is crap because it doesn't work. Guys, its called ROSIN!

[@meercreate]

1/3 didn't use rosin 1/3 don't know how to set up a violin 1/3 is the competitor

[@cyruzrodrigo4075]

@@meercreate lmfao

[@emyleonormorales]

Honestly!

[@phililpb]

the tuners on cheap instruments can easily slip constantly putting it out of tune

[@gibbonschip]

@@phililpb if you put rosin on the peg it will stick. But just a little because too much and you won't be able to turn it at all.

[@bobjones1620]

I had a cheap axe once and it didn't chop very well so i replaced the head. That improved the performance so much so that I decided to replace the handle. With those two simple upgrades, I significantly improved the quality of that cheap axe. :)

[@goldbunny1973]

PMSL. The simple jokes are always the best : )

[@Amperzand]

A variation of Trigger's Broom joke on OF&H

[@GuiltyOfPleonasm]

Why do only fools and horses work? La la la la, lala lala la!

[@nathanshao6161]

And you get a FREE* cheap axe

[@rubyparabellum7160]

Bob Jones wtf this is about upgrading you violin not how to be a better lumberjack.

[@ActionThanos]

I don't even play violin, I just really like watching your instructions and learning new things....

[@cur821]

Thanos P I know! :D

[@maggiefogarty-harnish9667]

+Thanos P lol i do but not seriously. i play piano :D but its so fun to watch

[@vish4544]

+Maggie Moo me too

[@ActionThanos]

+Maggie Moo I play piano too! But I'm terrible. It's better to watch talented people do stuff on youtube...

[@DreyskillFTW]

Why isnt it better to be good yourself, you could produce beautiful music on your own and enjoy your own content.

[@xXpichiminer14Xx]

I want to make a store called strings and things

[@25blackninja]

I could draw the sign.

[@ayannawallace1052]

Pedro Aguilar I’ll buy as long as your stuff is good priced

[@jonathandares4339]

Store near me is called town end strings and things

[@ashh5828]

Pedro Aguilar Go you

[@thebluegaming7706]

I would go there

[@stshstsh07]

went to a ophthalmologist, turns out im fine

[@mohann2007]

Foreign languages are dangerous. I saw "pimp" and I thought: "She teaches how to rent your cheap violin?"

[@missunderstood2274]

I followed this video and got new strings for my $67 mendini cecilio violin and a fretboard. turned out my bridge was also in the wrong place. sounds WAY better now!! guys, it works!!!

[@user-kh9ki3kq8m]

I got my first violin for 34 dollars 😂

[@lavnely5823]

Don't worry 😂 me too

[@pollehgamez1062]

Jackson Catlett same 😂 it works fine tho

[@tswanson23]

Jackson Catlett how did that work? I just bought unbranded one for 29 on eBay

[@user-kh9ki3kq8m]

Tiffany Swanson it obviously wasn't the most beautiful sound on the planet but for 34 dollars it works amazing. It held a tune well, it didn't sound scratchy unless you made it sound that way. I eventually upgraded and I bought a body (which I later found out was a student workshop project lol) that was 80 dollars and shaved the pegs down myself and bought all the pieces (even the chinrest) and it works amazing for such a cheap project. (End price was around 120$)

[@tswanson23]

Wow amazing great job and I have not one idea on how to play violin so I'm in for a surprise lol... Thank you for the response much appreciated ! Hope my strings are decent so I can see if I like it before spending more on better ones ..

[@ericofadel]

Oh, the cheap E strings tends to break all the time. I broke two in a row, one day after another ):

[@phamme5462]

Erico Fadel my A string is very hard to tune I dont know why

[@ericofadel]

Phamme Rushdan for me the G string is the worse. Try to apply chalk to the pegs and force them to the pegbox.

[@EudoraPrice]

love what our online teacher said the more you Play the warmer the Sound gets... Ha Ha I wonder is Alison trying to get us to practice more?Lol at any rate Shes right!

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

+Eudora Price you will be thanking me later...lol

[@EudoraPrice]

Lol! I thank you now!!!!Hugs!!!

[@teckyify]

In fact I heard an episode of Rachel Barton PInes podcast where a luthier said that the sound is best when the violin is brand new and the sound quality degrades mostly within the first year noticeably.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

possibly, you wouldn't need to rosin your bow every day, perhaps once per week or even 2 weeks. If the bow is making absolutely no sound and is skidding, then you need more rosin. Other than that i doubt its your bow. In fact as you are over rosining your bow, thats probably where the scratch is coming from also. Dont apply any more rosin until a week and see what its like then.You then only need a few swipes of more rosin and thats it. You keep it topped up.

[@knuckle47]

Alison, you have done more for my amateur violin playing in 3 days than the years they have been in my guitar studio. Thanks for all of the tips and ideas. I'm actually learning to play it. 👍🏼

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

If you want something like a Strad without the brand name you are looking at about $100,000 and upwards. Personally I would buy a Stentor II if i were a beginner. Once you get into the silly price range then brands do not exist so much, but it becomes more on taste and personal preference. I suggest a Stentor II as they are one of many brands that are for beginners, but are great.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

i dont know what its like so i cant really say. im afraid. Its not always about the age, but the tone and sound. Start playing it and you will know whether you like it or not. YOu may need to take it to a violin repairer if its old to get it restored properly.

[@jenna6572]

my violin was $44 that includes the violin, bow, case and rosin

[@sudoku6177]

is it good whats it made out of ?

[@seventeenmakesmyheartswell1311]

HØWŁ ^

[@VampRavina]

from where? And how good is it?

[@lykajohnelle7540]

Mine cost around $55 with extra strings. (Ph price : P2500)

[@rroohhaann123ful]

Wtf

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

lol yes agreed, but my arm is not long enough im afraid lol! Anyway, luckily it doesnt need to be perfectly in focus as its still watchable!

[@quietkai]

i like how the focus is just perfect for the "please subscribe" behind her :D....... yeah... i subscribed v.v

[@TheToneBender]

Oh.... I figured it was a tutorial on like pinstriping it and painting flames on it and stuff :-/ Good video anyway

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

Hi, your best bet is to ask a violin dealer as im not the right person to ask. I know very little about the actual violins themselves as im a player and teacher so you need to speak to someone who deals in violins and antique violins. Sorry.

[@Gigamatt17]

I promised myself to start learning a new instrument this year. I decided Violin and I came across your videos super informative thanks for all of them!

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

You can put nice strings on a cheap violin as it will make the violins tone clearer and meatier and they will play smoother. I would go for Dominants as they are all good all rounders. Anything else may be wasted unless you have a nice violin.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

I cant as it differs for each violin. Its why the cheaper the violin, the worse its all set up. You need to either just practise adjusting your arm to find the angle of each string or get a better violin which is better set up.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

I couldn't say as I have no idea how big, small, tall etc you are. Violin sizes dont really go on age. Try holding the scroll end of the violin and itf it feels too far a stretch, then it might be too big.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

Totally. Only throw them away if the ones you are replacing are rubbish - otherwise always keep as spares so you dont get caught short.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

£120 ish - having said that, it does depend on brand as I have played on some violin brands for well over £300 and they are terrible!

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

hi, not all Pirastros are great, but you have to experiment. It depends on what your violin sounds like in the first place so what strings suit mine, may not suit yours. You can get different strings to suit and bring out tones of different violins. If you are unsure of this, Dominants are middle of the road in terms of tone but are still used by professionals.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

there arent really bow brands so you must try them out. Bows are VERY unique so i cant recommend anything on bow im afraid

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

Its fine. I promise. Dominants are great to put on student quality violins as are Pirastro Tonicas - which may be a little cheaper if im not mistaken. They both have a generic all round nice tone that will suit ANY violin but they wont bring out any particular feature as they will only do that on more expensive violins so thats why anything better than Tonicas or Dominants are a waste of money in my opinion of course.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

medium is fine unless you are professional or want a different tension for any other reason.

[@05sdale]

After getting interested in listening to Linsey Stirling and wanting to learn violin, your videos have been a lifesaver. By the way, I"m 53 and starting to learn.

[@nerdcartoon2544]

7 years ago but how did it go?

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

NO! it will cost way more than the violin is worth. I suspect if you took it to a repairer, they would probably refuse to do it because it isnt worth their time and they would probably suggest you spend that money buying a better violin from them which is what i would do. The cracks will affect the sound, but because its a cheap student violin, I doubt it would a) matter and b) would could tell.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

I dont know as i have no idea what electric violin you have and even then if i knew, I wouldnt like to say. I would personally NOT change a bridge on an electric violin as some contain pickups that respond to the place they sit on and some have conductive feet. I would do some investigation before you sta buying new bridges as you may find you will lose sound....

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

you must be pressing very lightly then as harmonics are only produced when your fingers a re lightly pressing on the strings or your bow is not positioned on the strings correctly wither.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

no, the tone becomes rounder and richer. I have had my violin taken away by Russell who gives it its yearly maint and once over, and he gives me my old violin back that i part exchanged and had to 15yrs so i have something for a week and because its been sitting in his shop unplayed, i notice the sound has become 'cold' and i know this because it was by best friend for 15 years.

[@Jazzfreak7]

Fantastic video and advice. Regarding keeping and playing the violin in the proper tuning, (A440), so that the violin is "convinced" to play in tune, probably has to do with the atomic and molecular level. The atoms of the molecules of the wood are always vibrating on their own, then when the violin is played causing the strings to vibrate, thus causing the wood to vibrate, causes the atoms to be "trained" to play in that specific tuning. Just throwing around some ideas. Peace, and keep up the great work.

[@WarrenPostma]

Shaking my head. Do you science, man?

[@ejkiszenia]

These are great suggestions! As far as strings go, I personally prefer Zyex by D'Addario over the Dominants. They cost roughly the same (35-40 USD from the online violin shop I use) and perform very well on lower quality violins. Not to mention, they had a much quicker "break-in period" which is always good for beginners! ;-)

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

The varnish will affect the tone, but thats all i know. Your questions is better directed to a violin dealer/repairer as this is out of my area of knowledge being a teacher and player im afraid. sorry

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

im not quite sure i have ever come across this before? are you sure its tight enough and in tune?

[@royelmo38]

Fiddle players shave their bridge down and flatten it slightly to make double stops easier. You can also affect the tone by adjusting your tailstock. You can shorten the loop at the peg to give a darker tone, and lengthen the loop to make it brighter.The soundpost should be located under the foot of your bridge nearest the E string. The grain of the soundpost even needs to be aligned properly. This is typically done with the strings off so the post position can be set as perpendicular as possible by viewing it through the peg hole. This whole setup should be done by an experienced violin luthier.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

Its mainly the wood and then the craftmanship, but a pure combination of both really.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

no, dominants are £36 from amazon.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

lol well it thought it would get the point across! :)

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

PART 1: Personally I would suggest none of them for a student quality violin. The Obligatos are very warm and professional grade strings. They are also pricy. Evahs wear quickly in my experience and again pricy. I dont go near Daddarios. I dont think their strings are great for violin and getting a nice tone. They do lovely guitar strings. I would recommend either Pirastro Tonicas or Dominants. The Obs and Evahs are prob wasted on a student violin (i dont mean that rudely though)....cont....

[@johnjriggsarchery2457]

I live in an area that can get pretty humid and my group will be performing at a number of music festivals this summer. I wound up buying an MV300 last night on a whim and hopefully it will be OK for actual professional playing with a good set of strings, proper bridge work and sound post adjustment. Frankly, I'm frightened of taking my good violin and playing outside under a roof in really humid weather or even in the rain. Projection isn't a concern because of the sound system. Thank you, because I chose this beater violin because of your videos.

[@smithy1578]

I did the same thing today

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

you will get what you pay for.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

yes you can mix and always good to keep spares.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

Yup! I told you they would.... ;))

[@Jeremy-yr8yg]

I changed the tail piece on an old Karl Knilling violin I have from ebony to a composite tail piece and the tone improved MASSIVELY!!

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

no

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

sure i can

[@sleepy-sheepy6517]

I literally got my violin at a thrift store

[@wisnog99]

The Fox Laboratory that's not bad, they could esily put a good brand on the shelf for cheap, a lot of people go t thrift stores to look for expensive things

[@crystalkirlia4553]

I'm a grade 5 violinist in high school and my friend asked me to teach her. I agreed. I need tips for teaching her. she never played before so I'm painting on a blank canvas. tips pls!

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

Start with the basics: How to hold the violin and bow, then the strings, then teach her the open string notes, 1st finger notes etc - dont forget to include the notes on sheet music for her too. Make sure she is bowing in the right place too. You will know what to do from there....

[@crystalkirlia4553]

The Online Piano and Violin Tutor thx, I'm teaching her 2morrow. I wuz rly scared that I will mess up but thx for outlining the first few lessons. I'm now a little more confident about helping her learn her first instrument.

[@coranewbold7096]

I said earlier that I got a cheap Mendini, and Just by hearing it I thought I had wasted my money, however, I got a new bow, Stravilio strings (originally Cecilio strings) , D'Addario Kaplar rosin and then sanded down my own bridges and it made a WORLD of difference! I mean the bow alone really was so much BETTER than the one that came in the case that I'm ready to throw it out! But you could tell the difference just by putting different strings on...and the BETTER bow helped just as much. So now I'm happy with my investment. =)

[@tomvasile6321]

That's interesting. I just got a Mendini. I think it's a good Violin for the money. I need to pimp it up, with new strings & bow...I never heard of sanding the bridge? What does that improve? What kind of new bow did you get?

[@coranewbold7096]

I just got a bow off of amazon, it was only around 13$ www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002EAHOJE/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 the bridges that come off of amazon come larger than what you get in your case. You can sand the wood down to the shape you prefer. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003HPMQDY/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@coranewbold7096]

And if you're just learning the notes, I'd suggest practicing songs that you already know what they sound like just to memorize the fingerings. I prefer Disney, you may want to get a solo book with a CD (everyone learns differently). Only work on a few measures a week. Perfect practice makes nearly-perfect playing. =)

[@endoalley680]

Change your strings one at a time to keep some sound post pressure. If you remove them all the sound post may fall out. If the soundpost is a little on the long side, it fits tightly and won't fall over. But it chokes the tone. So just a very close fit and shaping for soundpost is best. But it needs string tension to stay put. A good professional setup can make all the difference in the world. I found some titanium replacement tailpiece guts on the internet made by Stradpet. And they also make titanium fine tuners. They really do add a little something to the tone of the violin. Almost like the change you get when putting on new strings.

[@EzhearthraWitch]

With an electric violin, the black thing the bridge sits on, will that get messed up if I change out the bridge

[@edgeofages]

I've played the violin since I was 7 years old and I'm 16 now.. So I've had many violins.. But I bought my newest violin for $50 at a pawn shop. It was a bit beaten up so I took it to a violin shop and they told me it was worth around $500! It's still student quality.. But it's very good for a student quality violin. I have dominant strings on it. I have a very nice bow. (The bow was a lot of money) And over all it's just a nice violin. It kinda has a smooth and dark tone to it. And for me.. That is perfect. Inside the violin it says: Scherl & Roth - Genuine Reproduction of Antonius Stradivarius. I plan to save up for a master violin someday. But right now this is fine. Out of curiosity.. What kind of intermediate level violin would you suggest I get when I have some money? (Based on the fact that I like darker tones)

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

I would suggest you go to a dealer and try them out. Its likely you wont get what you are looking for in a brand as it doesnt quite work like that.

[@jameslocke2785]

You are so right! All violins are like people, they all have a soul different from the next.

[@clayedwards5183]

You got a ROTH for $50? Lucky!!!

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

Dominants are prob a little better, or pirastros - in my opinion of course

[@AndrewWFrost]

Having trained as a luthier and played flamenco guitar for a number of years before deciding to pick up a cheap £30 violin out of curiosity I would say the following. Assume if spending under £50 on an instrument that is shipped halfway round the world after being "set up" is not ready to play out of the box. I would highly recommend having the soundpost and bridge set up properly, before you start playing the instrument as playing with these in the wrong place has a very similar effect to playing out of tune on a new Violin while it is warming up. Also worth mentioning check your tuning pegs fit properly and are not slipping or sticking if they are try a bit of peg compound this will usually work minor miracles on an instrument. If that does not work bring it to a luthier, it should not be too expensive as pegs are cheap and the work is not overly complex if you have the correct tools.

[@Kay-cy9vi]

I WILL say the most improvement to the violin sound you can do is to adjust the soundpost and bridge position.

[@viechaya9983]

Exactly my thought!

[@kaitlynreppert7305]

Hi I'm 13 and I just orders a 4/4 size violin is it going to b to big or

[@chi5065]

Are all violinist KZbinr's camera unfocused? 😂

[@SamAlexCaldwell]

Camera focus isn’t covered by Ling Ling Insurance.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

yay :)

[@t.j.armendariz354]

D'Addario Helicore strings are also pretty good (at least for students) and they work well when electrifying an instrument (if you do).

[@carltonturpin4196]

thanks so very much,,Alison..i,m just starting on my violin,,i,did buy one well over 100 yrs old..is this o.k.for a beginner..thanks ....carlton in n.carolina

[@channelterminatedbyuser]

Today I dumped the chin rest. I mainly did it because I'm left-handed, the seller had suggested a new chin rest and to also fix the strings for left-handed playing. But my brain and I agree, that the bass should remain on the left and descant right, as we know from the piano. From the beginning, I chose to play left-handed, with the G string on the left, and the chin rest was just ballast. Now, after you warn, thick layers of rosin-snow would effect the sound negatively, I assume, the chin rest probably might as well, so that was another argument. Frankly, I didn't dare to admit this change here, but after reading on the history of the chin rest; there's even a stronger argument: In 1715 I'm not supposed to have a chin rest. LOL Surprising was a little tag on the bottom of the chin rest: It was made in DDR, which had ended to exist decades ago. So STAGG is attaching very-very old chin rests.

[@AlbinPlaysRoblox]

Oh my gosh this is the best tutor video for my 100$ violin

[@Dashingdiva73]

I got a cheap violin from Amazon in the US. I popped the G string twice! When I replaced the string it was crazy the sound I got out of it! The more expensive string was a good buy! Everyone knocked it in the review but we took it to a music store and the repair man said it was a good violin! I was so relieved because I was worried. Now for the Bow! I have to save for that!

[@jaktheknife]

Playin for a bout a year and have already reset my sound post like five times as my second violin came from China \m/ a strad copy mind you with it rattlin inside. I guess that's the advantage of having a less expensive instrument that you are less nervous about adjusting and "going in" so to speak. Anyway sounds like a dream now and yes you do need the right tools to get it to the sweet spot and experiment but I say until you have set in your own sound post it's really not your vioiln. Cheerios

[@hotarumizushina5754]

I got my first violin (2nd hand) for $88 (4000 pesos on ph currency) and it sounds pretty good, the bow isn't that great but I'll upgrade for a better violin if I can play better in the future...

[@Not-Only-Reaper-Tutorials]

If you have to invest in a bow, it's better to make a more serious investment buying a more advanced violin, for which it's worth a more reliable bow A bow, a real one, doesn't cost few pounds ...

[@staciecampbell2935]

You are hands-down the best violin tutor and I love your videos, older and newer. You are such a massive part of my life and I thank you for it. Thank you so much for teaching me to play the violin!

[@AndrewWukusick]

The way the violin/viola "warms up" over time is very similar to the guitar, which is caused by the wood grain opening up after a lot of use, allowing the sound to better resonate throughout the wood. There are now machines some companies use that sort of lightly vibrate the instrument for some time to help open up the grain and get that sound right from the shop.

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

PART 2: I would go for Pirastro Tonicas as they are in the middle and WILL change the tone etc of your violin. The obligatos and evahs are wasted on student violins as those violins are not advanced enough to bring the tone out from the strings, thus wasted. Because the Tonicas or Dominants are middle strings, they will respond very nicely to your student violin. MY opinion of course and others may disagree....

[@donbutler838]

I disagree I put evahs on y cheap violin and my violin was very capable in bringing out the tone I realize that my cheap violin is no comparison to my antique french violin but I believe a.good player is what brings the tone out

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

@@donbutler838 You'll get 'some' tone, but you wont get the full capacity of them and certainly nowhere near the amount for for what you have paid for them - thus they are a bit wasted. Of course its up to the individual, but why would you spend over $100 for strings that you wont get 50% out of? Your better off getting something like the Tonicas for cheaper student violins as they will 100% improve the tone and you'll get ALL the tone and sound font them. Cheaper violins will always have a stifled sound - end of. If they didn't, then we would all be buying them.

[@rickdeckard1075]

i prefer submissive strings....like Helicores

[@erikalarsson7200]

You said $150 but I bout my violin for $70

[@angelsquier2290]

It's really true how warming up an instrument can change its sound. I play the flute currently, and practicing it a bunch made it sound much clearer than when you just wake up in the morning and haven't played it in a while.

[@zeljkocosic7217]

I saw earlier video from 1 of yours subscribers where he plays the violin and you comented what is good and what are mistakes he made. I want to show you my short 20 sec video where i play scales after just 3 days of practicing. if you have time to watch it ill send it to you. I forgot to say i am from Serbia and iI am absolute beginner. My grandfather was a violin player so i have his Czechoslovakian violin from 1973. I know on this violin i can be played Mozzart but when i play it sounds bad.

[@666MyBlueHeaven999]

I've spent $184 getting a $36.99 ebay violin barely up to sub mediocre status. That includes a new sound post blank and the gauge and tools to make and install it. And of course I bought a new bow, strings, bridge. I was advised and have gotten the "Jade" rosin and the difference was amazing. The original China rosin and the nylon fishing line bow hank was a total scandal. Btw I'm a novice and actually thought the e string was meant to be rusty, lol.

[@HelloThereJames]

Dear Alison, I am set to buy a student violin for 270 pounds. I am particularly focusing on varnishes. How heavily does a violin's varnish affect the sound quality? How different are they from each other in terms of the sound? I am caught in a crossfire with so many violin variations and assets. Buying your first violin is very taunting. I'm hoping you can help, thanks and best wishes to you :D

[@dec14660]

Hi Alison, My grandparents bought me violin at a antiques shop for £300 and I was just curious about if that was too much. It is a full size violin and the label inside the violin says "Andrea Degano" and also that it was made in 2007 and that it is a professional violin. If you could also tell me a bit about this violin make as I can't find anything online about it . Thanks Dec

[@kennethgnielsen]

Very good, covering all the main points. Appreciate your help with this. I also would recommend that cheap violins may have pegs that stick or cannot be tuned easily... to take them out and scrub the contact surface with regular blackboard chalk... this will make them turn and adjust properly and hold tune also.

[@groundedinfaith]

Thank you for your response. It put my mind at ease. I liked your tutorial of Silent Night. I'm going to practice so I can play it for my family at Christmas. :)

[@TheOnlineViolinTutor]

:)

[@FonzoFunk]

Thanks for posting. Very instrumental in my wife's learning process. Lol.

[@666MyBlueHeaven999]

A very thick tortoiseshell hard finish on a violin is tonal death. As with cheap guitars manufacturers will go overkill on the finish and in fact even spray on a thick poly coat of clear in order to assure the instrument can last its Warranty date and withstand harsh shipping and warehouse conditions.

[@gothicbiach]

full size violin arrived today and yes big noticeable difference,but as always when tuning the A string snaps.. (did on my other one too) and that was using fine tuners and electric tuner.. but ill be patient and wait for new better set to come through... thanks again Alison

[@gothicbiach]

i`ve used prelude they aren't bad although the A has a tendancy to snap quickly if wound too fast(but then again any string will if wound heavy handed)now moved onto dominants and infeld blues

[@HaIsKuL]

It's not bizarre. The higher the temperature, the higher the frequency (pitch) of the strings are. The higher intermolecuar kinetic energy there is, the higher the temperature. Ergo, the strings "warm up" the more you use it. This can be demonstrated with the equation: 330m/s+0.59m(°C) with 330m/s being the speed of sound. This is more noticeable in woodwind instruments.

[@navimidnafi]

I have a Cecilio violin, it was a little on the cheap side I think about 180$ I got it for Christmas and I'm not sure if it sounds not-so-great because it isn't high quality, or if I'm just terrible haha.... there are cracks coming down from the F stops and I don't know if it is worth it or not to spend the money getting it repaired..

[@gothicbiach]

can you mix and match strings... e.g G+D are Pirastro tonica E is Dominant and A is say pirastro gold ??? or is it worth changing to decent set then just keeping spares of that brand..??

[@Mathias9n]

Hello Alison ! What do you think about the Pirastro Tonica's ? In my country they are much cheaper than Dominants and everywhere it says that they are very similar. Thanks !!

[@rmcbeigh]

1st thing I did was buy extra strings just in case one broke, they only cost 5-10 so they were not very high quality. But NOW i know what to look for!!! THANK YOU!!!

[@gothicbiach]

Hiya Alison, was just curious, as im getting a set of tonicas soon, can you keep the strings you remove to keep as spares or is it wise to just discard them?

[@girlsgene]

i have a violin that was $1,800 , but im a student learning to be better at it. SOO is that a "student quality" or "cheap" violin????????????

[@axeist92126]

Here is a video of the makeover I did to a Cecilio CVN100 violin. The kit was $89. Today I had a REAL violinist play it and bought a carbon fiber bow from his shop. Cheap Violin Makeover

[@dranorter]

I bought a $50 (Mendini Cecilio) violin, about the cheapest they make 'em. The biggest thing I recommend doing is adjusting the nut of the violin. Ultracheap violins, at least the ones I've seen, have very high nuts to help mask defects in the fingerboard. This makes playing near the nut very difficult and certain notes unplayable. Of course this is better if done by a luthier, but the nut really needn't be more than a millimeter high so I say remove most of it yourself.

[@cgage3668]

Oooh! just seen your video on choosing a bow - wish I'd seen it before!

[@NunOfUrBiznez]

Hi! I have a quick question, I have a Mendini MV300 and I used the cheap rosin from the set, have I ruined my bow or can I change my rosin now without getting a new bow? Thank you for the wonderful videos :)

[@Anfxyz]

Discovered this after getting a Theodore violin for £45, a Hidersine bow for £18.75, an Aubert adjustable bridge for £18 and Helicore strings (for country music). Result - a blast! Plus soundpost tools - no harm in messing around with a cheap violin - could save you money in the long run. Also I filed the nut down because it was too high. And ditch the Chinese rosin for Hidersine or similar.

[@AlejandroVidalCastillo]

Cheap things for everyone! Thanks for the video.

[@Anicetus_Cer]

:D Bad Billy Bob 5:38, btw loving the vids in general, have been learning for 2 years, and am progressing steadily each month that goes by, Distinctions for my first 2 grades so far *Grin, it is so nice that you share your experience so openly, Thank you!