I was expecting to have to slowly replace parts to get a usable violin and for things to be made out of cheap alternatives to the material they're suppose to have like the plywood violin with a plastic finger board I paid more for but I was shocked with how good the quality is for the price I paid.
I burned a piece of hair from the bow and it burned and smelled like hair unlike the plastic ones you get on cheaper violins, the finger board is made of ebony, not painted timber, the wooded tuning pegs are lubricated and the bridge is mostly shaped correctly but could us a little work on the legs but it doesn't need much.
Other than the small pieces of material on the ends of each string to colour code which note it represents, there is not a single piece of plastic on the instrument it's self unless the varnish contains some but I don't know how to tell. The bow has a plastic sleeve over the metal wire, probable has a piece on the nut and end but I can't tell if that's what it is. The part of the bow that moves to adjust tension is made of ebony with a couple piece of what looks like shell and the way the light shining on it is beautiful.
It's weaker side is the shoulder rest, it's cheap, plastic and the way you put it on feels like it might cause damage so I wouldn't recommend putting it on tight since the shoulder rest falling off once in a while is better than your violin opening up from the pressure being put on and removed from it over time but expecting a good one with the value you're already getting is stretching it.
The case is nothing to write home about, it's mostly polystyrene lined with cheap soft polyester fabric with a wooden lip for screws to go into and a polyester bad over it. It has a small compartment where you can put your rosin and extra strings once removed from the paper envelope, room for two bows and just enough room for the shoulder rest to sit along side of the neck.
The good part about it is that you can remove the screws and peel the bag off for cleaning but there is a little bit of melted polystyrene stuck to parts on the inside as if it might have been exposed to heat and it will be easier to remove the next time around.
I wasn't too sure about the hygrometer so I removed it and yes it is real however the piece of glue holding the piece of plastic with the numbers was lose so it was able to move around which I was able to fix while it was out, it is also glued in so don't remove it unless you can fix it.
If you're just dipping your toes into the water and or don't know if this is for you, I strongly recommend starting with this violin so you not only get everything you need without breaking the bank but you also get a genuine violin and not a VSO(violin shaped object).
Before you use it, you must install the bridge. The bridge goes on with the shorter side at the E string and the taller side at the G string in between the two marking on the F holes that point towards the bridge with string tension low. The bridge may also need to be straightened when you tighten the strings so make sure it doesn't lean forward otherwise it might fall over making a loud snap and shooting out while you tune or play.
The tuning pegs will also need to pushed in farther for it to hold a tune and you'll have to tune it multiple times to break in the new strings until they hold a tune. I'm not sure how good the strings are and know it will benefit from better ones but the stock ones are more than good enough to get started.
This is the violin I'm going to recommend to anyone who wants to get started with something extremely cheap that performs as it should out of the box.
| Product Dimensions | 61 x 23 x 6.3 cm; 1.75 kg |
|---|---|
| Item model number | MI3414-AKM |
| Back material | Maple |
| Body Material | Pine |
| Colour Name | Blue |
| Fretboard material | ebony |
| String Gauge | Light |
| String Material | Stainless Steel |
| Top Material | Maple |
| Number of strings | 4 |
| Material Type | Pine |
| Size | Full Size |
| Proficiency level | All |
| Item Weight | 1.75 kg |
