The Best Violins for the Money

These are specific violin recommendations at each level, based on what consistently offers the best combination of playability, tone and durability for the price. The most important caveat applies at every level: the difference between individual instruments of the same model can be significant, and any violin above £300 is worth having a luthier or teacher evaluate before purchase.

Best Beginner Violin: Stentor Student II

The Stentor Student II is the most widely recommended beginner violin in the UK for good reason: it is consistently set up to a playable standard before leaving the distributor, it holds tune reasonably well, and the tonewoods are sufficient for a first year of learning. It is available as a complete outfit with bow and case in all fractional sizes. At £100–£140, it is not the cheapest option, but it is reliably the best value — cheaper alternatives frequently arrive unplayable, requiring luthier work that negates the price saving. The Stentor remains the default recommendation from most UK string teachers for absolute beginners.

Best Intermediate Violin: Eastman VL305

The Eastman VL305 sits at the point where the quality of hand-finishing becomes clearly audible. Eastman's workshop instruments are factory-made but hand-graduated and hand-fitted, and the tonewoods are individually selected with noticeably more care than student-level production. The VL305 at £350–£450 is the instrument most commonly recommended by teachers for students who have confirmed commitment to the study and are moving past Grade 3. The improved response to dynamics and bow pressure makes it genuinely easier to develop technique than on a student instrument, which is the purpose of upgrading.

Best Advanced Student Violin: Scott Cao STV-017

The Scott Cao STV-017 is a workshop violin at the £700–£900 level, hand-made in Scott Cao's workshop with high-grade tonewoods and meticulous fitting. It is the level at which the violin begins to respond to subtle changes in bow technique — small variations in bow speed, contact point and weight produce clearly different tonal results, which supports the development of expressive playing. Players preparing for Grade 6 and above, or for music college auditions, benefit from an instrument at this level. Having the instrument independently assessed by a teacher or luthier before purchase is strongly recommended.

Best Value Second-Hand Violin: Specialist Dealer Instruments

At any budget above £200, the second-hand market offers significantly better playing quality than new instruments at the same price. The caveat is buying from a reputable specialist string dealer (rather than a general classified listing) who has assessed, set up and guaranteed the condition of the instrument. Specialist UK dealers including Stringers of Edinburgh, Bridgewood and Neitzert (London) and David Rattray (various) regularly stock ex-student and workshop instruments that have been professionally restored and set up to a high standard. A second-hand violin at £250 from a reputable dealer will outplay a new one at the same price almost without exception. For a full decision guide, see the buyer's guide.

Frequently Asked Questions