a very dear friend of mine used to play the violin quite well, but unfortunately her little sister broke it literally in half about two years ago. i'm looking to buy her a new one, but i know fuck all about these things, and have a few questions if any would be kind enough to answer.

i notice they come in different sizes (1/4 size, half size, etc) what is the difference? she is an extremely tiny and petite lady, if that makes any difference at all.

what's the difference between a standard, acoustic, and electric violin? and which would you suggest for a novice?

could $150 be a fair budget? i don't want to break the bank, but i also don't want to get her a dinky instrument.

what are the necessary accessories? the bow, a shoulder rest, possibly a tuner... something called a rosin, any accessories a violinist may need

what defines a "student" violin? or what sets it apart from any other class of violin?

i've only looked at Amazon so far to get some ideas

thanks in advance

This post was edited by Wretch on May 8 2012 08:02am

The ONLY help I can offer is Yamaha Violins. I KNOW that they are rated very highly amongst beginner - intermediate levels, they have alotta great ranges and models, and price range isn't outa-this-world.

Can't be more help i'm afraid - guitarist lol.

Go to a music store - bollocks to Amazon, thats for people who either have no idea what they are looking for, or those who know EXACTLY what they are looking for (instrument wise anyway). GL

This post was edited by bob(Cs2) on May 8 2012 08:25am