# I'm getting an urge to buy this



## Argus

http://www.gear4music.com/Woodwind-Brass-Strings/Student-4-4-Violin-by-Gear4music-WHITE/8LD

I don't know why but I find myself wanting to get a white violin. I don't play the violin, don't really have any desire to play the violin but still just want one to pick up and noodle on now and again. I don't want just any violin but specifically a white one. Even if I hardly ever play it I'd like to own an instrument that is capable of pure microtonality for messing about on. Plus I just find it aesthetically cool.

I know for £47 and Chinese craftsmanship I'm going to get a pretty shoddy instrument in terms of tone and construction but will it at least be playable and stay somewhat in tune? Or should I come to my senses and steer clear.

What say ye?


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## Aramis

I have very cheap violin myself, even cheaper than this one, and I haven't problems with learning basics. Yes, it quickly... eee... how you say this, goes out of tune? But it's not that bad.

BUT~!

At the other hand my violin is not some asian, factory carrion, it was hand-made in Europe and I guess it can make huge difference. 

I wouldn't buy this crap. Did you look in real (not online) shops? The violins like I bought can be found in such places more likely than on e-shops which rarely sell stuff from minor, but at least not working in chineese factory, craftmans.


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## Argus

Aramis said:


> I have very cheap violin myself, even cheaper than this one, and I haven't problems with learning basics. Yes, it quickly... eee... how you say this, goes out of tune? But it's not that bad.
> 
> BUT~!
> 
> At the other hand my violin is not some asian, factory carrion, it was hand-made in Europe and I guess it can make huge difference.
> 
> I wouldn't buy this crap. Did you look in real (not online) shops? The violins like I bought can be found in such places more likely than on e-shops which rarely sell stuff from minor, but at least not working in chineese factory, craftmans.


Ah, but is your violin white? Natural wood finish violins obviously look classier but a white violin somehow exudes a kind of kitsch bad-***-ness to it. Unfortunately, it does have a slight Andre Rieu cheesiness about it but I can live with that.

Yeah, I expect this particular fiddle to be quite poo but you never can tell. I might just get lucky and get a decent one. Unlikely but possible.

I just think a white violin would look awesome just lying around the house or on a mantle piece, then when people come over they'll be like 'I didn't know you played violin', then I'll bust into some atonal screeching for about 20 minutes, then they'll be like 'So you don't play violin'.

If you know of any European made white, or possibly translucent, violins then I'll give them a try.

Ideally I'd like to see Kriss Akabusi playing a white violin. The ivory coating providing a nice contrast with his ebony dome as he looks along the fingerboard and bears an unearthly grin that can only mean one thing. But that is an unlikely scenaro and will most likely end badly for all parties involved.


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## TresPicos

It all depends on your overall economic situation, of course. If you can fairly easily afford it, then by all means, pursue your dream! Just don't forget the £5,50 in shipping costs.


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## mamascarlatti

You cannot expect a violin to be or remain in tune. The string stretch and contract in different temperatures. Sometimes a violin can go out of tune while you are playing it. You have to tune it by turning the pegs or fine tuners.


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## Argus

TresPicos said:


> It all depends on your overall economic situation, of course. If you can fairly easily afford it, then by all means, pursue your dream! Just don't forget the £5,50 in shipping costs.


At the moment I can easily afford to take a chance but very soon I'm going to become unemployed and a full-time student. But yeah with that extra £5.50 it may tip the scales.



> You cannot expect a violin to be or remain in tune. The string stretch and contract in different temperatures. Sometimes a violin can go out of tune while you are playing it. You have to tune it by turning the pegs or fine tuners.


I meant will it stay in tune long enough to play through a piece. Are violins notorious for going out of tune or something. Surely I can expect even a poor violin to stay within say 20 or 30 cents of standard pitch for the duration of a piece. But I have no aspirations of becoming any kind of violinist, so as long as it isn't constantly going flat/sharp I'll be happy. The intonation might be more problematic.

Another benefit from learning a bit of violin is that it should improve my ears, with it being an analogous instument.


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## Weston

I used to putter around with a mando and got fairly passable at playing bits of baroque on it. Since the tuning is the same, I thought I would try my hand at the violin. I spent about that much for a pretty little student model. The fingering is indeed the same - except you have to hold the damn thing up too. I never got the hang of holding it and fingering it at the same time. You need a third hand. Guitar was nowhere near this frustrating!

I sold it in a yard sale and wish I had my mando back.


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## HarpsichordConcerto

It's only £47. Go for it. Think of it as a toy. (Or unless you are a pimply faced 15 year old kid who works at McDonald's and gets paid £1 per hour, in which case you better save your money and ask Mummy and Daddy to buy it for you when you get good school grades as a reward).


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## linsey

Ugh don't do it man..

First off.. Unless you've played some sort of bowed instrument before I wouldn't recommend taking up the violin even just to mess around on. It is not like guitar, or other stringed instruments. You actually will have to invest time into learning bowing technique in order to get any kind of sound that is literally not god awful. Especially out of a violin. Because unless you do.. Can you say dying cats? It just won't be what you think it is unless you already play something similar, and even then you'll have to put in some time. 

Also.. A white one is just.. It's just not worth it. It's cheap but why not just buy one that is better for the same price? You may think the white looks cool but you can see why that doesn't matter. Even if you're not taking it seriously it's still.. Just not classy. Plus it will NOT actually look like it does in that picture. The paint will be dull, it will scratch easily, and build up rosin dust that you won't be able to get off without rubbing the paint off and exposing the bare wood. I know because it's cheap and I've seen painted instruments before. I see what you're saying about it looking cool in the picture but It's just not going to be aesthetically pleasing the way you think it will. After a year.. Or even a few weeks I don't think it will be aesthetically pleasing at all.

As far as tone goes I think your ears will be in for a world of hurt.. It makes me shudder to think about what the cheap paint would do to the untreated wood. That sort of like dumping a bucket of mud inside it or perhaps some knives. So.. If it doesn't even sound good than it won't even be fun to play. That will be especially frustrating if you decided to learn bowing. Why get it if it defeats your purpose?

It shouldn't go out of tune too fast, unless it's not constructed right at all. Which is a definite possibility. Violins are held together by nothing but glue and tension and if you have pegs slip all the time and can't stay in tune you're bridge could get knocked out of place or fall off, or your sound post might even get loose and fall out of place. But make no mistake it won't stay in tune very well for that price.. or the pegs might be really stiff and you won't be able to tune it without literally straining for it. But it pretty much won't ever sound good anyways. 

Even if you're not planning on taking violin seriously you'll still have to invest time into keeping it tuned and humidified or dehumidified unless you want it to be useless or break. Especially if you live in an extreme climate. Violins are some of the most delicate instruments in the world really, especially poorly constructed ones. Even if you're doing this casually, it's still going to be a responsibility to some degree. 

Plus if you ever decide to sell it you'll have a hard time selling a used cheap painted violin..

I think it's definitely best if you just buy a wood finished violin instead, even a cheaper violin than this one with a natural grain will be a ton better because you just won't have any of those problems.


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## Earthling

If you can afford to part with the money, sure, do it. Worst case scenario, it might have a crappy tone and may not stay in tune easily or for very long-- but you'll still have a white violin to at least put up on the wall. And even still, if by noodling on it you might gain interest in getting a much better one later on down the track.


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## Argus

Common sense prevailed in the end. Sort of. Instead of one cheap violin I bought two good harmonicas, as my E and D harps had a few duff reeds.


















After listening to a fair bit of Don Cherry recently, I am considering a pocket trumpet but it's not something I'm desperate for.


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