The most frequently question asked during purchasing of the instrument

Frequently asked questions during the purchase of the instrument

Will the purchased accessories certainly fit my instrument?
Yes and no. Accessories for string instruments can be divided into two categories: universal and those requiring personalization. In the first, are, among others, strings, chin, ribs, rosin, microphones (tuning instruments) or strings. Their adjustment depends entirely on the user's preference for comfort or instrument tone, but theoretically, each of the aforementioned items will be ready to be used on the same instrument size. Having a full size violin, you also need to purchase these items. The ribs for violin 4/4 will surely hold on to them, and the strings will also be ready to be put into the state in which we purchase it. Products on instruments with smaller dimensions (3/4, ½) will not be usable - incomplete strings will distort the aspect ratio of the instrument, and short strings can not be "tightened" in any case - it can cause serious damage to the wood.
The second group of accessories are individually tailored to the construction of the instrument on which we play. Stands, pins, buttons, or sound post - their final shape should be personalized if we care about solidly assembled equipment. In the case of the stand the most important thing is its bow, which must correspond to the construction of the fingerboard and the dimensions of the instrument. Incorrectly aligned dowels may jam or loosen in the holes , leading to frequent distuning. In turn, of the shape, the settings and even the material of the sound post depends on the core of the instrument's sound. So if we complete each of the accessories separately, it is worth to go to the luthier to suit them accordingly. If we replace a damaged item, it is possible to copy its properties to a new article. But we should take care, because even the smallest damage can cause the purchased item won't be suitable to longer playing.

What is the difference between more expensive violin and the cheaper one?

The price range of stringed instruments, given the instruments of the factory, the manufactory and the masters, is huge. Often on the shelves of supermarkets appear instruments for even a hundred dollars, while the highest priced stringed instrument in history is the viola by Antonio Stradivari in 1719, reaching a record value of 45 million $. Rejecting that immeasurably high price level that characterizes vintage instruments from the legendary luthiers's workshop, let's focus on the equipment available to the "average" performer. The price of the instrument for beginner or intermediate musician (violin / viola / cello or factory) depends mainly on the materials used. For example, an instrument with ebony fingerboard will always be more expensive than spruce that is only painted in dark color , what is definitely less resistant to natural wear. Also significant are the accomplishment details - whether the wood of the resonance box is not too sloppy and thick, whether the line of the violin is smoothly finished and above all, whether the dimensions of the instruments are consistent with the standards of the soldering. All these details have a significant effect on the sound, the comfort of playing, and consequently on the more efficient and easier process of learning to play the instrument.

What size should you buy?

Choosing the right size violin is a key decision when buying an instrument. It is also an extremely easy thing to calculate. In the case of an adult, regardless of height, of course, you should choose a full size instrument, in other words 4/4. In the case of children , the problem is somewhat complicated because it is not an height of child , but the length of the child's hands. In the case of hands shorter than 39 cm, choose 1/8 instrument, analoguing <44 violin ¼, <49 ½, for hands shorter than 52 cm buy a 3/4 violin, and for those reaching length 54 cm will be good a full-scale instrument. The measurement should be carried out on the outstretched and erect arm, taking into account its length from the begin of the neck to the wrist. For small children who experience discomfort while playing the 1/8 violin and are struggling with reaching with fingers some positions , the best option will be the 1/16 or 1/32 violin, which is offered for example by Tonareli and Leonardo.

The small, resonant sound box distorts the sound and doesn't give the depth of the sound of the large instrument. Therefore, the production of children's viola (which, in principle , differs from the violin by darker color) is pointless with real purpose of this instrument. Children who want to play on violin in the future begin their lessons on volin , and until during the transition to full-size violin or even a little later they learn the secrets of playing the viola. However, due to the naturally large size of this instrument on the market are available viola in variety size. All of them are considered of 4/4 instruments and are played by professional musicians. This division only helps to distinguish the choice of the right viola for an man measuring nearly two meters, and for 160 centimeter tall woman. And so in our offer we can find models measuring from 12 up to 16.5 inches. As the size change, the sound may also change, so the final choice depends on not only the calculation of body proportions, but primarily on comfort and sound preferences

In contarst to the violin and viola, the criterion for the choice of cello is the height, not the length of the hands. The easiest and most reliable way to find the right size is the so-called ,,trying on' with the instrument in hand: Sit down on a fairly high chair so that your knees will bend at an angle of 90 degrees and grasp the cello in a classic way, leaning on the wishbone, covering the box with your knees (but not too deep). The right instrument will have the pin of the lowest string right next to the left ear, the lower part of its indentation will adhere to the left knee and the neck will be a few centimeters away from the left arm. In this way the proportions of the cello are measured - the height of the cello can be adjusted with the retractable leg at the base of the instrument.
The first stage of learning to play a string instrument is very difficult, long and quite tedious. The position of the body at that time, all beginners seem unnatural and uncomfortable, so it is worthwhile to facilitate this process by choosing the right instrument. Learning to play improperly fitting equipment will surely lead to unhealthy, hard to unlearn habits that sometimes will prevent of further work. To make it pleasant and slightly easier, do not save time on the right choice of the best instrument.

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