Stentor 4-String Violin, Brown, Red (1500 4/4)

Very happy! This violin is very easy to use and has a clean mellow sound. It looks good and is easy to tune. Cheap beginner violins are notorious for screeching–particularly on the E-string. No such problem with this one! I had heard that beginner violins invariably come with poor accessories and was prepared. I had already purchase a new set of strings, new rosin, and a carbon fiber bow in anticipation. However, the strings on the bow were cheap but not so bad, (Red Label), and the bow is very good looking and produces as good a sound as a very expensive Purnambuco and Ivory bow that had been loaned to me. It may be that this cheap wooden bow will warp later on and deteriorate over time–but right now it does a very good job! The case is a good serviceable one, protects the violin well and has room for accessories. The top surface of the case unzips and can take sheet music. It is a bit too narrow for my music books, but I can squeak them in with some scuffing of the corners. I expect that this violin will be able to do all that I am qualified to ask of it–for the next five years at least!

UPDATE: After four months I am still very satisfied with this violin! There have been absolutely no problems with it at all. I took it to a reputable luthier to look it over shortly after receiving it. It was already perfectly set up–as delivered. He seemed quite surprised! An excellent buy!

So if you’re here, it must be Instrument Procurement Season for your son or daughter who is starting in your school’s orchestra. Or maybe you’re looking to learn. Anyway, I like this axe. Why? Well, first, let me set the stage…

Two years ago my oldest decided he wanted to play violin in school. I bought him a Mendini MV300 which, while certainly not a premium instrument, was enough to pique his interest once set up. However, that instrument required a lot of love before it was in condition to play, including work on the nut to bring the action down a bit, bridge work, and I even had to mess with the soundpost a bit. It plays better, but it will always be an instrument that is overly limiting. So when kid #2 decided to play the violin as well, I was able to draw off that experience, and it led me to this instrument. As before, I decided to buy after comparing rental terms with the purchase price.

Now a fair word of caution…this is NOT a professional-level or even an advanced-level instrument. To judge it on those terms would be unfair and to do the product a disservice. What this IS, however, is an instrument that will not get in the way of a student learning the violin.

First, on the concept of buying an outfit. BEWARE of package deals that offer you everything under the sun, especially if it comes at a price point that a simple violin+bow+case only barely matches. The dollars you are spending on a giant outfit are dollars that are NOT going into the violin, and in the music world, quality comes with price. Simply put, you want the violin to be the major price component of anything you buy. That money is buying you better tonewood (all wood is NOT the same…you want real solid spruce for the top because of its density and tonal qualities), ebony fittings (in particular the fingerboard but also the pegs) and good craftsmanship.

This Stentor violin (which is a Stentor II) offers this to you. Granted, it’s not an antique, nor is it a professional-level rig, but it is something that isn’t going to block a student from learning. When properly set up (more on this in a minute), it has a tone that belies its price point. Simply put, it’s eminently playable and represents a major value for the money. Moreover, it has staying power…it will remain a good instrument throughout the student’s learning path, at least to advanced stages.

That isn’t to say you have no part to play in this. PLEASE PLEASE take the time to get this instrument set up correctly in the few weeks or so after receiving it. I say few weeks because some adjustments, like string height, are more subjective than others. But main things to consider:

-The peg box. The pegs are cut in a cone shape and fit through the peg box. This shape is intended to create resistance so the strings do not come loose. An easy way to see if the construction is sound is to look at the hole in the peg box opposite of each peg…the end of the peg should be flush with the opposite side of the peg box. If it isn’t, the pegs need to be reshaped. In my experience this is the main reason why pegs slip.

-The soundpost. Placement of the soundpost is key. If it’s in the wrong spot, the instrument will sound flat. Adjusting this is tricky and you probably want a professional luthier to do it for you.

-The nut. This is the raised section right behind the peg box through which the strings fit (in little grooves) on their way to the bridge. An overly high nut means the string height is high and consequently requires more effort to push down. Lowering the nut will lower the action. My rule of thumb is that the string should be one string diameter over the fingerboard. However, this may be personal preference and some people prefer higher string actions.

-The bridge. This is something you could do yourself if you’re handy with wood. Mainly, the bridge needs to be perpendicular to the violin body. The feet of the bridge need to be curved so it is sitting flat on the top of the violin. If the bridge is leaning or if the feet aren’t flush, the vibrations will not be transmitted efficiently to the body of the violin. Examine the bridge and make certain it’s not warped, and in particular that it’s in the right location (it should be lined up with the little notches in the middle of the F holes).

-The strings. This rig includes Red Label strings which are….fine, I guess. They will stand up to a beginner whaling on them. But for tonal quality, I found best results from synthetic core strings. Dominant is the favorite, though I have a soft spot in my heart for D’Addario Pro Arte Nylon core. Note that strings are not a trivial investment, but it’s the single component you can add that will make the instrument sound like it cost hundreds of dollars more.

For the instrument I received, the peg box was perfect. I did need to adjust the bridge a bit, but overall and for a mail-order instrument…this thing arrived pretty much in 100% condition. I didn’t have to spend hours setting it up.

All this talk and I didn’t mention the other components. The bow is really quite serviceable and actually has a quality winding. It’s wood, not fiberglass, which I think is vastly superior. The frog is also ebony, speaking to the overall quality of this product set. As for the case, it’s handy and sturdy, though there isn’t much room inside the case for accessories like rosin or strings. An instrument cover is included with the case. Use it.

Now then, next steps (and I apologize for this review dragging on so long, but buying a violin is NOT a trivial exercise). Buy new rosin (I prefer the Super Sensitive brand, light), as the rosin included here isn’t much good. And even though the Red Label strings are…OK, buy some synthetic core strings or at the very least some D’Addario Preludes. It will make a difference. Note well that new strings (including the ones that come on this instrument) will stretch over days and even a week or so before they settle down…so you will need to retune very regularly over that time frame.

So takeaway – this is a superior instrument for the student, and in fact it’s probably the best in class. I found the construction to be very good (yes, it’s made in China. But it’s evidently made in the part of China that doesn’t make cheap flip flops.) with no sign of hasty mass production. The varnish was evenly and properly applied, and there were no loose joints, chips, cracks, etc. It has a tone and playability that will not prevent your student from learning, nor will it encourage bad habits. In sum…it’s a very good instrument.

I am an absolute beginner & this violin didn’t disappoint. It’s of good quality & finish. The case is also nice. Although I’d have loved blue color more,to match the interior. The tuning took me some time (Especially G string) since it’s brand new & strings are rigid. The pegs could have been better quality. But at this level I guess it’s fine. The bridge came assembled. Rosin was also provided with the violin. The bow is nice,but had some metal worn-out marks on it. I liked it overall. I was sceptical about Amazon delivering the order fine to me,but they handled it well. Also kudos to the Raj musicals with whom I deal with on regular basis.

Cómo primer violín está perfecto, tiene un sonido definido y se puede afinar sin problema a que las clavijas resbalen y no estén bien encajadas. Este es tu combo perfecto para empezar a tocar. Me lo he comprado para retomar mis estudios de violín.