Finding a violin is a daunting task. Even for violinists looking for a basic beginner instrument, there seem to be endless options with a huge range of price tags. It’s difficult to sort through the chaos.
In this guide, I’ll introduce you to Fiddlerman Violins, the founding brand of the Fiddlershop online store. They’re high-quality handmade instruments that cost a fraction of the price of similar instruments.
As a professional violinist and teacher, I’ve spent a lot of time looking for instruments for myself and my students. Luthiers have been perfecting the design, materials, and craftsmanship of violins for centuries, and there’s now an overwhelming number of options for students and professionals alike.
While many professionals often spend years searching for their perfect match in an antique and handcrafted instrument, this isn’t actually necessary for most students. Fiddlerman Violins offer an easy and painless alternative, so you can find a great instrument quickly and for an affordable price.
Quick Look: Best Fiddlerman Violins
★ #1 Best Fiddlerman Violins Overall: Fiddlerman Master ★
- Best Cheap Fiddlerman Violin: B-stock Fiddlerman OB1
- Fiddlerman Violin Under $1,000: Fiddlerman Master Violin Outfit
- Best Fiddlerman Violin Under $500: Fiddlerman Apprentice
- Best Advanced Fiddlerman Violin: Fiddlerman Soloist Violin Outfit
Below, I’ll walk you through the things you should consider when buying a violin, describe my favorite Fiddlerman models, and give answers to frequently asked questions.
About Fiddlerman Violins
Fiddlerman, founded by Pierre Holstein, is the founding brand of the growing online music retail shop Fiddlershop. The brand is committed to making string instruments accessible to all students, regardless of financial limitations. They provide high-quality, meticulously crafted instruments at a fraction of the cost of traditional luthiers and retailers.
They have a variety of instruments in a range of prices for beginning violin students to advanced performers.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Fiddlerman Violin
When choosing an instrument, it’s important to know what you’re looking for. Are you a complete beginner looking for your first instrument? Are you a student who’s getting more serious, looking for an instrument that will help you grow as a musician? Are you a seasoned professional, looking for a long-term instrument to use throughout your career?
How much are you willing to spend? And perhaps most importantly, what kind of tone and sound are you looking for? Every violin produces a unique sound, so it’s important to consider your general needs when considering the instrument you want to buy.
Size
Violins come in several sizes, from full-sized instruments (4/4) down to a fraction as small as 1/32. It’s very important for students to get the correct size of violin to avoid injury and encourage good technique. Younger and smaller students especially need to find the size that fits best with their body.
To determine if the violin is the right size for you, place the violin on your shoulder correctly and reach your left arm out towards the scroll. If you can wrap your fingers around the scroll, the violin fits your arm length. If your hands come nowhere near the scroll, the instrument is too large, whereas if your arm extends far past the scroll, the instrument is too small.
Most adults play a 4/4, although occasionally those with shorter arms play on the rarer 7/8ths size. The size of your instrument also affects its tone quality, as the design of a full-size instrument is uniquely designed to support the best acoustic qualities. That being said, many smaller instruments are very good.
The Overall Tone & Sound
Because they’re handcrafted, every violin sounds slightly different. Individual violinists also make instruments sound unique, so choosing an instrument that fits your desired tone and sound is a bit of a dark art. However, it’s possible to get a rough idea of a violin’s tone.
Generally speaking, antique and artisan instruments produce the highest quality sound, but cheaper models are more than adequate for beginning and intermediate students.
Price
Fiddlerman violins range from a few hundred dollars (with a case and bow included) to around $1,500 for a higher quality instrument. These instruments are far cheaper than antique and artisan violins, making them a great, high-quality alternative for students looking for an affordable option to start or continue their violin journey.
Types of Fiddlerman Violins
Fiddlerman violins come in models designed for beginning students all the way to advanced players, over a range of prices.
These instruments are carefully made and very high quality, without being nearly as expensive as many other models of violins.
Beginning Violins
These are models designed for students just starting the violin. They’re a great way for beginners to start playing without spending a crazy amount of money. Fiddlerman also sells instruments that have small visual imperfections but are nonetheless excellent instruments, so it’s possible to get a great instrument for a fraction of the original price.
See more: Best Beginner Violins Buyer’s Guide
Intermediate Violins
The next level up can last students for many years and are a great option for violinists looking for a higher quality instrument. These instruments are slightly more expensive than the basic models, but they’re still remarkably affordable.
See more: Best Intermediate Violins Buyer’s Guide
Advanced Violins
The nicest level of Fiddlerman violins come in at just over a thousand dollars. They’re great instruments for intermediate and advanced players. While these instruments are far from the antique, artisan violins that professionals use — and generally sell for many thousands of dollars — are perfect for students who are serious about the instrument but don’t have access to these prohibitively expensive instruments.
These models are the perfect instruments for refining technique, improving tone quality, and continuing your violin journey.
5 Best Fiddlerman Violins
Below, you’ll find my five favorite Fiddlerman Violins. I’ve chosen models over a range of price points and in each category of instrument described above.
1. B-stock Fiddlerman OB1 Violin Outfit
- Size: 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 4/4 sizes available
- Category: Beginning violin
- What’s included: Case (sturdy lightweight high-quality oblong violin case), bow (Fiddlerman carbon fiber violin bow), shoulder rest (Fiddlerman wood violin shoulder rest), rosin, mute, cloth (Fiddlershop polishing cloth), tuner (Fiddlerman digital tuner AV10)
- Material & finish: Varnished spruce and maple (dried for a minimum of four years), ebony fingerboard
- Best for: Beginning and intermediate students
B-stock Fiddlerman OB1 Violin Outfit instruments have slight visible imperfections, so they’re sold at a much lower price. These visible imperfections don’t affect the quality of violin in any way, however, making these models a high quality and affordable option for beginning and intermediate students.
They’re perfect for those who are looking for their first violin, Suzuki students, and those in school orchestras. They’re highly rated by hundreds of customers.
✅ Affordable
✅ Everything included (case, bow, and accessories)
✅ Tested with a 10-point inspection
✅ Lifetime warranty
❌ Not for more advanced players
Why I Recommend It
This is an incredible model for beginning and intermediate students, and it’s available at Fiddlershop for a fraction of the price than other retailers. I also love that it comes with the case, bow, and accessories, so students don’t have to shop for these items separately.
2. Fiddlerman Apprentice Violin Outfit
- Size: 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 4/4 sizes available
- Category: Beginning and intermediate violin
- What’s included: Case (Fiddlerman quality oblong violin case FC75), bow (Fiddlerman carbon fiber violin bow), shoulder rest (Fiddlerman wood violin shoulder rest), rosin, mute, cloth, tuner (Fiddlerman digital tuner AV10)
- Material & finish: Varnished spruce and maple (dried for a minimum of five years), ebony fingerboard, pegs, and finishings
- Best for: Beginning and intermediate students
The Fiddlerman Apprentice Violin is a step up from the OB1 model and provides a slightly more refined tone quality and flexibility. This is a great instrument for beginning and intermediate students looking for an affordable instrument to start or continue their violin studies. It comes with everything you need already included.
✅ Affordable
✅ Everything included (case, bow, and accessories)
✅ Tested with a 10-point inspection
✅ Lifetime warranty
❌ Not for advanced players
Why I Recommend It
This is another great and highly affordable option for beginning and intermediate students. It’s made out of high-quality materials and offers a slightly broader range of abilities than the most basic model.
3. Fiddlerman Artist Violin Outfit
- Size: 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 4/4 sizes available
- Category: Intermediate violin
- What’s included: Case (Fiddlerman quality oblong violin case FC75), bow (Fiddlerman carbon fiber violin bow), shoulder rest (Fiddlerman wood violin shoulder rest), rosin, mute, cloth, tuner (Fiddlerman digital tuner AV10)
- Material & finish: Varnished spruce and maple (dried for a minimum of seven years), ebony fingerboard, pegs, and finishings
- Best for: Intermediate students
The Fiddlerman Artist Violin Outfit is an exceptional instrument for intermediate players. With high-quality materials and wood that has been aged for much longer than the most basic models, this instrument will provide violinists with a deeper tone quality and far more capabilities, and it’s not nearly as expensive as the most advanced models.
This instrument is more than adequate for most beginning and intermediate players, and I’d recommend this to any student who sees themselves continuing their violin studies in the longer term.
✅ Extremely well made
✅ High value for price
✅ Everything included (case, bow, accessories)
✅ Rigorously inspected and handcrafted
❌ More expensive
❌ Not as useful for advanced players
Why I Recommend It
This is a wonderful instrument for students who see themselves continuing their studies for a long time, but who maybe don’t have the ability to drop over a thousand dollars on an instrument. It comes with everything included and is extremely high quality for the price.
4. Fiddlerman Master Violin Outfit
- Size: 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 7/8, and 4/4 sizes available
- Category: Intermediate and advanced violin
- What’s included: Case (Fiddlerman quality oblong violin case FC75), bow (Fiddlerman carbon fiber violin bow), shoulder rest (Fiddlerman wood violin shoulder rest), rosin, mute, cloth, tuner (Fiddlerman digital tuner AV10)
- Material & finish: Varnished spruce and maple (dried for a minimum of 10 years), ebony fingerboard, pegs, and fittings
- Best for: Intermediate and advanced students
The Fiddlerman Master Violin is a step up from the introductory models and features higher quality wood and handcrafted finishes. This is a great instrument for intermediate and advanced students looking for a more responsive and refined instrument, and it comes with a lifetime warranty and rave reviews.
✅ Extremely well made
✅ High value for the price
✅ Everything included (case, bow, accessories)
✅ Rigorously inspected and handcrafted
❌ More expensive
❌ Not for beginners
Why I Recommend It
This is a great instrument for intermediate and advanced players.
5. Fiddlerman Soloist Violin Outfit
- Size: 1/2, 3/4, 7/8, and 4/4 sizes available
- Category: Advanced violin
- What’s included: Case (Fiddlerman quality oblong violin case FC75), bow (Fiddlerman carbon fiber violin bow), shoulder rest (Fiddlerman wood violin shoulder rest), rosin, mute, cloth, tuner (Fiddlerman digital tuner AV10)
- Material & finish: Red-brown finish, spruce and maple (dried for a minimum of 12 years), ebony fingerboard, pegs, and fittings
- Best for: Intermediate and advanced students
Fiddlerman Soloist Violin is the most advanced model from Fiddlerman Violins, and it’s an excellent instrument for advanced students. Handcrafted and meticulously inspected, this instrument is made out of top-notch materials and provides a rich tone and a broad range of capabilities.
This is an excellent instrument for students who are looking for an instrument that is responsive to their evolving technique. It will last them for many years.
✅ Extremely well made
✅ High value for the price
✅ Everything included (case, bow, accessories)
✅ Rigorously inspected and handcrafted
❌ Expensive
❌ Not for beginners
Why I Recommend It
This is an excellent violin for players looking for an instrument that can take them far. I especially love that it comes with a lifetime warranty, and its five-star rating from hundreds of customers speaks volumes to the instrument’s quality. This is an excellent instrument for the price and a great option for serious students.
Fiddlerman Violins Aesthetics & Build
Fiddlerman violins are some of the highest quality bulk-produced instruments you can buy.
They’re all relatively uniform in their aesthetic and build, with attractive, deep red finishes and quality fittings.
Material
Fiddlerman violins are made from a combination of spruce and maple wood dried over a range of four to 12 years, depending on the quality of the instrument. (The longer the wood dries, the higher the quality of sound the instrument can produce.)
They come with ebony fingerboards and fittings, luthier-approved strings, and hand-carved bridges and sound posts made out of the highest quality wood.
Finish
Because Fiddlerman violins are bulk-produced, they’re largely the same finish, a deep red glaze that is professional looking and sophisticated.
Case, Bow, and Accessories
Fiddlerman violin sets come with everything you need to play, including a high-quality case, Fiddlerman carbon fiber bow, shoulder rest, cloth, tuner, and mute. For the more advanced models, customers can choose the appearance of the case.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Buying a violin is a big decision, so below, I’ve answered some common questions to help you make your choice.
How Much Do Fiddlerman Violins Cost?
Fiddlerman violins come in a range of prices, from under $300 to over $1000. Although this may seem like a lot at first, these violins are incredibly well made for their price and are a fraction of the price of antique, artisan instruments.
You get what you pay for, with the more expensive models designed for more advanced players. Because these violins are made out of quality materials and are well made, you can get an excellent instrument for an affordable price.
What Are the Best Fiddlerman Violins?
There is a range of Fiddlerman violins. Here are my three favorites:
B-stock Fiddlerman OB1 Violin Outfit
The most affordable model, the OB1 Fiddlerman Violin is a perfect choice for students who are just beginning their violin journey.
Fiddlerman Master Violin Outfit
The Fiddlerman Master Violin is an excellent option for intermediate and advanced students at a fraction of the price of similar instruments.
Fiddlerman Soloist Violin Outfit
The Fiddlerman Soloist Violin is the best violin for advanced students and is an incredible instrument at an affordable price.
Where Are Fiddlerman Violins Made?
Fiddlerman violins are made at the company’s headquarters in Florida.
What Is the Best Sounding Fiddlerman Violin?
The quality of sound that a violin can produce is directly related to the quality of the materials and craftsmanship and the length of time the wood has been aged. As such, the most advanced Fiddlerman model, the Soloist, provides buyers with the best possible sound.
Where to Buy Fiddlerman Violins
Fiddlerman violins are sold by many of the most common music retailers, but their price tag can vary depending on where you buy.
Fiddlershop
Because Fiddlershop owns Fiddlerman Violins, they offer customers the best deal on these products. All Fiddlerman violins come with a full outfit set, with a case, bow, and accessories included, making the buying process a simple one-stop purchase at a discounted price.
Amazon and Other Online Retailers
You can also buy Fiddlerman violins at Amazon or other online retailers, including Sweetwater and GuitarCenter.
Your Local Music Store
Most local music stores carry Fiddlerman violins and give customers the option to test out the instrument before buying. If they don’t have the model you’re looking for in stock, they will most likely order it for you to pick up at the store.
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In Conclusion
Buying an instrument doesn’t need to be a painful process. In this guide, I’ve walked you through one specific brand of instruments and answered questions about purchasing these instruments.
It’s important to determine what you’re looking for before you buy an instrument and to take advantage of trial periods and warranties throughout the process. For a painless instrument buying process, Fiddlerman Violins are a great option.