Stentor is the leading manufacturer of high-quality, affordable string instruments. Although they’re based in the UK, they distribute instruments to over 30 countries, with the mission of ensuring that every student, regardless of financial situation, can learn to play.
These are great instruments if you’re just starting to pick up the violin or if you’re an intermediate student looking for an affordable upgrade.
Quick Look: Best Stentor Violins
★ #1 Best Stentor Violins Overall: Stentor Arcadia Violin ★
- Best Cheap Stentor Violins: Stentor Student I Violin Outfit
- Best Stentor Violins Under $1,000: Stentor Conservatoire II Violin
- Best Stentor Violins Under $500: Stentor Graduate Violin Outfit
- Best Advanced Stentor Violins: Stentor Arcadia Violin
As a professional musician and teacher, I recommend these instruments to students who need an affordable option. When buying an instrument, it’s important to find a setup that meets your needs and will allow you to grow as a musician. Below, you’ll find a guide to my favorite Stentor violins to help you make the best decision!
About Stentor Violins
Stentor Violins is the leading maker of affordable, high-quality instruments for students and beginning musicians. They’re dedicated to ensuring that every child has access to learning an instrument.
They don’t compromise quality for cost, and they meticulously craft instruments out of the finest materials and ensure a high level of quality control. These are great instruments for students who are complete beginners or those who have been playing for years.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Stentor Violin
There are several important things to consider when choosing a violin. Stentor makes this process simpler by selling violins in sets that include the case, bow, and accessories. But, there’s still a range of quality, price, and size. Here are some of the most important factors to consider:
Size
Violins come in a range of sizes, from 1/32th to 4/4. It’s crucial to find the one that fits you best. Particularly for small children, an instrument that’s too large has the potential to cause injury, so don’t overlook this step! To determine the right size of violin, you should be able to reach your left arm out with your violin in position and be able to wrap your hand around the scroll of the violin.
For most average-sized adults, a 4/4 is good, although some violinists with shorter arms prefer a 7/8ths.
The Overall Tone & Sound
There are several things that influence the quality of tone and sound that a violin produces. The type of wood, length of drying, and crafting processes all influence this. Stentor violins come in a range of quality levels, although they strive to make even the most affordable models with attention to sound quality.
Price
Stentor violins come in a range of prices, from as low as $150 up to a few thousand dollars for the highest quality models. Beginning and intermediate students can find an excellent option for a fraction of the price of other options.
Types of Stentor Violins
Stentor violins come in a range of models, from the most basic, beginning-level instruments to well-made instruments for advanced students.
Stentor Student Violins
Stentor makes four models of violins for beginning students. These are affordable options for students buying their first instrument.
Stentor Intermediate Violins
There are three Stentor models that fall between the beginning instruments and those for more advanced players. I recommend them as a “step-up” instrument for students who have been playing for a while and are looking for an improvement to their beginning model.
Stentor Advanced Violins
Stentor makes five models of violins that are performance-ready. They’re an excellent option for advanced students looking for an instrument that can carry them through any number of performance situations. These violins are not geared towards students who are just starting.
5 Best Stentor Violins
So which model should you get? Below, you’ll find my five favorite Stentor models and a guide to the features that will be important in your decision.
Stentor Student I Violin Outfit
- Sizes available: 4/4, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/10, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64
- What’s included: Violin, wood bow with ebony frog, lightweight case with safety reflectors
- Material & finish: Carved from solid tonewoods, mid brown varnish, ebonised straight grained fingerboard, high-quality dark pau rosa pegs, composite tailpiece, integral adjusters
- Best for: Beginning students
Stentor makes several entry-level violins, and the Stentor Student I is my favorite. It comes in a much more extensive range of sizes than other models, making it the perfect option for young players who need access to smaller sizes. It comes with everything you need to start your violin journey.
✅ Affordable
✅ Case and bow included
✅ Great for beginners
✅ High quality
❌ Not for more advanced players
❌ No accessories included
Why I Recommend It
This is the perfect instrument for beginning students or people looking for the most affordable instrument.
Stentor Graduate Violin Outfit
- Sizes available: 4/4
- What’s included: Violin, well balanced wood bow, lightweight oblong case
- Material & finish: Carved from solid tonewoods, shaded satin warm brown finish, ebony fingerboard & pegs, composite tailpiece with integral adjusters, inlaid purfling, synthetic gut strings
- Best for: Adult beginners, intermediate students
The Stentor Graduate Violin Outfit is a step up from the student model and is a great option for beginning students. This model is perfect for adult beginners who are looking for a nice instrument that’s affordable.
✅ Affordable
✅ Case and bow included
✅ Great for beginners
✅ High quality
❌ Only comes in 4/4 size, so it’s not a good option for smaller students
❌ No accessories included
Why I Recommend It
This is a great option for adult students who are just starting to pick up the violin. It’s a well-made, quality instrument at an affordable price.
Stentor Conservatoire II Violin Outfit
- Sizes available: 4/4, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8
- What’s included: Violin, selected wood bow with ebony frog, deluxe oblong case, high-quality rosin
- Material & finish: Finely carved spruce front, carved flamed maple back, finely carved maple neck, shellac varnish, ebony fingerboard and pegs, inlaid purfling, composite tailpiece, integral adjusters, synthetic gut strings
- Best for: Intermediate students
The Stentor Conservatoire II Violin Outfit is a step up from the basic models. It’s an excellent option for students who are looking to replace their first instrument or players looking for an affordable, well-made option.
✅ Great for improving students of all ages
✅ Case, bow, and rosin included
✅ Excellent craftsmanship
✅ Affordable
❌ Not for advanced students
Why I Recommend It
This is a perfect option for students who are improving and need a violin that can match their skills.
Stentor Verona Violin Outfit
- Sizes available: 4/4
- What’s included: Violin, silver mounted brazilwood bow, deluxe oblong case, brass finish fittings
- Material & finish: Finely carved spruce front, flamed maple back and sides, finely carved maple neck, hand-applied shellac varnish, ebony fingerboard and fittings, inlaid purfling, Wittner tailpiece, Aubert bridge, branded European or American strings
- Best for: Intermediate and advanced students
The Stentor Verona Violin Outfit is the most affordable model in Stentor’s “advanced” series. It’s an excellent option for intermediate and advanced students. It’s made of the highest quality materials and is very well made.
✅ Highest quality materials
✅ Case and bow included
✅ Great for intermediate and advanced players
✅ Affordable compared to similar quality violins
❌ Not for beginning students
Why I Recommend It
This is the perfect violin for intermediate and advanced students looking for a violin that can respond to their improving skill. It’s made of the highest quality materials, ensuring an excellent tone quality and sound without breaking the bank.
Stentor Arcadia Violin
- Size: 4/4
- What’s included: Violin, deluxe oblong case, brass finish fittings
- Material & finish: Selected spruce front, highly figured maple back, ribs & neck, inlaid purfling, traditional shellac varnish, ebony fingerboard and pegs, Pirastro strings
- Best for: Advanced students
The Stentor Arcadia violin is the top of the line of Stentor violins. Each instrument is handmade in a traditional luthier’s workshop, and each instrument has a unique, rich sound. These instruments can provide students with incredible quality, without the price tag of the far more expensive antique instruments.
✅ Incredible quality
✅ Handmade out of the best materials
✅ Great for advanced students
✅ Affordable compared to similar quality instruments
❌ Not for beginning students
❌ Expensive
Why I Recommend It
This is an excellent instrument for advanced students who are looking for a violin that meets their needs without the steep price tag of professional, antique models. I would recommend this to any student who needs a high-quality instrument.
Stentor Violins Aesthetics & Build
Stentor violins all have similar aesthetics and build, although slight variations are possible on each individual instrument.
Material
Stentor violins are made of aged solid tonewoods, selected for their quality. Spruce, maple, and ebony wood is used for the body and neck. Stentor violins come with high-quality metal strings, and many include wood bows with horsehair and a variety of finishes, including ebony, mother of pearl, and silver fastenings.
See more: Best Violin Bows Buyer’s Guide
Finish
Stentor violins are finished with traditional shellac varnish.
Color
The color of Stentor violins varies among each individual instrument, but most are a variety of warm brown.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do you still have questions? Here are some additional things to consider:
How Much Do Stentor Violins Cost?
Stentor violins are wonderfully affordable, and they range from $150 to a couple of thousand dollars, depending on the quality of the model. Beginners can easily find a high-quality instrument for less than $500.
What Are the Best Stentor Violins?
Still wondering what the best option for you is? Here are my three favorite Stentor violins:
Stentor Student I Violin Outfit
The Stentor Student I Violin Outfit is my favorite option for beginning students. It’s affordable, well made, and a perfect first instrument for students of any age.
Stentor Verona Violin Outfit
The Stentor Verona Violin is perfect for intermediate or advanced students looking to upgrade their instrument without spending a huge amount of money. This violin is an excellent instrument, and I would recommend it to any advancing student.
Stentor Arcadia Violin
For violinists looking for a professional quality instrument without the price tag of antique violins, the Stentor Arcadia Violin is the instrument for you.
Where Are Stentor Violins Made?
Stentor violins are made in the company’s headquarters in the UK.
What Is the Best Sounding Stentor Violin?
The Arcadia violin is the instrument with the best sound and tone quality.
Where to Buy Stentor Violins
Stentor violins are distributed to over 30 countries and are easily found in most music shops and online retailers.
Amazon
Amazon is an easy place to find a Stentor violin, with the added benefits of great prices, convenient return policies, customer reviews, and fast shipping.
Online Music Retailers
Other online music retailers are also an option for finding these instruments.
Your Local Music Store
Most local music stores will either have Stentor violins in stock or give you the option to order through the store. This is an excellent option for students who would prefer to try the violin before buying it.
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In Conclusion
Stentor violins are a wonderful option for beginning students looking for their first instrument, along with advanced performers looking for an upgraded instrument. They are well-made from the highest quality materials and offer excellent quality control.
In this guide, I walked you through the considerations to make before buying an instrument, the five best models, answers to frequently asked questions, and my three favorite instruments. I hope this guide helps and that you find the best instrument for you!
