Buying a violin in Nepal? A beginner’s guide to buying a violin in Nepal

While buying a violin, there are many things you need to consider. Violin price in Nepal is one of the most important factor to consider. For every violin student, from beginner to advanced, the purchase of a suitable instrument is a distinct milestone which can prove challenging. Your violin is your voice, and so must meet your expectations of tone as well as allowing development in technique and musical knowledge.  A bad instrument is often much harder to play than a good one.

Here are a few things you need to consider while purchasing a violin in Nepal:

1. Size of the violin

Never buy a violin that is too big for you. A big violin can cause technical difficulties and lead to health problems like neck, back and arm injuries. If the violin is too big or too small, it can affect the learning ability, which can be discouraging. When buying a violin, one should account for the age, body size, height and shape of the hand.

The available sizes of a violin are: 1/16, 1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 4/4. You need to consider the length of your arm while choosing the best violin for you. It is always the best idea to visit the violin store near you and choose the violin.

You should also consider how heavy the violin is. You should go for a violin that is neither too heavy nor too light.

Watch this video to learn more:

2. Construction of Violin:

The first thing you need to consider while buying a violin is the tuning pegs. Tuning pegs can be made out of wood and plastic. We recommend you always choose wood over plastic. Stagg violin has a wooden tuning peg. The material of the fingerboard must be checked before purchasing. Always choose the violin that has a wooden fingerboard. The fingerboard should align with the bridge and tail piece and should be even.

The nut should be of the right height ( not too high, not too low). If the nut is too high, it will be difficult to play. Conversely, if the nut is too low, then the violin will produce poor sound quality.

Check the neck of the violin. The neck should neither be too thick nor too thin. It all boils down to how comfortable a player feels while holding and playing the instrument. The strings of a violin should be considered. A good quality string produces good sound quality.

The body of the violin should be made out of solid wood and not plywood. It is a good idea to check the sound post of the violin. There may be chances that the sound post might have bulged. So, we recommend you do not buy a slim violin. The bridge should be properly carved so that it is attached to the violin body perfectly and so that the strings are not difficult to play.

Tail piece wire should be tight and screw back of tail piece should be checked. The end button should also be checked. If the end button is loose, it can lead to problems with the strings, sound quality, etc. The end button is a delicate and sensitive part of violin.

The varnish in the violin is responsible for humidity control. You need to make sure that the varnishing is evenly applied and there are no scratches.

3.  Beginner’s guide to buying a violin

It is not necessary for a beginner to break the bank and go for expensive instruments. The player should make sure that the violin materials are made of wood and not plastic. It is necessary to check the price and the quality of the instrument. Plastic-made, low quality violins are available in the market. These do not produce good quality sound. It is important for beginners and students to get used to hearing the right tone of the instrument so they develop a good sound quality.

Affordable and good violin brands available in Nepal are  Stagg, Skylark, Star way for full size and Legend.

4. Bow

Bow is as important for a violinist as having the right type of violin. Proper bow having perfect weight will make it easier to produce beautiful sound and makes the playing experience more relaxed. Before buying, check the bounciness and flexibility of the bow.

Close one eye and check the straightness of the bow. If the bow is not curved like a smile, then don’t buy it. You need to check if the adjusting screw is able to tighten and loosen the bow hair. Consider the thickness of the bow hair. The frog of the bow should be attached to the stick and there should be no gap left. The ferrule should be properly attached with bow hair. Do not touch the bow hair.

5. Shoulder rest

While purchasing a violin, you will get a violin, a bow and rosin. Shoulder rest is an accessory of a violin. Shoulder rest is very important for a player to avoid any physical injuries and pain. You should go for a flexible and adjustable shoulder rest according to the size of the violin. The material of the shoulder rest must be soft, comfortable and durable.

It is recommended to go for solid plastic material which is flexible and not easily breakable. In Nepali market, we can also find metal plate which is not flexible and adjustable and it will be uncomfortable.

6. Rosin

Violin rosin is made by heating fresh liquid resin, until it becomes solid. It smells a bit like pine and has a glassy, orange look. Without rosin, the hair of the bow will slide across the strings and won’t provide enough friction to produce any sound. So, it is necessary to have a good quality rosin.

7. Taking care of your violin

Violin is a very sensitive instrument. Here are few tips to take care of your violin:

• Protect from quick changes in temperature, heat and cold temperature
• Clean the instrument after using. Avoid dust in rosin and finger prints in your instrument
• Use soft and dry piece of cloth for covering the instrument before closing the case
• Never touch the bow hair

If you have any queries regarding any instrument, please feel free to contact us. Our experts at Treasure Music Store will always be ready to assist you.