Pro Violinist Compares Cheap Beginner Violins from Amazon
Testing Cheap Beginner Violins from Amazon
Mendini MV300, Bailando & Paititi are three of the most affordable real violins on Amazon.com. How do they compare against each other? We put them to the test. After producing the video, we realized that the sound on the video sounded quite different from our in-person experience. What do you think about the scores? Do you agree/disagree? Comment and ask questions below!
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Jump to sections
0:22 Sound quality
- 0:24 Basic tone (Twinkle Twinkle in Mississippi Hotdog Rhythm)
- 1:09 Evenness (G Major Scale)
- 2:05 G & E string sound (Sarasate Introduction and Tarantella, Op. 43; Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto, No. 5)
3:05 Ease of playing (Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, 3rd Mvt)
4:30 Workmanship
5:25 Accessories
6:02 Final score!
Product links:
Please note that this is not a sponsored video. Our goal is to help you with your setup experience, and not to sell products. That said, it’s worth mentioning that below are affiliate links, so if you are inclined to support us in this effort, consider using these links.
Mendini MV300 Violin 4/4 ($69.99 as of time of upload)
amzn.to/2TclXQ1
Bailando Violin Starter Kit 4/4 ($79.99 as of time of upload)
amzn.to/2XkDNQi
Paititi Student Violin Starter Kit 4/4 ($79.99 as of time of upload)
amzn.to/2EpwkYE
Text from Video:
We’ll be comparing three violins under $100 from Amazon.com.
The three are
Mendini full size MV300 (currently priced at $69.99)
Bailando full size starter kit (currently priced at $79.99)
Paititi full-size starter kit
We’ll be testing for:
Sound quality
Ease of playing
Workmanship
Accessories
Let’s start with the sound quality. Here are four tests.
- Basic tone (Twinkle Twinkle in Mississippi Hotdog Rhythm): First we’ll hear a piece that every beginner gets to play at some point in their study. We’re testing for how pleasant the sound is, especially the open strings on A and E.
- Evenness (G Major Scale): Next we’ll make sure the sound is even across the different strings.
- G string sound (Sarasate Introduction and Tarantella, Op. 43): Now, we’ll focus on the low and high notes to check if they sound clear and focused.
- E String sound (Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto, No. 5)
Here are my scores for sound quality with 5 being the best
Mendini 4
Bailando 4
Paititi 3
Next is ease of playing. Here, we’re testing for clarity of notes when playing fast passages, especially during string crossings or bow changes. Listen if the violin responds to every note that is being played.
Ease of playing
Responsiveness test (Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, 3rd Mvt):
Here are my scores for ease of playing, 5 being the best.
Mendini 5
Bailando 3
Paititi 4
Workmanship
Next is workmanship. Let’s check for alignment and seams.
Alignment: Check bridge, f hole, fingerboard for proper alignment
Seams: fingerboard, neck & ribs
Bow: weight balance, frog & tip
Paititi violin seemed especially lacking in workmanship, and the other two seem decent. However, Paititi bow was the most balanced, meaning it wasn’t too top or bottom heavy. If it’s too top or bottom heavy, you will have more difficulty controlling your bow. Bailando was a tad too bottom heavy and Mendini was too top heavy.
Mendini 3
Bailando 3
Paititi 3
Accessories
Lastly, we’ll review the accessories that came with the violin as starter kits.
- For pegs & fine tuners, we’ll make sure the screws and pegs turn easily and the pegs tend to stay in place
- For shoulder rests & chin rests: we’ll make sure they are comfortable and sturdy
- For the rest of the accessories, such as strings, rosins and tuners, we’ll review whether they are of good quality.
Most of the accessories were of comparable quality. The differences I found were the fine tuners and pegs for Mendini being much smoother to turn than the other ones, and its strings holding the tune much better.
Mendini 3
Bailando 3.5
Paititi 2
It’s important to remember that although what we heard today may help you choose the right violin online, there could be inconsistencies in quality even among the same brand and model, especially for smaller sizes, because it is more difficult to build a nice sounding small violins. Also remember that violin is a very personal choice - at the end of the day YOU have to feel comfortable playing it. A good way to test different violins yourself would be to go to a local violin store or try the rental route, and hopefully this video will help you test the different violins in a more structured way. Check out the links below for these three violins that I tested today. That’s it and happy playing!
Пікірлер: 84
Thank you so much! Now I can trust my violin quality 100% and unsatisfy with my skill. Being skeptical about learning instrument's quality is not good to keep the motivation.
@akiotatsuki2621
3 жыл бұрын
Right? I’m just gonna buy one of these to start learning, n save up for a 500-1000 dollar one if I find I have an affinity for it
@justinbarnard8749
3 жыл бұрын
lol right? she took all my excuses away, now I know that it's just me who is the problem so I have to get better
@rickyanthony
6 ай бұрын
That's but also it's not uncommon for cheap Chinese violins to have crazy defects that make it unplayable like string height being crazy high or equal.
@ZERONEINNOVATIONS
6 ай бұрын
I actually lost motivation a few weeks after this comment because of the difficulty of making "sound" with violin and my Chinese violin has been sitting on my wall for 4 years.... I'm still a beginner. But at least I didn't waste any money lol. I'm still practicing piano every week though.
I am team Mendini...I think tge overtones are sweeter to my ear.
@somedude3601
3 жыл бұрын
Same
@missyychia
3 жыл бұрын
Agreed!
@deepdoshi7113
3 жыл бұрын
What's An overtone?
@violinNrock
3 жыл бұрын
Agreed
wondeful review, to the point and as neutral as possible. really classy. oh and what you got out of the MV during the playability test was downright breathtaking. goes to show how a great player can get a good sound out of (almost) anything.
They are still really great for what they cost. The skill is in the musician and usually not the instrument!
@proksenospapias9327
2 жыл бұрын
Yeah the skill is obviously on the musician since the musician is a person and the violin is mostly just wood. But the thing is, there's a reason good players want good equipment.
@BabyBugBug
2 жыл бұрын
They are fine for a student, but to me they sound muted, with a lack of sound quality seen in $3000+ violins. Of course price is not indicative of a good violin, but mass produced ones cannot compare with handmade ones that you will undoubtedly spend much more on.
Thank you for this video. I now know what to look out when purchasing my first violin.
Incredible playing!! 👏👏
Great vid. Your playing makes them sound beautiful.
Thank you for your wonderful video! Your playing is fantastic and I'm now more confident that I can buy a "beginning" violin and still (eventually) make it sound good.
@helloviolin9359
5 жыл бұрын
I'm so glad you found it helpful, SundayMatinee! Best of luck on your journey!
Well done review! The way it should be done!
3:18 ohh my .. I quit !!
@helenhaaverstun1153
3 жыл бұрын
Me too.
What a great review! Seems we got much more than that. I might just get a Mendini to get a feel for a violin, see if I want to try to learn it a bit or a lot. Hear the sound in my own house. No risk of breaking someone else's precious instrument.
Great video, thanks for your professional opinion on the different violins.
@helloviolin9359
5 жыл бұрын
Glad you find it helpful!
What an excellent review! I agree with your conclusions! Thank you!
Thanks a lot very well comparison
Thanks!
That was a great review thanks. Your playing was phenomenal! I liked the wood grain, varnish and appearance of the "Bailando" best of the 3 instruments. Aren't they all likely to have been made at the same chinese factory? For the price they all represent tremendous value for money, I don't know how they do it! Best wishes.
Very informative! Please make a review on Cremona SV-75 violin.
Thank you for sharing. :)
My skill is such that I can sound just as bad on a $100 instrument as I can on a $100,000 instrument. Seriously - it's true!
It is amazing you can make good sound out of these cheap violins. The scoring method is kind of scientific. Great video!
Great review! Even cheap violin sounds great in hands of skilled violinist. I have even cheaper violin, Glarry GV101 which is a plywood violin and it's awesome. Actually far better than a much more expensive "real violin" bought from a professional violin shop years ago and which I played with for many years. So cheap does not necessarily mean bad with violins as long as you are comfortable with the violin and enjoy the music it produces.
Hi. What was each song that you played?
the bailando sounds great actually, but when played quickly had some issues
@securityguy8353
4 жыл бұрын
i am planning to purchase one, can you please recommend me one (Beginner level but fall in love with violins )
@dhruvrajaganesh1608
4 жыл бұрын
@@securityguy8353 buy strobel its a bit more expensive but its the best beginner
soo helpful. i am looking to buy a violin :)
The first two are the same but the third was better . Great compression thank you ♥️😍
Loved the second violin
@willmack3308
3 жыл бұрын
It sounds almost identical to the violin I have to replace.
Wow.. honestly I bought me used mendini on OfferUp from a highschool student. The reason I did it is because back home my indigenous people play the violin and 2 other guitars so I got me a "cheap" one to start... I did played but people in my family were telling me I was really good. Eventually I stopped because I never had the time to go to classes or so
Thank you for the video Team Mendini. Just wanted to make sure I didnt have to spend thousands on a Violin
Woow
Would you recommend changing the strings and getting a better bow? Asking for a friend interested in learning and buying an affordable violin. I myself am interested in the cello, and I saw a KZreadr review for a cello on Amazon and that’s what they recommended for that instrument. Thank you for the help!
@BabyBugBug
2 жыл бұрын
Absolutely invest in a better now. Hands down the best choice you can make. The one they include in student violin outfits like this is cheap, heavy, and lacks stiffness that you need to play well.
@jrsforest187
Жыл бұрын
Yes
At least the Mendini almost had well fitted pegs. The other two just gave up on tapering the holes.
For me they sound same...I cant feel any different. Thank you for the review,
I feel like the mendini violin is the best choice im thinking about getting the mendini violin (probaly the mv200 one though)
@deadmanswife3625
2 жыл бұрын
Did you get it? I have the 300 I love that freaking thing
@andrematus2708
2 жыл бұрын
@@deadmanswife3625 I am in 5th grade and thinking to get the mv300
3:18 happens Me: O.k imma head out✌🏿
@vlady2193
3 жыл бұрын
Just wait till u hear Paganini 24
Hi i am devenra Bhosle from india I am violinist i like paititi violin tone & sound
Ive noticed that the mendini mv 300 is 99.99 currentlyis this worth it? Or is there a better one that is not more than 130?
@deadmanswife3625
2 жыл бұрын
Well worth it. Anyway there's a $10 off coupon right now. Did you get your violin yet
I liked the video but haven't watched it, maybe later. My Cheap Beginner strategy is to get an electric and upgrade the tailpiece, the bridge, and the strings, and bow for NOT a great deal more and buy some peg dope and probably Book & DVD Picture Yourself Playing Violin by Bridgette Seidel to go along with all the videos I've watched and will be watching. Best preparation is probably phone apps for; sight reading, ear training, rhythm training, and detail knowledge if music theory. Traditional violins have issues that are murder to an unkowing student. Electric gets rid of sound post & much of humidity issue. You'll still be tuning tuning tuning & that ear training will help keep you on top of that in addition to locating your fingers.
Wet sand the Mendini with 2500 grit and finish with polishing compound and it looks like an actual good quality violin.
i pick the middle violin.
Mendini wins !!
mendini have my ears
I have a paititi, so therefor I’m team paititi 🙁
Bailando
dang I thought the 3rd one sounded the best! the paititi
Mendini is the best.
Mendini and its not even close
I think there is something wrong with my ears, they all sound as a Stradivari, may be the result by masterly playing of the violinista!
you blink everytime you change upstroke/downstroke
Guess what she has 4 fine tuners
@LuoQiin
3 жыл бұрын
Is that bad?
@colaiii31
3 жыл бұрын
because it's for beginners
@prodbyevadwave
3 жыл бұрын
@@colaiii31 oh ok
So which one is the best ?
@davecarsley8773
4 жыл бұрын
Did you watch the video? She literally gives number ratings on every aspect of each violin *and* an overall number rating to each. Spolier alert: the one with the highest rating is the best one.
@morticia4886
4 жыл бұрын
@@davecarsley8773 thanks, I watched the video in parts and finally I watched it completed. Thank you
@imovedtoanotherplaceuwu9355
4 жыл бұрын
@@davecarsley8773 couldn't you just fucking say which one was the best? so I wouldn't have to watch the damn video Jesus. U wrote all of that for fucking common sense.
@BeeFrog75
3 жыл бұрын
@@imovedtoanotherplaceuwu9355 Chill out bro they didn't do anything wrong
@kutter_ttl6786
3 жыл бұрын
@@imovedtoanotherplaceuwu9355 Maybe because if someone takes the time to put together a video maybe you should give them the courtesy of watching the damn video?
I think they sound the same
@luisvaldez6295
5 жыл бұрын
Eevee vlogs they don't sound the same.
@Kuroiiyami
2 жыл бұрын
Depends on the person and what type of war they have and if they’re been a music student for long