Instrument and Bow Buying Guide

Buying an instrument or bow can be an overwhelming experience.  With so many choices available, where does one start?  I hope that this short essay may be of help to the player or parent confronting the task of buying an instrument or bow.

It is important to keep an open mind about investing in an instrument

The first and foremost decision to be made is DECIDING ON A BUDGET.  Be realistic.

• Is this a first instrument or bow? 
• Is this the instrument or bow for a lifetime?

Instruments and bows are priced separately, and while bows are generally less expensive than the instrument, it is important to keep an open mind about investing in an instrument and a bow that will accompany the instrument well.

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The following is a general breakdown of how violins, violas and cellos are categorized and placed in their respective price ranges:

The Starting Point:
To find a well set up, good sounding instrument, the first time buyer should be prepared to spend between:
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• $800-$2,000 for a violin
• $1,000 - $2,500 for a viola
• $2,000-$3,800 for a cello

In general, these instruments will be new “workshop made”. This means that they were made by hand, but by many hands. This was done is Germany and France since the early 1800s, and more recently in China. The quality will vary with these instruments, so best to buy from a reputable shop where the instruments have been vetted, and where you will get a guaranteed trade back toward another instrument if desired.

Violins for Advancing Students

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Violas for Advancing Students

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Cellos for Advancing Students

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Advanced Student Bows

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Carbon Fiber Bows

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Bows by Stamell Strings

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Bow Costs:

• A corresponding violin bow will cost $100 - $150 for carbon fiber or $300 - $500 for a good wood bow.
• Viola bows will be $125 - $175 for carbon fiber, and $400-$600 for wood
• Cello bows will be $150-$200 for carbon fiber, and $600-$800 for wood.

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The Step Up:
A step up from the first time violin and viola can be found for

• Violin and viola step-ups can be found for $2,000 to $5,000
• Cello steps up can be found for $3,800 to $7,500
  

​These instruments are also often workshop made instruments, but of a higher quality.  Workshops will earmark the best wood for their best line of instruments. Often the makers of the more expensive instruments are the most experienced.  But instruments are not priced by sound. This is an important concept to understand. Instruments are priced by the maker, the condition, and factors other than sound.  That is why I always let players know that it’s possible to find the right instrument at the price that’s comfortable for them.

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In this price range you may also find older German, French, English and American instruments that have been restored to excellent playing condition. These instruments have the benefit of being older, with stable wood and often a richness to the sound that comes with age.
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Corresponding good wood bows for violins and violas  in this range would be $500-$1,200, and $800-$2,000 for cello.

Pierre Marcel Master VI Violin

$3,500.00

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Pierre Marcel V Viola

$3,800.00

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Pierre Marcel VI Cello

$9,800.00

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Jay Haide ‘l’ancienne’ (available at our Poughkeepsie, NY location)

$2,400.00

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​The Next Step:
The next step for violins and violas is the $5,000 to $10,000 range, and $7,500 to $18,000 for cello.

Here again you will find a mix of:

• workshop made instruments
• restored older instruments
• sometimes handmade instruments by up-and-coming makers​

Certain workshops like the Juzek workshop of Prague and the Heberlein and Roth workshops of Germany are sought after and getting more valuable as time goes on.  These instruments, though made in a workshop, are more expensive due to their fame and reputation.
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We have found good workshop made cellos from Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, and China.  Sometimes a shop may have their own label, but the instruments are still mostly made in one of the countries just listed. Some shops, like ours, occasionally have their own instrument made from a “white instrument”, which is an instrument made roughly in Germany but with no varnish. The instrument is then “graduated” or thicknessed, and finished off in house. This allows more control over the sound properties of the instrument. For cellos priced under $10,000 be sure that there is a good trade back policy, and that adjustments are included for changes neck angle and bridge height. 

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For cellos priced under $10,000 be sure that there is a good trade back policy, and that adjustments are included for changes to neck angle and bridge height. 

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The Professional:
Handmade instruments are instruments that are made completely by one person.

• Please note that while the label “handmade” is sometimes used for workshop made instruments, an instrument to be truly hand made must be made by one person.
• Handmade violins may be found for prices comparable to some of the better workshop made instruments. These are likely by amateur makers, or young makers who are building a career.
  
• Each maker sets their own price, but in general, handmade violins by professional makers start at around $15,000 - $20,000, violas the same or a little more, and cellos $30,000 and up.
  
• Many of these instruments will be excellent investments, as makers raise their prices as they become more well known and in demand, much like painters. 

Violin by Louis Guersan

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Cello by Guy Rabut New York, 2016

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Raymond Joseph Melanson Cello

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Northern Italian attributed to P.G. Rogeri c. 1730

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Michaelangelo Puglisi 1912 - 16.5" Viola

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Pierre Silvestre Violin c. 1830

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In Conclusion

Ultimately it’s a leap of faith to buy an instrument. A good instrument should sound better and better over time, but no one can guarantee what an instrument may or may not sound like in the future. Try the instrument at home for a few days, show it to a teacher or trusted player, and get some peace of mind by buying from a good shop with trade back guarantees.
 
Matt Stamell
​Owner of Stamell Stringed Instruments