brock29609 - Posted - 11/13/2018:  10:00:02

For Xmas my 12-year-old daughter wants an electric violin to tinker with at home. Need advice, please.



She has an acoustic she plays at school. She's not yet using a full sized, but she's very close so don't mind getting one she'll grow into. Hoping to spend between $300-500 on a used electric. I want something durable/stable, but I don't need top-of-the-line. I don't mind spending on the higher end of the range for good quality if it means it'll have better resell one day.



Advice on what brand/model I should search for??

Also, I'm a guitar/bass guy, so I have all the amps, cords, effects, etc. needed.

Edited by - brock29609 on 11/13/2018 10:23:02

brock29609 - Posted - 11/13/2018:  10:00:35

I have another question to ask, but it has photo links and I can't post those until my 3rd post...

brock29609 - Posted - 11/13/2018:  10:02:23

OK, question #2.  What about this one?  Good choice?  it's an "Aurora Atelier WS".  Google reveals nothing about it.  

ChickenMan - Posted - 11/13/2018:  11:05:41

There are a number of inexpensive electric violins out there. Some are best for use with headphones. For the money you are talking, you can get a pretty good violin. I know there are folks here with electric violin experience; you'll hear more from them, I'm sure of it.

ChickenMan - Posted - 11/13/2018:  11:07:27

Here's the manufacturer website, in Portuguese, I believe. 

auroraelectricviolins.com/atelier

brock29609 - Posted - 11/13/2018:  11:25:12

Saw the maker's page, but translated text gives very little info. The one retailer's page I found didn't have this exact model. Only showed versions with preamps. No reviews out there.

ChickenMan - Posted - 11/13/2018:  11:49:09

How much money for the one you pictured?

brock29609 - Posted - 11/13/2018:  11:58:15

$500 sound right?

brock29609 - Posted - 11/13/2018:  12:14:46

(...with gig bag)

JoeTee - Posted - 11/14/2018:  07:59:20

Shar has some very nice low end electrics and they are very helpful, reputable and responsive. Ebay has tons of inexpensive, but its hard to tell the quality.

sharmusic.com/

bluenote23 - Posted - 11/14/2018:  09:45:33

I have a couple of NS Design violins. The inexpensive one, a WAV is very good. Easy to tune, height adjustable bridge but until you set it up right, the shoulder rest/chin rest design can be challenging. Very easy to play and, unplugged, very quiet if you want to practice late at night. No headphone option on this low end model but used, with patience and luck, you can find them at less than $400.

I have played a Yamaha SV 130 and I thought that it also played well.

I would be concerned about cheap chinese electric violins just in terms of the hardware and the build quality. If you stick with the better known names in electric violins (and on a budget, that's really going to be the NS and Yamaha) then you can feel more confident in these areas.

Mojohand40 - Posted - 11/14/2018:  11:11:40

Lonnng answer for anyone looking for solid body Electric Violins based on my meager experience and opinion:

I have a Cecilio electric ( about 130 bucks new online), and a Yamaha SV130 (which is my main instrument).

I have tried at Shar Music in Ann Arbor, MI their SEVT ( link to SEVT ) and their PPV24t ( link to PPV24T ) as well as their SAEV4 ( Link to SEAV4 ).

I have tried the Yamaha YEV (Yev ).

I also tried "The Realist E-Series" ( Realist ) which is a bit pricey, and not really a solid body, as it's acoustic with built in pickup.  I will say right away, however;  that this was one of the best electrics I have EVER played. I'm still thinking of selling some gear and getting it.  Actually I think it is up there with one of the best acoustics I have played. 

Anyway; here is my quick impressions  and thoughts on the ones  I listed above:

Cecilio: Inexpensive, and a good choice if you just want a practice/once in awhile "silent" violin. They run about 130.00 bucks new. See Amazon.  Out of the box, the bridge needed a little sanding, but fitting a bridge to this type of violin is WAY easier then an acoustic (the body is flat and the bridge fits into a little "tray").  It needs new strings right away.  Also, it only has an 1/8" jack, so using it into an amp or into guitar effects requires a special cable or adaptor which is a pain.  For headphone play, throw away the little headphones that come with it and get some decent ones, and it's not bad.   It has a separate input for plugging in a smartphone or CD player or  whatever to play along with.  The "tone" knob is ...not good.  I have modded mine a bit, and still use it from ime to time, especially if I am using a LOT of weird electric effects.   It's a decent enough starter electric.

Yamaha SV130: HIGHLY recommend.  These have been discontinued, but show up used etc.   A little pricey, but very playable instrument.  It has 1/4" output, 1/8" input and headphone jack.  Two really nice reverb settings.   The only thing some folks hate about it is you are kind of stuck using the shoulder rest it comes with, though I personally never saw that as a problem, I can see how it could be for some.   Through headphones this thing sounds great, (to me anyway), and is very playable and was well set up right from the get go. Incidentally, I got mine from the Electric Violin Shop electricviolinshop.com/ and I recommend them as well.  Good shop to deal with.

Shar SEVT: (Link) Not bad at all! For the price a pretty great electric.  I did not play this one through headphones, only through an amp.  I would say set up wise, much better then the Cecilio, and sound wise, a little better.   I would say it's a step below the yamaha, but you can use your own shoulder rest, and it has a 1/4" output jack as well.   If I didn't have the yamaha and the cecilio already, I would have bought this one.  It is a little less "silent" then the other designs, but if that is not an issue, who cares?    I think for what the OP is looking for this is the best choice.

Shar PPV24T: (link)  This is also a really nice electric, better then the Cecilio, but a lot more expensive. Personally, I didn't like the headstock and geared tuners, though some may. It does get rid of the need for fine tuners.   I kind of like this one, but honestly, I think, sound wise, it's maybe only a little bit better then the SEVT  when plugged in.

Shar SAEV4: this one is an electric acoustic, so it may not be what the OP wants at all, but I will say; it's a pretty decent instrument.  The only thing about this one is I tried the "Realist E-Series" violin first, which is similar, but way better sounding and playing (which is my opinion only), but to be fair WAY more expensive.  I would still recommend the SAEV4 or 5 if someone is looking for an acoustic that they will occasionaly want to plug ino an amp or board. 

Yamaha YEV: A lot of info online out there for this one.  Some folks love them.  The design is quite beautiful, in my opinion.  Keep in ind though, that this one is passive.  Meaning, among other things, no headphone play.  It plays well and you can use your own shoulder rest. Things I didn't like:  The pickup is built into bridge, meaning you can't reasonably replace the bridge.  The sound was underwhelming compared to the other electrics I plugged in.  Personally, I WANTED to like this instrument, but didn't.  Though there are lots of players who do.