VIF: BV 300

Submitted by Bearfoothillbilly on 6/26/2013

Where Purchased: Amozan.com

Year Purchased: 2013
Price Paid: 163.40 ($US)

Sound

Sounds great with the string it came with But much better with new better quality strings

Sound Rating: 6

Setup

Came fully set up. took it to my local store to have it checked out and thy said it looked really good.

Setup Rating: 10

Appearance

For the price I feel like I got the kings bargain.

Appearance Rating: 10

Reliability

No trouble

Reliability Rating: 10

Customer Service

I did not need to use Customer Service.

Customer Service: 10

Components

The only upgrade I intend to make is replacing the box wood pegs, tail piece, end pin, and Chen rest with more ornate carved rose wood. My choice the boxwood parts are all very good.

Components Rating: 10

Overall Comments

I did a lot of research on what violin I could get that would not break he bank.
After over 6 months of reading I settled on the VIF violin. And I could not be more pleased. It came well packaged (The box was thick so it held up to ups standers of roughness.) The Violin was well setup, sound post was fitted right, and the bridge was also set properly. And the craftsmanship was better than what I saw at my local music superstore. No runs in the varnish. The finger board was smooth and real ebony. (Not dyed hard wood like other violins in the same price range.) The piffling is also real inlayed not panted on. The bow was is much better than I expected. (No warping or twisting like cheaper bows.) The case…It is nice but could be better. (The only week spot in the set.) Yet it is better than some of the cases that come with other cheaper violins. (I buy a few each year to give to people who don’t have the means to get a good one their self’s.

A very good investment for the starter violinist of any age. For more info on vif violins go to www.chairman.hk (it is mostly in Chinese but enough English to answer most questions.

Also comes with a “Certificate of Authenticity”. Mine reeds Antonius Stradivarius 300.
And the label inside the violin reads
“Antonius Stradivarius model
Estab. 1995 Design in Italy
Series 300”

Overall Rating: 10