Best violins for beginners in 2023

Best for: live performance

While the violin has an instantly recognisable shape and strict build tradition, (relatively) recent innovations in the world of music have inspired new directions for the instrument. The invention of the electromagnetic pickup in the 1930s spawned a revolution in instrument design, and single-handedly changed the shape of popular music. While this particular invention is most commonly attributed to the electric guitar, it naturally lends itself to other stringed instruments – the violin included.

Yamaha’s YEV-104 is a powerful iteration of the ‘electric violin’, which dispenses with the traditional, naturally-amplifying hollow body in favour of a lightweight frame and some passive electronic circuitry. A piezo pickup lies within the bridge of the violin, picking up the resonance of both the strings and the body as a whole. Speaking of which, the body utilises spruce, mahogany, maple and walnut to provide a warm resonance without breaking the bank.

The pickup is accompanied by a volume control, which can be switched in and out of the signal path via a selector switch. This allows the player to guarantee full response, or to maintain perfect control of their output volume without sacrificing dynamic play. The YEV-104 is extremely versatile in this way, though the output sound does differ quite significantly from that of a conventional acoustic violin.

The form of the violin allows for quiet, unobtrusive bedroom practice unplugged, and the output makes recording performances to listen back all the easier. The cost makes this more of a performer’s instrument than a learner’s, but it remains a strong beginner option at the upper end of the budget spectrum.