SV-175

This is an instrument that I purchased to replace a Mendini MV300 for my oldest. The Mendini really required a lot of love to get it in shape to play, and though we got two years out of it, the instrument really started holding him back. Frankly, if I had it to do all over again (even not knowing if he'd like the violin or not...) I'd have gone with this rig. If you're here, it's probably either because the school year has started and it's time to find an instrument for your son or daughter, or perhaps you're looking to learn the violin yourself. I found buying to be more attractive than renting for various reasons. But we aren't here to talk about instrument economics. We're here to talk about the Cremona SV-175, which in my mind is an ideal beginner or novice level instrument. Further, with enough love, this instrument will likely carry the student through the intermediate level. It's really quite good. First though, is the obligatory word of caution: this is NOT a professional-level instrument. If you approach the instrument on those terms, you will be disappointed. It's not fair to judge by those criteria, particularly since Cremona is not selling this as a masterwork. No, this is a student violin, well made but nonetheless intended for students. It will not get in the way of the student trying to learn, nor will it encourage bad habits. Now typically, I shy away from buying complete all-in-one, accessory-laden packages. In the music world, while price doesn't always equal quality, there is a point where that doesn't really hold true. If you're buying a ginormous outfit at about the same price as a violin + bow from another maker, then you have fewer dollars going into the actual violin...and it will show. You want your money to go to instrument quality, which means good tonewoods like solid spruce and maple, ebony fittings like the pegs and fingerboard, and good craftsmanship and setup. The Cremona offers you that, at a pretty good price point. I had absolutely no problems receiving this via mail. The instrument was well-nestled in its case and packed/padded enough to prevent damage. Moreover, it looked as though someone actually did setup on this instrument (more on setup in a minute)...the bridge fits, the pegs fit, the soundpost was in place...so really, all I needed to do was tune it up, rosin the bow, and I was in business. As these were new strings (D'Addario Preludes), certainly they required a few days of constant tuning until they settled down, but settle down they did and the results are fantastic. Again, in this context, this is a very good instrument, especially after some time of regular playing to get it to open up. The tone is marvelous and certainly belies the pedigree of the instrument. It sounds great. However, this isn't to say you have nothing to do here. When receiving this or any other violin in this manner, PLEASE spend some time looking at the setup and take it to a professional luthier when you get a chance. It's a small investment but will pay dividends down the road. In particular, consider: -The peg box. If pegs are either slipping or are overly hard to turn (and I mean really hard) then either the pegs or the peg box holes are the wrong size/shape. The pegs should be conical and the ends should be flush with the peg box hole on the opposite side. If not, they may need to be reshaped. A lutheir can help with this. -The soundpost. This should NOT be glued into place, instead wedged inside the instrument. It should also be in a very particular place...if it's misplaced, the violin will sound flat or muted. Soundpost placement requires some specialized tools and knowledge, best left to a luthier. -The bridge. If you're handy with wood, you can probably do this yourself. Mainly you want the bridge to be standing straight up and perpendicular to the top of the violin. If it's leaning to or fro then that tells you it's in the wrong spot (it should be even with the little notches in the F holes) and the strings are too tight or too loose against the bridge. In addition, the feet need to be flush with the violin top with 100% contact, and that means they need to be cut so as to accommodate the curvature of the top. It may take a little fussing, but a properly-placed bridge makes a huge difference. it more efficiently transmits the vibrations of the strings to the body of the instrument. -The strings. I like the Prelude strings these come with, finding them to have a nice bright tone. They are steel core, so they will be lacking a certain warmth. So that said, I typically gravitate toward synthetic core strings, like Dominants (although D'Addario has the Pro-Arte line that are nylon core which I like very much as well). Strings are not a trivial purchase, so resist the urge to scrimp here...I think they are the component that has the single biggest impact on the overall sound of the instrument. Again, note and note well that new strings always require a breaking in period and will stretch over the course of days before settling down. You'll need to retune very regularly until they do. That isn't to say that there aren't *some* compromises here. The bow is functional and actually pretty good for a starter outfit, but it's not something that's going to last for the long haul. The case, on the other hand, is simply fantastic...it's sturdy with a nice big compartment inside to hold accessories like extra strings, rosin, a tuner, etc. So to conclude (and I'm sorry this review is stretching on so long): I found this to be a simply fantastic instrument for the student, quite probably one of the best offered. And I say that knowing full well that it's made in China - but it's made with care and attention and craftsmanship, so that pedigree doesn't bother me one bit. This isn't a hastily-made, mass produced Violin Shaped Object. Varnish is appropriately applied and the instrument overall does not have any chips, cracks, loose joints, etc. The tone and playability are right on, so much so that this will encourage the student to learn and learn properly. It's simply a very good violin.

I bought this violin for my daughter because I don't want to pay for violin rental. This is not a perfect violin, but for what I paid for, it is a good value. The violin is well constructed and good quality. The case is light, but appears to give good protection. My daughter likes the case because she can it around with ease. In my opinion, the violin is NOT ready out of the box. Here are the reasons: 1) The pegs have a tendency to slip, causing the strings to be out off tune. This is my biggest issue with this violin. Fortunately, it can be easily fixed with "Pegs drop" ($7.50). Just 1-2 drops in each peg and the pegs stay in place. (Note that the pegs drop has a glue like property, so you don't use it more than 1-2 drops.) 2) This is absolutely true, the original strings are not good, like other reviewers said. I bought another set of string "D'Addario Prelude" (another $15), which makes a whole lot of difference (like night and day). I had a little trouble getting G string into a peg because the string hole is a little too small. I had to pull out some of the protective material of the end of string in order to get the G string through the peg. 3) The violin bridge is a tad high for my daughter. Also, the bridge does not have string notches, where strings can rest and prevent the strings from slipping. If you are uncomfortable doing that, you might want take it to your local violin shop to have it properly fit. I cut the notches and sand it down a little myself. Now, I'm not very handy, so I was very nervous doing this. 4) The violin finish is glossy. Personally, I wish that it has satin finish or something less glossy. After all said and done, the violin sounds quite pleasing and decent. The violin does not have sound resonance compared to the really good (and more expensive) violins, but keep in mind how much you pay for this violin.

The case is great!! Read on - lots of good wisdom in this....... At first I was displeased because I thought the strings were broken and there was no bridge. The violin came with the bridge floating around in the case - I am guessing that it popped out of place during shipping because the company says it comes set up and ready to tune. The rest of the pieces/parts were all in place and none of the strings were broken. One of the reasons I purchased this item is because the factory does the set up prior to shipping. All you need to do is tune it. ***If you are new to violins, check into this part of the process because if you order one with no set up, you have to take it to a luthier [professional violin "fixer"] to do so and that may be $50.00 to a few hundred dollars before you can use the instrument.*** We found a video on how to set the bridge [good learning experience]. The same video also showed how to tune, set up [tighten and rosin] the bow, and how to place a shoulder rest - among other things. I am an older adult learning how to play - I have spent many hours online educating myself about the basics prior to the purchase. So, I was not daunted by the bridge being out - you really can find many helpful videos for novice violin players. Now, I am able to make actual violin sounds on this violin and they are strong and bright - I just have to learn how to play notes. One of the videos taught me that the new strings will likely go out of tune for a while as they stretch and settle - so be patient. Also, you will need some accessories - you should consider purchasing a shoulder rest, a better quality resin [the resin that came in this set is fine, but I ordered another kind anyway], a practice mute [a rubber coated metal one is what many videos recommend], and some sort of finger board marker sticker - there are flat ones and one that has raised frets that you can adhere to the finger board. I ordered everything - except the raised fret sticker - from Amazon. The raised fret sticker comes from another, small company. With regards to the craftsmanship, the finish could be better, but that has no bearing on how it plays. The violin is super light and the case doesn't add much more weight. I know that this is not the world's top instrument, but I found a video series [from Italy??] that shows a professional player demonstrating all of the violins in Cremona's line. This one sounded just fine in her hands, so I believe it will take me quite far. I am very pleased with my purchase.

The case is good quality and looks very secure. The velcro that holds the neck of the violin is very secure, and will not easily open unless you open it by hand. The suspension strap to keep the case open also works as intended. However, the problems begin with the bow, and only get worse from there. The black part of the frog is misaligned on one side with the brown wood of the stick. The black leather grip is also slightly uneven. Additionally, this bow is only meant for beginners- it can't handle articulations like sautille or ricochet. I had to practically force the bow into the string in order to get it to bounce. However, if you are indeed looking for a bow for a beginner, this should last them for a decent while. The bow hair absorbs the rosin well, so you won't be frustrated by having to rosin it for a very long time in order to start playing. Now for the violin. Firstly, the body of the violin doesn't feel like wood; it feels plasticky to the touch. You can even hear from the sound that this is not made of real material. The tone is very muffled in the low range and still affects the higher strings as well. Next is the bridge; the bridge was slightly warped so that the top was not aligned straight with the bottom of the bridge. It is also incredibly difficult to tune this violin. When I took the violin out of the case and attempted to tune using the pegs, the pegs kept on slipping and would not stay in the spot I want them to. I asked a friend to help hold the other side of the scroll while I pushed the pegs in, and they still would NOT stay in tune!! The pegs would continue to slip while I played the violin as well. When I used the fine tuners to attempt to compensate for the shortcomings of the pegs, I had to turn them almost completely into the tailpiece before this violin would attempt a minor semblance of staying in tune. If I am so frustrated already, then what will a beginner do?! The most infuriating thing about this violin-shaped object, however, is the fingerboard. It is not even made of ebony like the listing claims it is! Like the body of the violin, it is made out of plasticky material. Now comes the worst part. When I played the violin, black paint began to rub off on my fingers. I had to wash it off with soap. The other violins that I have played have never been like this. Do not think that this is the fault of the strings or dust on the fingerboard. I wiped the board with a clean tissue and it came back with the same black paint. In short: do not waste your money!

I'm a beginner, so I don't have anything to compare this violin with, other than a rental I had for a few months before buying this package. The quality seems fine though. There were none of the flaws in the finish that other reviewers commented on. My instructor did say that initially the strings didn't really "sing", and suggested that I play open strings a lot as part of my practice and warm ups, as doing so can help new instruments settle in and achieve their optimal resonance and sound. The tone seems good now, going by the sound when my instructor and I play simultaneously on our own instruments. In terms of shipped condition, my violin came completely assembled -- strings and the bridge were in place. Initially it did not stay in tune for long at all, requiring significant retuning between every practice, but then it either settled down (or the humidity increased) so that the pegs no longer slipped as much. Now it stays in tune very well. The bow seems of decent quality. You do have to rosin it well at first, for it to be usable and produce any decent sound. The case is great, lightweight but sturdy. At first I didn't like the rectangular shape, feeling that it was too bulky, but I do like that my music fits into the flat zipper pocket on one side. Inside the case, the flapped compartment is roomy, fitting my Snark tuner, rosin, and cleaning cloth. I tried to fit my shoulder rest in there, but it's just too tight. Amazingly I can fit my shoulder rest sideways into the outside zipper pocket, along with my music. All in all, this has been a great value purchase for me. I'd recommend it for other beginners.

I rented a violin for my son two years ago at $25/mo - spending about $250 plus buying the shoulder rest, rosin, book, etc. He gave up after a year. I have no idea if that rented violin was superior as my son was a pure novice violinist. Now my daughter's in 4th grade and wants to take violin - so I thought I'd see if I could find an acceptable violin and come out ahead of the $250 I would spend if I rented. The Cremona SV-175 seemed to be the best value and it has fully delivered. It's a well made violin, sound does not disappoint, the case is good, the bow it good. Set up was simple. The teacher tuned it and it holds well for practice throughout the week. All is going very well. When the year is done, if my daughter wants to continue, this violin can absolutely take her for a few years. If she wants to give up, I've still come out ahead financially and can donate the violin so another child doesn't have to pay for a rental to explore playing violin. Very happy with this purchase.

I bought my first Cremona for my daughter who is 5 and not very gentle on her instrument. Hers was 1/2 size and the music store said it was fine enough quality, so I bought this one for myself. I needed peg drops ($10) from the music store to make the pegs keep the tune. The violin is great for me, a beginner, and the case is very nice. You can't buy a violin for this price at the music store, so this is great to try out violin and see if it's the instrument you like. I'm very happy with the bow, case, and violin. My teacher says replacing the strings will give a better sound, so I'll do that if I stick with violin and get serious about it. This is especially well priced for a recreational player like me and a beginning student.

This is probably the fifth violin our family has purchased over the years, as the kids outgrew each of the smaller sizes. This particular violin was for my 15 yr old daughter, who takes excellent care of her instruments. The violin looked and sounded great for the first year. We purchased it from Amazon in February 2013. In January 2014 the bridge broke off, and we had it repaired at the local music shop for $35. No big deal. Then a couple of weeks ago, during a concert, the neck dislodged from the body of the violin where it had been glued together, rendering it unplayable. We took it back to the repair shop, where their luthier repaired it for $80. Then they called back saying that when the strings were reassembled the neck popped back out and won't stay in. At this point I have a choice of whether to try another more costly method of repair or just get a new violin. I realize this isn't a top of the line violin but I would expect that a $180 violin would last more than a year. I have no idea what the warranty info is on this instrument, but I fear it is only one year. The only contact I could find was a Chinese email address, so I've written to them and am awaiting a reply. If they do, I will update this review accordingly. ** Update 10/10/14 As seen in the comments below, someone from Cremona responded to this review asking if I had been given "proper attention". Through subsequent correspondence, Tom from Saga Music arranged to send me a brand new violin and return the old one after receiving the new one, so that my daughter would not go a day without an instrument. He also sent me a postage-paid return label so it wouldn't cost me anything. I've received the new violin and am very happy with it. I've updated my review to five stars. Even though the original violin had issues, once the company found out about it they did the right thing.

Its my first violin and im in loveee

Buena calidad

This is a very beautifuly crafted violin with a warm and rich tone. Expected it to be okay but it has exceeded my expectations! Such great quality and at a good price. Bought as a gift for a starting violinist and they love it. They are very motivated to practice daily now with such a beautiful instrument. I’m happy with this purchase and would definitely recommend to others.

Very good violin for the price. Good quality parts and good sound. Kids have been playing for 5 years and this has been one of the better low priced violins.

Bueno el violín tras ponerle unas cuerdas tónica cumple de maravilla buena jugabilidad y un tono aceptable, la resina que trae ni la e abierto, uso la Oliv que ya tengo. El arco octogonal...básico del montón. Dicho esto hay un par de cosas negativas: 1) El diapasón y la mentonera en teoría son de ébano el caso es que a mí moderadamente me tiñen los dedos de negro tanto el diapasón como la mentonera si le paso el dedo, no tengo ni idea si el ébano despinta o no, lo que es seguro es que no a recibido el tratamiento adecuado...si es que es ébano. 2) A las clavijas le queda el agujero un poco a la esquina lo que dificulta un poco la puesta de las cuerdas...más en el centro hubiera sido lo suyo. Por lo general el violín por ese precio cumple como un campeón tengo un Yamaha v7sg y ni en tono ni en jugabilidad es superior al sv175,en lo único que es superado por el Yamaha es por el aspecto visual al tener mejores acabados, aún así el cremona es más fácil de tocar.