Mendini by Cecilio 4/4 Violin Set For Beginners - Hand Carved Full Size Violin Kit - Ebony Fitted Solid Wood Fiddle Kit with Hard Case, Two Bow, Rosin, Shoulder Rest and Extra Strings (Varnish)

Having never played violin before, I wanted to purchase a combo kit that wouldn't break the budget if I ended up regretting undertaking the endeavor. This Mendini package fit the bill perfectly. As someone who is teaching himself the art of violin, these are my observations and recommendations to anyone looking to try this instrument for the first time and are considering buying this set. Most importantly: -Purchase new rosin! Having never used rosin before, let alone knew what it was, I had to assume that what was included would be average quality to allow me to start playing. But after watching videos, learning how to rosin a bow and how to "break in" new rosin, I spent days attempting to get my bow to make anything resembling a sustained note across the strings. After much frustration I purchased a new stick of beginner level rosin from a different vendor, and the difference in quality and performance is TREMENDOUS. I cannot stress this enough. Three swipes with the new rosin after proper preparation and the violin sounded beautiful. Had I known the quality difference before hand, I could have saved myself a week of frustration. This in my opinion, is this combo set's biggest flaw, and is easily remedied by an approximately 3 dollar stick of quality rosin. -The violin itself is visually beautiful (nothing to compare it to) and tuning would have been much easier with a tuner. For the first week the violin would not stay in tune, I assume because it was being pressure held and the strings were new. This issue has resolved itself after the first few weeks. The fine tuners are greatly appreciated and allow you to get close with the tuning pegs, then slowly refine. A nice addition if you're a perfectionist. -The case itself is beautiful. It has a red interior and matching cloth cover to protect the violin. According to other reviews the case alone is worth the price. If this is true I'm unsure, but it is of sound quality and protects the violin nicely. I can safely say that the case is of higher quality than the violin, and you will likely replace the later long before needing to replace the case. The accessories I'm going to lump into a single category, as I don't know enough, even after observing to comment on their quality. The bows work as intended, I noticed no defects but again I have nothing to compare to. The strings make sound, which is a bonus, and the bridge that came on the violin hasn't snapped on me yet. Having a backup is a benefit if it should ever fail. The shoulder rest, I do not use, but it seems like an entry level piece and I simply don't use it out of preference. So to sum things up: This is an entry level violin, perfect for learning. Buy new rosin, accept that you will be tuning frequently for the first week, and you'll enjoy your purchase.

We have had this violin for about 8 months now and it still plays beautifully. This Violin is just right for my 7 yr. old son to start learning the basics. It looks and sounds nice-everything came in one piece (and assembled) and nothing is broken, crooked or misaligned. The only complaint that I have is the packaging -it came in a basic cardboard box (not very sturdy) that did not have any padding whatsoever. I am very fortunate nothing was broken in shipment. I used to play the Viola when I was younger-so I'm familiar with the strings. Before going with this company, I did a lot of research on what kind of inexpensive violin is good. Almost everybody said "do not buy a cheap violin-spend 300 or 400 dollars." Right! That is easier said than done. Not many people have that kind of money to spend on their children for something that may be very temporary (if they end up not wanting to play for example). So I decided on this as a trial, if he continues to play, then I can look at a better quality violin (for Carnegie Hall). I loved the quality and price of this particular violin so much that I bought another more inexpensive Mendini MV200 violin for me to help my son practice (review to come on that as soon as I get it). I also looked at the various color versions of the violins (one of the pretty blue colors). Just something fun for home, but was swayed by many people not to buy a painted violin because the tone and sound quality would be slightly off. A violin needs to vibrate freely throughout the wood, painting it hinders the sound (just a bit). Also, keep in mind-if you are looking for an inexpensive violin for your child, many schools will not allow a colorful violin because it is a distraction from the rest of the orchestra-not to mention the sound quality. I am very happy with this purchase and trust Mendini as well as KK Music Store with their exceptional 1 year warranty (where I bought both violins through Amazon) for future purchases.

Hey guys, I'm William - 14 years old and I bought this violin for my freshman year and just received it a day ago. So this is my initial review of the instrument and how I thought of it. *Arrived exactly on time - 2 day shipping as promised. *Came with all accessories advertised - set of violin strings, bridge, rosin, 2 bows, case (and backpack straps), and shoulder rest. *Package that it was shipped in was well protected, I think - basically there's an outer case to hold the inner case to hold the actual case of the violin. Between the outer and inner case, it was insulated with tons of paper for protection. *First impression - WOW! The finish looked much nicer than my previous instrument I bought in store which was like $428 (I was size 3/4 at the time, had to upgrade to 4/4 hence buying this) *Instrument 'looks' detail - The instrument looked amazing to me, but I noticed like the black line that 'outlines' the violin was faded on some parts, but no big deal; you wouldn't even notice it unless your actually STARING at it close up. The picture of this violin on Amazon at first to me, looked...horrible, it looked to 'bright'. But trust me, looks so much better when you see it with your own eyes. *Tuning - My G peg, at first I thought it was loose because it kept winding backwards every time I tried to tune it; turns out I just had to push it in slowly as I tune. I had luck tuning the other strings without breaking it, but then I popped my G-string attempting to tune it *sigh* so I used the new spare one in the packet. Oh yeah, new instruments/strings will constantly become out of tune even after you just tuned it because the string is still adapting/stretching, so you will probably tune it 8+ times a day for 1 or more week. *Shoulder Rest - The shoulder rest that came with this was...uncomfortable, so I just used my shoulder rest from my 3/4 violin since the pad is bigger and more 'cushiony'. *Bows - Bows, eh...their O.K. *Soundpost came intact - This is my first time ordering a violin online, so I was extremely worried about the soundpost not being attactched since it's getting banged around in a truck, but it came intact - YAY! *Bridge - My bridge came set up with my violin already, I didn't have to install it. 3-5-2013 Edit: It's been a bit more than half a year since I've owned this violin. I noticed some quirks in this violin compared to my old store rental violin. First, this violin is obviously of lower quality wood and the strings it comes with has a very...steel sound. My old violin had a warm, beautiful tone. This violin also doesn't stay in tune very well, since I have to tune it almost every day; compared to my old violin which was rare (once a week or once every 2 weeks). Also, the bow has very little hair compared to my old violin's bow and my classmates, which was full and thick; this one is noticeably thinner and of lower quality hair. I use the same rosin on this bow as my old bow, but the hair just doesn't seem to 'hold' onto the rosin very well. Nonetheless, I still recommend this product for BEGINNERS! If you're advancing up to something good, eh, don't get this.

Let's be honest, you're no maestro if you're looking to purchase this; its a quick ben franklin and shipping is free if you do it right. As such, don't expect the quality of a stradivarius because if you do that's highly naive. You're willing to spend a hundred bucks and that's about it so you of all people really ought not to be picky. With that rather long disclaimer aside, this is a really awesome item: it's basically the beginner's dream with everything you need to get started and at a fairly low price (this IS a violin after all). It really was one of the better things I've ever bought online, and it shipped relatively quickly. I give it a 9/10 (sadly I can't put 4.5 up there in the rating section). A couple of quick notes that I wish I'd known before purchasing: 1. The strings and bridge are all in place, but obviously not tuned; mine also came with the bridge slightly askew so I had to loosen the strings a bit and readjust it. 2. The shoulder rest is oddly tall (for me anyway) but it tilts so I've been tilting it inward towards my neck. 3. The rosin is different than anything I've seen (of course I've only been around the older kinds) and is hard to use on the bow without touching parts you shouldn't... hard, but achievable. 4. The bows (you get two) are rather low quality compared to the rest of the set, but not ridiculously so; honestly they play well for the most part, but I don't give them long to last. 5. The pegs were loose when I first opened up the violin, but a day of tuning and pushing them in got them to the point where they would stick... you just have to be patient. While the above five notes might appear negative, they really are overcomable and I still say without a doubt that this is an awesome product for the price (again, FOR THE PRICE; if you have the money though and are serious about the violin, I highly suggest going for something better). protip: buy a mute too... unless you want to anger those who live with you.

I purchased this violin after having lost my previous one during numerous moves. I played for 7 years but had not picked up the instrument in about 5 years since then. I wasn't going to be playing in an orchestra or professionally, just casually, so I purchased this one. The violin itself isn't terrible and the only reason I didn't give it a 4/5 is because the extras the pack came with weren't up to the quality that I personally enjoyed so I ended up spending about $100 more for extra and duplicate accessories; mainly the bows. They're crap. Plain and simple. I purchased a new, trusted bow without breaking the bank ($45) and the sound changed dramatically. I also purchased dark rosin instead of the amber, but that was a personal decision. The shoulder rest is great. I have no problems with it. Some experience problems with their bridge, but I haven't had any (I've been playing my violin every day for the last couple of weeks). The strings aren't the best but they are more than sufficient. Yes, my E string broke almost immediately on the first day, but you almost expect this to happen. That's why they give you an extra set. Some of the reviewers have to understand that you'll not likely be able to play your violin on its first day. The new strings need to be stretched, as with any new string, over and over again in order for them to hold their tune. To do this, tune each string a half step above the intended note (aka. the D string at Eflat or the A string at Bflat, etc.). Then, wait 10 minutes before recheck the tuning and repeat. Do this a few times until the strings are holding their notes. I like to leave my violin like this (slightly over-tuned) overnight to really let my strings stretch. Be patient, if you are over-eager during the process you may over stretch and break a string. You wouldn't be the first to do that so don't worry if you do! It is natural for pegs to expand or shrink due to temperature and humidity differences as with any wood. If your pegs aren't holding, you likely need to undo them and rub a lot of rosin on them to help them hold in place. This will help during the string stretching process. And as always, if you are not comfortable setting preparing your violin, take it to a professional.

This is the first violin I have ever bought, and I am a complete newbie to playing the violin. I decided I should give it a try since I have a few years of guitar experience and want to learn something new. Package came in the mail today and I'm extremely impressed with what I got. I'll write a very detailed review because I did a whole lot of research before buying a violin, and I think that anyone else shopping for their first violin should know everything they need about the product they are planning on buying. The violin case is very high quality, medium pocket in the front to hold accessories, but too small to hold any sheet music. The main compartment is secured by a zipper and a single velcro tab by the handle. Upon opening the case the two bows are securely held in place by a rotating l shaped plastic piece. The violin is under a violin shaped velvet cover that Isn't held in place by any velcro, but the neck is secured by a velcro strip. At the top of the main compartment is a small door with a compartment where the strings, bridge, and rosin are found. The violin was severely out of tune out of the box (as expected) and, as always with a new string instrument, took a while for the tuning to stay put. Some tuning pegs are a little hard to turn, and others rotated back to where they were originally, but I figured out that pushing them in or pulling them out affected the stiffness. Is this normal for a violin? I discovered the fine tuners worked wonders because it was hard to get the right pitch. The surface of the violin had no scratches or visible damage anywhere, The only thing I could see a person having a problem with is that the neck is made of a much lighter colored wood than the body, they don't match at all. The included rosin worked as I would expect rosin to. After scoring it with a knife as a few reviews here suggested, it was not too hard to apply it enough for the bow to grab the strings enough to easily make a sound. I had a hard time figuring out how to work the shoulder rest, but that isn't too much of an issue. all in all, it is a beautiful instrument and I am very, very satisfied with the tone and quality. If you are planning on buying your first violin, this set will be the easiest and cheapest new violin you can find. I highly suggest this violin. (

Absolutely terrible! This violin was a complete disappointment for my son. I ordered this violin for my son who participates in his middle school band. He is using a borrowed instrument, so I wanted to get him his own. Not knowing much about musical instruments myself, I purchased this instrument thinking that it would be good for my son. I was quickly proven very wrong. The first day we received it, one of the strings broke immediately. I wasn't too concerned because it did come with additional wires. I thought that this might be because of the way it was shipped, so I had my son's music teacher replace the string for us. She replaced the string, but mentioned to us that the violin was very difficult to tune. My son brought it home, and as soon as he tried to play it, a second string broke. Again, I had him bring it to his music instructor. She was able to replace the string, but she could not tune the instruments because the pegs at the top were too loose and would not allow the violin to be tuned. My son's instructor suggested that we attempt to return the violin because it would never be able to be correctly tuned. Although my son and I are not experts on the violin, his instructor is. She has a masters in music, and in addition to being a music teacher, she is also a professional musician who has performed for many years. Based on her assessment of this violin, it is completely defective and not worth the cost at all. I am currently in the process of returning this violin.

As a bass player and drummer for many year's I decided to take on the violin.. I'm no stranger to stringed instrument's and really did my homework before deciding on this one... This is a great violin for the money !!!. It came pretty much set up .. I of course had to check all of the thing's one need's to do to make it play well and I am very pleased... The extra item's you get with this make it a great value.. The case is well made. The violin has a nice tone. If your a beginner this is a nice place to start.. I used the rosin it came with to resolve the problem of the tuning peg's loosening up while tuning,, Rubbing the peg's on the rosin until you get a white film on them did the trick. Just push inward on the peg's "Gently" as you tune it up then use the fine tuner's and your ready to go.. It will need frequent tuning at first ,, This is normal until the string's stretch.. Be patient and take your time as to not break any string's.. . I had no condition issue's or damage when I received it. With the help of some "You Tube" video's and some patience I had this playing well in about an hour. I've seen other review's saying that the Bow's were not so great but I see no issue's with mine.. perhaps I will try a more expensive bow to test that theory but I'm happy so far .. The overall quality of the violin is nice. When you add all of the extra's included it's a great deal for the money..

Lo strumento è arrivato in perfette condizioni ed è molto valido e bello. L'insegnante di violino conferma che lo strumento è ben fatto. Ottimo suono.

I bought this violin for my 9 year old girl for christmas. She had been asking for one for a long time. I paid around 120$... it came with 2 bows, the resin , the shoulder rest and a set of cords.When we opened the case we were pretty amazed at how nice it looked. The sound was really nice too. When her violin teacher saw this violin and herself played with it ..she couldn't believe it came from amazon for that price and that it sounded that good and also that it kept it's strings in tune. Naturally, this is for a beginner violin , but does the job REALLY well. She has been playing everyday since the month of May(when she officially started her violin courses) and it's keeping up (pegs, bows , resin, ) We just had to change the strings because they are pretty cheap..but for that price I just bought better quality ones. For Quality AND Price this deserve a huge 5 star.

Very impressed with violin, looks great, excellent finish sou. nds great, after I tuned it up, came in a very nice case with 2 bows,extra strings rosin. An excellent deal for any beginner,would probably sound better with quality strings, but for now I am happy

Preso per mio figlio minore che ha iniziato da 7 mesi le lezioni. Direi che è completo di tutto. A giudizio dell'insegnate dice che è più che adeguato per 'età e le rifiniture. Buona l'accordatura.

A decent buy for its price. Good if you are a begginer like myself. Wanted to give 5 stars but there are a few things that kept it down. They are as follows. 1. Factory strings are not good. Change as soon as possible. $10-$30 on a new set will make a big difference. 2. The bridge is set very high. More than standard I believe. Which makes the strings a little painful to press down over continued use. Reccomend you have the bridge lowered (as a carpenter I researched how andndis it myself) 3. The Nut is also slightly too high, which also causes the problem above. Also decided to lower the nut myself. 4. The tailpiece was plastic. A bit dissapointed with this but not a huge issue. As weight is the main thing. (I will upgrade this and the fine tuners) EDIT: Upgraded this to real Ebony and some better Tuners. Picture reflects that. Those things aside. I was impressed with the Pegs. Not slipping for myself. The color of the violin is gorgeous. And it sounds and feels great with the new and lowered strings. The chinrest is nice and comfortable. And the Violin came with all the mentioned accessories. Two bows. A set of Cecelio strings. Rosin. A second Bridge and a Shoulder rest (not very good) Overall very pleased.