Originally Posted by
Doug28450
Do any of you mopes know anything about violins and violas? Information beyond...it is a string instrument played with a bow is helpful.
Clown 2 has decided that she wants to play the viola. She has been using a borrowed instrument to play in the junior high orchestra.
Quite a lot. I'm a state champion fiddle player, and have placed on the national level. So... what is your question?
Edit: Just got caught up on the thread. Yeah, rent for a while and see if she's serious first. It's a little odd that the school won't let you take them home... they used to allow that in my day. I typically used a school instrument during class just so I didn't have to haul mine back and forth all the time.
If so, then buy a used one... quality and price will be better. 100 years ago the world output for violin family instruments was several million per year, and a TON of those are still around on the used market, and made of better wood and skill than what can be made cheaply now. Violas will be a little harder to find, and likely a little more, but that's what you get for not playing violin.
But at first, it's all a wash. Cat scratching sounds like cat scratching even on a million dollar instrument.