To buy a 3/4 or not to buy...
Just looking for opinions. My daughter is in a 1/2 size violin and has been for a little over a year. Her private instructor advised us not to purchase a 3/4 size but to instead wait until she was big enough to play a full size. Now her orchestra teacher is bugging her every day about getting a 3/4 size violin. Her measurement from neck to wrist is 20.5" and to middle of palm is 21.5", almost 22". She is small and has only grown about 2 inches in the last year and a half. She actually played her 1/4 size for about 4 years. She feels comfortable with the one she has now. Any opinions?
Replies (6)
I agree with Bobby N. She should go from 1/2 to 3/4 to 4/4. Also, most violin stores will let you rent with an option to buy. This means that there is no extra charge for getting a larger size. I hope you are on such a program.
I went from a half size to a full size when I was younger. I wouldn't advise this. The Reason I had to do this was because the school ran out of 3/4 violins. But it was a terrible jump because the finger spacings were so different.
I would usually have suggested that your private teacher probably knows your child better than the (often-overloaded)school orchestra director. But the idea of skipping the 3/4 altogether, as a money saver?, strikes fear in my heart! Other people have mentioned avenues for getting a 3/4 relatively economically. The real question here is deciding when your child is truly ready. A Suzuki-oriented or trained teacher is likely to say stay smaller until you are absolutely positive, but there are folks out there who want to push kids up because the kid and or group will tend to sound more rich, full and deep en masse with more big instruments. Something to mull over. You can always shop around for add't opinions.
From a shop perspective, check with the shop where you purchased the 1/2 size violin. Many (most) shops offer a buy back percentage (usually between 75 and 100% depending on the area of the country) when you are trading up, either in size or quality. If you are no longer in the area where you purchased the instrument it might be worth contacting them anyway depending on the cost of the 1/2 size instrument. If you are in a new area (or don't wish to return to the old shop) bring the 1/2 size with you when you go to look for a 3/4. Find the instrument you want and then make them aware that any purchase is predicated on their purchasing your 1/2 size for a fair price, considering it's condition, manufacture, set-up, etc.. Most shops want your business and will attempt to work with you as much as possible.
Good luck.
I would not skip the 3/4 size either. I would either rent a 3/4 instrument or see if the school has one to loan you.
How old is your daughter? If she has small fingers, I wouldn't go for the full size.
We debated and bought a full sized for my daughter and it turned out to be too big for her. So now we have a full size sitting in a case not being used while she grows, but it is worth not having injury to fingers arms, etc.
I would wait.
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August 28, 2007 at 04:32 AM · If she feelings comfortable, then it is unnecessary. The move, however, should eventually phased in so that there is no huge gap jump between 1/2 and full , in my opinion.