Electric violin just for fun (and a little more)
Hello,
I'm Belgian, but I'll write my topic in English, because maybe someone else has the same question I have...
As an acoustic violin player for more than 10 years I'd like to have an electric instrument.
My first question is; Is it a good choice to have an electric instrument rather than a semi-acoustic one? Even just for home-use? I've read the text about electric versus semi-acoustic, but I'm not that wiser yet...
A second question is; going from the idea that an electric one is better, where do I buy such an instrument (in Belgium)? I've spotted a shop in Leuven (Music Center) and one in Brussels (Azzato) where there are electric instruments for sale. I thing that Yamaha is sold in Music Center and Straus in Azzato. Any experience with these instruments or shops?
Furthermore I like the concepts of Alter Ego, Straus, Yamaha and Ted Brewer. I'm not looking for a real avant-garde violin, more a classic design. But has anyone experience with buying an instrument in UK, Italy or even US, without testing it? Living in Belgium, a city trip to NY is not really my ambition just to test an instrument.
Then, the price, of course this is a difficult an personal topic, but I'd like some advice. I have a very very good classic violin and my great love is absolutely still with the classic repertoire. I'm not planning to buy a very expensive electric/semi-acoustic one; but as a exigent violin-player it of course has to be a good, rather very good instrument (I don't want to be dissapointed when the color and sound is not good enough for advanced techniques and music like Capricio's (Paganini), which I really like to test on an electric intsrument. Is €1000 suitable or way too cheap? My absolute maximum is €2000, incl. an amp and anything else needed, because the classic repertoire is still my thing.
A last question is, what do I need besides an instrument? I'm rather scared to use my bow on a non-acoustic instrument because of the value of it. Is there any risk to damage the wood, the haires,...? I need an amp as well. What do you suggest (rather for home-use)? Anything else? A preamp of something like that?
Answers to these questions are very welcome, and if you like to send me an answer in Dutch as well, you can send me an e-mail on siske212@hotmail.com
PS; this site is great!
grtz,
Jeroen.
Hi Jeroen, To answer your
Hi Jeroen,
To answer your first question: it depends on what you want, of course. Solid body has advantages at high volume situations, but semi-accoustics may have a more natural violin sound. Depends all on what you want to do with it, and which kind of music you play. Do you want to change the sound with effects, or do you just want to get an amplified natuural sound?
I've been in a very similar situation (from Belgium as well - Antwerp to be specific), and requested info from a number of luthiers allover the world. I decided to visit the lutherie of Starfish, in Schotland, where I could try and discuss the Starfish instruments. For this amount of money, a visit to the UK is worth it, I think. Buying an instrument from the US is not obvious if you can not try it, so you mainly rely on the few existing shops for US instruments.
I also think that 1000 Euro restricts you options to a few more "large scale" brands.
I don't think you should worry about the bow: electric violins use certain types of strings that are also used for accoustic instruments.
Amp & preamp are required to. There are a lot of options there, depending on your answers to the questions above.
BTW, welcome to Electric Fiddler! I hope you could find something useful here.