Post Published on March 11, 2016.
Last Updated on January 7, 2018 by davemackey.
…Then I’d like to tell you about an online site where you can find quality stringed instruments at great prices!
I came across Michael Sanchez of superiorviolins.com several years ago, quite by accident. I played violin decades ago and was considering trying to pick it up again. For some reason I decided to google the difference between a fiddle and a violin. I had been trained as a classical violinist, but had been wondering what it would be like to play the fiddle. Quite honestly, I thought a fiddle was an entirely different instrument than a violin. So, I turned to the ever-faithful search engine and plugged in “what is the difference between a fiddle and a violin?” Up popped a young man with a somewhat impish grin who explained the difference – same instrument, the difference is in how you play it. I then looked up his website and in the years since have become a faithful follower and customer. I thought I would do a review for Dave Enjoys, because it’s always good to exercise caution when making purchases online, especially major ones, and I can assure people they can shop with confidence at superiorviolins.com.
Superiorviolins.com is actually one of two sites run by Sanchez. A sister site is violintutorpro.com which is an amazing site offering tremendous resources to violinists and fiddle players alike. I will be reviewing that site in a later article here on Dave Enjoys. But for now, I’d like to tell you about superiorviolins.com, which is the store part of the sister sites. Here you can purchase violins (including electric violins), cellos, violas, bows, cases and a variety of accessories. The instruments range from very basic, beginner type instruments for around $250 all the way up to master level instruments for $15,000. Michael carefully selects the instruments he sells to ensure that they are of the highest quality, no matter the price. I love that you can try any instrument in the comfort of your own home before you buy it. The higher-priced instruments require a down payment, and if you decide not to purchase you simply return it, paying only the return shipping price.
I have tried out several violins from superiorviolins.com. My absolute favorite was the Elda Marina, which retails for $3500. I couldn’t believe how much easier it was to play than the inexpensive old violin I had picked up at a yard sale! It sounded as though I had gained instantaneously ten years of practice, just because of the beautiful tone this instrument so effortlessly produced. I took the Elda Marina to my local music store and tried it out against some of their high-end models. None could compare with the Elda Marina with its rich tone. Unfortunately, right at the time I was planning to purchase the violin of my dreams I got hit with some unexpected financial obligations and wasn’t able to …even with the great sale price and payment plan. It just wasn’t the right time for me. I cried like I was saying goodbye to a friend I might never see again when I closed the lid on it for the last time before packaging it to return!
Tia Bruna as found on SuperiorViolin.comSeveral months later things were looking better again financially and I decided at this time to try out another model; a less expensive but highly recommended one, the Tia Bruna. This is a beautiful violin with rich, deep tones. I made the purchase and I am so glad! The decades I had turned my back on the violin are being reclaimed as I faithfully practice. A good instrument can make such a difference, including providing increased motivation to practice. It is difficult to struggle along on an inferior quality instrument…a quality instrument makes practicing a joy. I highly recommend that parents provide their children with the highest quality instrument they can afford…and Michael makes sure he does everything he can to make his instruments affordable and available to people, including frequent and generous sales, contests, trade-ins and easy payment plans. By the time I applied my trade-in and the $100 I won in a contest to a really great sale price I was able to purchase a truly wonderful violin almost for a song.
So, all that to say, if you are looking for a violin, viola or cello, be sure to check out superiorviolins.com….Michael Sanchez is as honest and trustworthy as they come and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!