Hi, I had mixed feelings buying this violin. A number of reviewers panned this violin so I was concerned on what I would receive. Now for my observations. The violin is gorgeous, the flaming and finish is wonderful. The bridge was intact as the sound post. The violin tuned easily and sounds great, much better than I expected. The electronic tuner works very well. Based on some reviews that said that the bows were substandard, I purchased a better bow. The quality of the supplied bows is yet to be determined. The case is excellent and of very high quality. This violin is worth every penny spent. IMO you will not be disappointed.Edit 01/08/24: I now have three of the Cecilio cvn-600 violins. They all look the same, but sound somewhat different. I installed geared tuners, Wittner and Perfection pegs, boxwood harp tailpieces and Fiddlerman strings, and removed the fine tuners. Each of the cvn-600 have similar weights, but as the plates measured with the Magic Probe, they have different plate thicknesses. The average thickness for the top plate goes from violin 3.38 to 5.11 mm. The thinner plate top is the oldest of the three and sounds the best. This suggests that Cecilio quality is slipping. The thickness variation suggests that the plates are indeed hand made and not a CNC product. Also notice that the description for the cvn-600 no longer states that the tonewood is aged for seven years. IMO Cecilio keeps shooting themselves in the foot. I am seriously thinking of buying another cvn-600 to see how it matches with my other three. BTW, if you get a good cvn-600 it sounds as good as a thousand dollar+ violin. If you get a poor sounding one, either send it back, or put octave strings on the violin and have some fun.Edit 01/25/24: I recently purchased a Cecilio cvn-600 from eBay that was probably made in 2006, the first year of cvn-600 production. As suspected the older cvn-600 top and bottom plate are much thinner than current production. Also the scroll is a few mm narrower than current production. The pegs are 7.1mm while current production pegs are 7.4mm. Interesting that the weight difference between my four cvn-600 violins is only 0.1oz. This suggests that irrespective of the different plate thickness, Cecilio keeps the weight the same over the 20 years of cvn-600 production. The first cvn-600 were list priced at $1000 with the price decreasing over the years. IMO while the current production cvn-600 build quality has slightly decreased over the years, current cvn-600 violins are still pretty good sounding if you replace the strings with either Fiddlerman, or Pirastro Tonica strings and use a better than the Cecilio supplied bows. The Fiddlerman carbon fiber bows are good. The Fiddlerman Sandalwood bows are even better. I have found that the D'Addario dark rosin works well with the cvn-600's.

Hi, I had mixed feelings buying this violin. A number of reviewers panned this violin so I was concerned on what I would receive. Now for my observations. The violin is gorgeous, the flaming and finish is wonderful. The bridge was intact as the sound post. The violin tuned easily and sounds great, much better than I expected. The electronic tuner works very well. Based on some reviews that said that the bows were substandard, I purchased a better bow. The quality of the supplied bows is yet to be determined. The case is excellent and of very high quality. This violin is worth every penny spent. IMO you will not be disappointed.Edit 01/08/24: I now have three of the Cecilio cvn-600 violins. They all look the same, but sound somewhat different. I installed geared tuners, Wittner and Perfection pegs, boxwood harp tailpieces and Fiddlerman strings, and removed the fine tuners. Each of the cvn-600 have similar weights, but as the plates measured with the Magic Probe, they have different plate thicknesses. The average thickness for the top plate goes from violin 3.38 to 5.11 mm. The thinner plate top is the oldest of the three and sounds the best. This suggests that Cecilio quality is slipping. The thickness variation suggests that the plates are indeed hand made and not a CNC product. Also notice that the description for the cvn-600 no longer states that the tonewood is aged for seven years. IMO Cecilio keeps shooting themselves in the foot. I am seriously thinking of buying another cvn-600 to see how it matches with my other three. BTW, if you get a good cvn-600 it sounds as good as a thousand dollar+ violin. If you get a poor sounding one, either send it back, or put octave strings on the violin and have some fun.Edit 01/25/24: I recently purchased a Cecilio cvn-600 from eBay that was probably made in 2006, the first year of cvn-600 production. As suspected the older cvn-600 top and bottom plate are much thinner than current production. Also the scroll is a few mm narrower than current production. The pegs are 7.1mm while current production pegs are 7.4mm. Interesting that the weight difference between my four cvn-600 violins is only 0.1oz. This suggests that irrespective of the different plate thickness, Cecilio keeps the weight the same over the 20 years of cvn-600 production. The first cvn-600 were list priced at $1000 with the price decreasing over the years. IMO while the current production cvn-600 build quality has slightly decreased over the years, current cvn-600 violins are still pretty good sounding if you replace the strings with either Fiddlerman, or Pirastro Tonica strings and use a better than the Cecilio supplied bows. The Fiddlerman carbon fiber bows are good. The Fiddlerman Sandalwood bows are even better. I have found that the D'Addario dark rosin works well with the cvn-600's.

Perfect for a beginner, though I would take it to get looked at by a luthier before trying to play it seriously. The strings that came with it were really meh and the bridge wasn't at the right angle when I opened up the case for the first time, but that was expected considering it was a cheap violin shipped through USPS. My teacher loves its sound, it's very bright, and stays in tune very well with the nicer strings on it. It's also a beautiful color, and the case is much sturdier than I thought it would be. I might end up getting a nicer bow, but for what it is the one that came with it is okay to start with. All in all, I would recommend this one for a beginner.

Perfect for a beginner, though I would take it to get looked at by a luthier before trying to play it seriously. The strings that came with it were really meh and the bridge wasn't at the right angle when I opened up the case for the first time, but that was expected considering it was a cheap violin shipped through USPS. My teacher loves its sound, it's very bright, and stays in tune very well with the nicer strings on it. It's also a beautiful color, and the case is much sturdier than I thought it would be. I might end up getting a nicer bow, but for what it is the one that came with it is okay to start with. All in all, I would recommend this one for a beginner.

Perfect for a beginner, though I would take it to get looked at by a luthier before trying to play it seriously. The strings that came with it were really meh and the bridge wasn't at the right angle when I opened up the case for the first time, but that was expected considering it was a cheap violin shipped through USPS. My teacher loves its sound, it's very bright, and stays in tune very well with the nicer strings on it. It's also a beautiful color, and the case is much sturdier than I thought it would be. I might end up getting a nicer bow, but for what it is the one that came with it is okay to start with. All in all, I would recommend this one for a beginner.

Perfect for a beginner, though I would take it to get looked at by a luthier before trying to play it seriously. The strings that came with it were really meh and the bridge wasn't at the right angle when I opened up the case for the first time, but that was expected considering it was a cheap violin shipped through USPS. My teacher loves its sound, it's very bright, and stays in tune very well with the nicer strings on it. It's also a beautiful color, and the case is much sturdier than I thought it would be. I might end up getting a nicer bow, but for what it is the one that came with it is okay to start with. All in all, I would recommend this one for a beginner.

I've got some experience with musical instruments(I played a woodwind in middle school). But I'm a newcomer to string instruments. I've wanted to learn to play the violin for a long time. I love the sound they produce and recently looked into purchasing one so that I could learn on my own. I live in an apartment complex with thin walls, so I wanted a silent violin. After looking at more expensive models like Yamaha's, I decided to settle on an inexpensive student violin. Even so, I was a bit ske

I've got some experience with musical instruments(I played a woodwind in middle school). But I'm a newcomer to string instruments. I've wanted to learn to play the violin for a long time. I love the sound they produce and recently looked into purchasing one so that I could learn on my own. I live in an apartment complex with thin walls, so I wanted a silent violin. After looking at more expensive models like Yamaha's, I decided to settle on an inexpensive student violin. Even so, I was a bit ske

First, I've purchased hundreds of items on Amazon. Overall I have been very pleased with the quality of what I get, so my expectations are generally pretty high.I used to play the violin and recently decided to pick it back up. I live in an apartment and thought a "silent" violin would be easier on the neighbors and my family! After tons of research I chose the Cecilio Mahogany Style 2 for the quality of materials described, looks, and bang for the buck. Upon receiving it my expectations were far exceeded.In my research I discovered that, as with any new violin not purchased from a music store, the bridge height needs to be adjusted (so each string is the proper distance off the fingerboard), the pegs fine fitted to keep their grip, and the strings replaced with a decent quality set. I embraced this as part of the deal so I was not surprised when this violin needed it as well. I would suggest using the services of a violin luthier or, if you're handy, to do it yourself (see expert luthier David Snelling's helpful video on youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watchv=kI4KOIGSq8Q).Brief description:- Quality of construction: excellent, good attention to detail- Finish: visually stunning (I thought it would be painted, but it's varnished and shows through beautiful wood grain)- Pegs, fingerboard, tailpiece, chin rest, and bow frog: solid ebony with brass accents (nice touch)- End button - brass (would rather have ebony, but it's a decent alternative)- Fine tuners - a bit cheap, but they work fine (no pun intended). I may order better ones at some point.- Strings: poor quality. I replaced them with D'Addario Prelude strings and kept the old ones for backup- Bow - quality materials, straight, good tension, nice horsehair (should have a little more hair, though)- Electronics: decent sound quality. The polarization marks in the battery compartment were switched and thought the pickup was broken when the light didn't come on. It worded when I turned the battery around.- Headphones and cables: on the cheap side (I expected this considering the price)- Rosin: so-so. I ordered a decent cake with the violin- Case: again, quality far exceeded what I expected to receiveOverall the sound quality is good (even better than some acoustics I've played), the strings hold their tune (BTW, new strings take about a week for their tension to normalize), and it's not too loud when the pickup is off.I would not hesitate suggesting this product.

First, I've purchased hundreds of items on Amazon. Overall I have been very pleased with the quality of what I get, so my expectations are generally pretty high.I used to play the violin and recently decided to pick it back up. I live in an apartment and thought a "silent" violin would be easier on the neighbors and my family! After tons of research I chose the Cecilio Mahogany Style 2 for the quality of materials described, looks, and bang for the buck. Upon receiving it my expectations were far exceeded.In my research I discovered that, as with any new violin not purchased from a music store, the bridge height needs to be adjusted (so each string is the proper distance off the fingerboard), the pegs fine fitted to keep their grip, and the strings replaced with a decent quality set. I embraced this as part of the deal so I was not surprised when this violin needed it as well. I would suggest using the services of a violin luthier or, if you're handy, to do it yourself (see expert luthier David Snelling's helpful video on youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watchv=kI4KOIGSq8Q).Brief description:- Quality of construction: excellent, good attention to detail- Finish: visually stunning (I thought it would be painted, but it's varnished and shows through beautiful wood grain)- Pegs, fingerboard, tailpiece, chin rest, and bow frog: solid ebony with brass accents (nice touch)- End button - brass (would rather have ebony, but it's a decent alternative)- Fine tuners - a bit cheap, but they work fine (no pun intended). I may order better ones at some point.- Strings: poor quality. I replaced them with D'Addario Prelude strings and kept the old ones for backup- Bow - quality materials, straight, good tension, nice horsehair (should have a little more hair, though)- Electronics: decent sound quality. The polarization marks in the battery compartment were switched and thought the pickup was broken when the light didn't come on. It worded when I turned the battery around.- Headphones and cables: on the cheap side (I expected this considering the price)- Rosin: so-so. I ordered a decent cake with the violin- Case: again, quality far exceeded what I expected to receiveOverall the sound quality is good (even better than some acoustics I've played), the strings hold their tune (BTW, new strings take about a week for their tension to normalize), and it's not too loud when the pickup is off.I would not hesitate suggesting this product.

This is an amazing viola considering how cheap it is! I am not a professional musician, but I did dabble with the violin and piano for a short while, and I spent a lot of time with my Conservatory friends at Oberlin. I feel I know good music when I hear it, and this viola produces some really nice tones for it's price range. I bought it for my 9 year old daughter because she picked it as the instrument she wanted to learn for her free music lessons at school. I looked into renting one, and it would have costed us around $30/month to rent a $600 viola. Only 60% of that rental money would go toward purchasing the viola. Since I would like my daughter to stick with this instrument for at least a year, it would have costed me more to just rent an instrument than to buy this one. Plus, there was no guarantee that my daughter would stick with it for more than a year, so I would end up spending all that money for nothing.After doing tons of research online (and despite the dire warnings in the music teacher's note home against buying instruments online) I picked this 14" Cecilio viola as the best candidate for my budget and current needs. The viola arrived on time and in good shape. It came with all the pieces shown in the picture and mentioned in the description. I love that it came with the D'Addario strings already on it and somewhat tightened so I didn't have to work too hard to carefully stretch the strings while tuning it and playing with it over the next few days after I received the instrument. The case is a standard, canvas-like covering over a foam core with cream-colored velveteen fabric on the inside. It's just big enough for the viola with 2 slots for bows, and a small compartment at the end for the extra bridge, rosin, tuner, some extra strings, and a rubber mute (Gotta have one of those! ;) heh, heh!). There is barely space for the shoulder rest, but I wasn't thrilled with how it rests right on the tuning pegs and neck. There is a small pocket on the outside of the case, but it is barely big enough to fit my daughter's music book without zipping it entirely shut. I was skeptical about the tuner, but after testing it with several other tuners I have, it was consistent with all of the decent ones, so I let my daughter practice tuning her viola with it. The rosin isn't anything fancy, but I've encountered worse. I say it's good enough to start with, but would recommend getting a nicer block as soon as possible. The extra bridge is also meh, but again, that is easily replaceable with a nicer one should I feel the need to do so. The bow is surprisingly decent. It has a nice curve to it - not too curved, not too straight - and the hairs are not falling out all over the place. It also has a nice weight to it. I feel it may be a smidge heavy for my daughter, but she seems to like it and plays well enough with it.Now, the viola itself. I must admit, I was surprised at the color when I first opened it. It seemed much more orangey than I anticipated. I was thinking it was going to be a medium reddish-brown, but it is more of a dark pumpkin orange-brown. It's not a color I associate with classy string instruments, but that's a minor detail for a student instrument. The back does appear to be flamed, so it does have that nice striped/flamed pattern on it. The tuning pegs were all a bit loose, but a little rosin on them tightened them up just fine. The chinrest is a fairly low-profile off-centered one and works well enough with my daughter's small neck. The tailpiece is sturdy with 4 metal fine tuners already mounted on it. I would have preferred built-in fine tuners, but that is also something that can be changed out later if I want to. I can't easily tell if the purflings really are inlaid like they said they are in the description, but there are spots here and there that make me think they are.Initial setup of the instrument involved a bit of fussing with it. I would not say it was ready to play straight out of the box, but there was nothing wrong with it that I couldn't do myself. I did have to straighten and center the bridge a bit, and I mentioned having to rosin the pegs. That involved loosening and taking each string off, rubbing the peg along the rosin a few times, then putting the peg and string back on. Tedious, but not impossible or hard. Tuning this instrument is easy. The pegs are easy to turn, and the fine tuners help. The D'Addario strings keep in tune beautifully, so I'm glad I paid a bit extra for them.Finally, how does this viola sound It sounds beautiful! Nice, deep, mellow tones that I associate with the viola come out of this instrument - even when my daughter first started bowing on it. ;) heh, heh! There is a good resonance that I can feel when I play it. It sounds so pretty that even my husband doesn't mind hearing our daughter scratching away on it, and we haven't had to use the mute yet. Just for fun, I restrung one of my spare violins as a viola (I read online that some people do that as a substitute for a 14" viola), and compared the sound. There is no comparison. The real viola is so much more deep and resonant than the violin-strung-as-a-viola.Now, I know this doesn't even begin to touch a professional viola's sound and quality, but I bought this for my 9 year old daughter. She only needs something that can produce decent tones, and this viola amply fills that need. Even her music teacher was surprised at the quality of the instrument despite it being bought online. My daughter says he often uses her instrument to demonstrate something during class, so I assume he's okay with it. She's been playing on it for a little over 3 months, now, and is still going on strong. I will update this review later if there is more to add.

This is an amazing viola considering how cheap it is! I am not a professional musician, but I did dabble with the violin and piano for a short while, and I spent a lot of time with my Conservatory friends at Oberlin. I feel I know good music when I hear it, and this viola produces some really nice tones for it's price range. I bought it for my 9 year old daughter because she picked it as the instrument she wanted to learn for her free music lessons at school. I looked into renting one, and it would have costed us around $30/month to rent a $600 viola. Only 60% of that rental money would go toward purchasing the viola. Since I would like my daughter to stick with this instrument for at least a year, it would have costed me more to just rent an instrument than to buy this one. Plus, there was no guarantee that my daughter would stick with it for more than a year, so I would end up spending all that money for nothing.After doing tons of research online (and despite the dire warnings in the music teacher's note home against buying instruments online) I picked this 14" Cecilio viola as the best candidate for my budget and current needs. The viola arrived on time and in good shape. It came with all the pieces shown in the picture and mentioned in the description. I love that it came with the D'Addario strings already on it and somewhat tightened so I didn't have to work too hard to carefully stretch the strings while tuning it and playing with it over the next few days after I received the instrument. The case is a standard, canvas-like covering over a foam core with cream-colored velveteen fabric on the inside. It's just big enough for the viola with 2 slots for bows, and a small compartment at the end for the extra bridge, rosin, tuner, some extra strings, and a rubber mute (Gotta have one of those! ;) heh, heh!). There is barely space for the shoulder rest, but I wasn't thrilled with how it rests right on the tuning pegs and neck. There is a small pocket on the outside of the case, but it is barely big enough to fit my daughter's music book without zipping it entirely shut. I was skeptical about the tuner, but after testing it with several other tuners I have, it was consistent with all of the decent ones, so I let my daughter practice tuning her viola with it. The rosin isn't anything fancy, but I've encountered worse. I say it's good enough to start with, but would recommend getting a nicer block as soon as possible. The extra bridge is also meh, but again, that is easily replaceable with a nicer one should I feel the need to do so. The bow is surprisingly decent. It has a nice curve to it - not too curved, not too straight - and the hairs are not falling out all over the place. It also has a nice weight to it. I feel it may be a smidge heavy for my daughter, but she seems to like it and plays well enough with it.Now, the viola itself. I must admit, I was surprised at the color when I first opened it. It seemed much more orangey than I anticipated. I was thinking it was going to be a medium reddish-brown, but it is more of a dark pumpkin orange-brown. It's not a color I associate with classy string instruments, but that's a minor detail for a student instrument. The back does appear to be flamed, so it does have that nice striped/flamed pattern on it. The tuning pegs were all a bit loose, but a little rosin on them tightened them up just fine. The chinrest is a fairly low-profile off-centered one and works well enough with my daughter's small neck. The tailpiece is sturdy with 4 metal fine tuners already mounted on it. I would have preferred built-in fine tuners, but that is also something that can be changed out later if I want to. I can't easily tell if the purflings really are inlaid like they said they are in the description, but there are spots here and there that make me think they are.Initial setup of the instrument involved a bit of fussing with it. I would not say it was ready to play straight out of the box, but there was nothing wrong with it that I couldn't do myself. I did have to straighten and center the bridge a bit, and I mentioned having to rosin the pegs. That involved loosening and taking each string off, rubbing the peg along the rosin a few times, then putting the peg and string back on. Tedious, but not impossible or hard. Tuning this instrument is easy. The pegs are easy to turn, and the fine tuners help. The D'Addario strings keep in tune beautifully, so I'm glad I paid a bit extra for them.Finally, how does this viola sound It sounds beautiful! Nice, deep, mellow tones that I associate with the viola come out of this instrument - even when my daughter first started bowing on it. ;) heh, heh! There is a good resonance that I can feel when I play it. It sounds so pretty that even my husband doesn't mind hearing our daughter scratching away on it, and we haven't had to use the mute yet. Just for fun, I restrung one of my spare violins as a viola (I read online that some people do that as a substitute for a 14" viola), and compared the sound. There is no comparison. The real viola is so much more deep and resonant than the violin-strung-as-a-viola.Now, I know this doesn't even begin to touch a professional viola's sound and quality, but I bought this for my 9 year old daughter. She only needs something that can produce decent tones, and this viola amply fills that need. Even her music teacher was surprised at the quality of the instrument despite it being bought online. My daughter says he often uses her instrument to demonstrate something during class, so I assume he's okay with it. She's been playing on it for a little over 3 months, now, and is still going on strong. I will update this review later if there is more to add.

This is an amazing viola considering how cheap it is! I am not a professional musician, but I did dabble with the violin and piano for a short while, and I spent a lot of time with my Conservatory friends at Oberlin. I feel I know good music when I hear it, and this viola produces some really nice tones for it's price range. I bought it for my 9 year old daughter because she picked it as the instrument she wanted to learn for her free music lessons at school. I looked into renting one, and it would have costed us around $30/month to rent a $600 viola. Only 60% of that rental money would go toward purchasing the viola. Since I would like my daughter to stick with this instrument for at least a year, it would have costed me more to just rent an instrument than to buy this one. Plus, there was no guarantee that my daughter would stick with it for more than a year, so I would end up spending all that money for nothing.After doing tons of research online (and despite the dire warnings in the music teacher's note home against buying instruments online) I picked this 14" Cecilio viola as the best candidate for my budget and current needs. The viola arrived on time and in good shape. It came with all the pieces shown in the picture and mentioned in the description. I love that it came with the D'Addario strings already on it and somewhat tightened so I didn't have to work too hard to carefully stretch the strings while tuning it and playing with it over the next few days after I received the instrument. The case is a standard, canvas-like covering over a foam core with cream-colored velveteen fabric on the inside. It's just big enough for the viola with 2 slots for bows, and a small compartment at the end for the extra bridge, rosin, tuner, some extra strings, and a rubber mute (Gotta have one of those! ;) heh, heh!). There is barely space for the shoulder rest, but I wasn't thrilled with how it rests right on the tuning pegs and neck. There is a small pocket on the outside of the case, but it is barely big enough to fit my daughter's music book without zipping it entirely shut. I was skeptical about the tuner, but after testing it with several other tuners I have, it was consistent with all of the decent ones, so I let my daughter practice tuning her viola with it. The rosin isn't anything fancy, but I've encountered worse. I say it's good enough to start with, but would recommend getting a nicer block as soon as possible. The extra bridge is also meh, but again, that is easily replaceable with a nicer one should I feel the need to do so. The bow is surprisingly decent. It has a nice curve to it - not too curved, not too straight - and the hairs are not falling out all over the place. It also has a nice weight to it. I feel it may be a smidge heavy for my daughter, but she seems to like it and plays well enough with it.Now, the viola itself. I must admit, I was surprised at the color when I first opened it. It seemed much more orangey than I anticipated. I was thinking it was going to be a medium reddish-brown, but it is more of a dark pumpkin orange-brown. It's not a color I associate with classy string instruments, but that's a minor detail for a student instrument. The back does appear to be flamed, so it does have that nice striped/flamed pattern on it. The tuning pegs were all a bit loose, but a little rosin on them tightened them up just fine. The chinrest is a fairly low-profile off-centered one and works well enough with my daughter's small neck. The tailpiece is sturdy with 4 metal fine tuners already mounted on it. I would have preferred built-in fine tuners, but that is also something that can be changed out later if I want to. I can't easily tell if the purflings really are inlaid like they said they are in the description, but there are spots here and there that make me think they are.Initial setup of the instrument involved a bit of fussing with it. I would not say it was ready to play straight out of the box, but there was nothing wrong with it that I couldn't do myself. I did have to straighten and center the bridge a bit, and I mentioned having to rosin the pegs. That involved loosening and taking each string off, rubbing the peg along the rosin a few times, then putting the peg and string back on. Tedious, but not impossible or hard. Tuning this instrument is easy. The pegs are easy to turn, and the fine tuners help. The D'Addario strings keep in tune beautifully, so I'm glad I paid a bit extra for them.Finally, how does this viola sound It sounds beautiful! Nice, deep, mellow tones that I associate with the viola come out of this instrument - even when my daughter first started bowing on it. ;) heh, heh! There is a good resonance that I can feel when I play it. It sounds so pretty that even my husband doesn't mind hearing our daughter scratching away on it, and we haven't had to use the mute yet. Just for fun, I restrung one of my spare violins as a viola (I read online that some people do that as a substitute for a 14" viola), and compared the sound. There is no comparison. The real viola is so much more deep and resonant than the violin-strung-as-a-viola.Now, I know this doesn't even begin to touch a professional viola's sound and quality, but I bought this for my 9 year old daughter. She only needs something that can produce decent tones, and this viola amply fills that need. Even her music teacher was surprised at the quality of the instrument despite it being bought online. My daughter says he often uses her instrument to demonstrate something during class, so I assume he's okay with it. She's been playing on it for a little over 3 months, now, and is still going on strong. I will update this review later if there is more to add.

This is an amazing viola considering how cheap it is! I am not a professional musician, but I did dabble with the violin and piano for a short while, and I spent a lot of time with my Conservatory friends at Oberlin. I feel I know good music when I hear it, and this viola produces some really nice tones for it's price range. I bought it for my 9 year old daughter because she picked it as the instrument she wanted to learn for her free music lessons at school. I looked into renting one, and it would have costed us around $30/month to rent a $600 viola. Only 60% of that rental money would go toward purchasing the viola. Since I would like my daughter to stick with this instrument for at least a year, it would have costed me more to just rent an instrument than to buy this one. Plus, there was no guarantee that my daughter would stick with it for more than a year, so I would end up spending all that money for nothing.After doing tons of research online (and despite the dire warnings in the music teacher's note home against buying instruments online) I picked this 14" Cecilio viola as the best candidate for my budget and current needs. The viola arrived on time and in good shape. It came with all the pieces shown in the picture and mentioned in the description. I love that it came with the D'Addario strings already on it and somewhat tightened so I didn't have to work too hard to carefully stretch the strings while tuning it and playing with it over the next few days after I received the instrument. The case is a standard, canvas-like covering over a foam core with cream-colored velveteen fabric on the inside. It's just big enough for the viola with 2 slots for bows, and a small compartment at the end for the extra bridge, rosin, tuner, some extra strings, and a rubber mute (Gotta have one of those! ;) heh, heh!). There is barely space for the shoulder rest, but I wasn't thrilled with how it rests right on the tuning pegs and neck. There is a small pocket on the outside of the case, but it is barely big enough to fit my daughter's music book without zipping it entirely shut. I was skeptical about the tuner, but after testing it with several other tuners I have, it was consistent with all of the decent ones, so I let my daughter practice tuning her viola with it. The rosin isn't anything fancy, but I've encountered worse. I say it's good enough to start with, but would recommend getting a nicer block as soon as possible. The extra bridge is also meh, but again, that is easily replaceable with a nicer one should I feel the need to do so. The bow is surprisingly decent. It has a nice curve to it - not too curved, not too straight - and the hairs are not falling out all over the place. It also has a nice weight to it. I feel it may be a smidge heavy for my daughter, but she seems to like it and plays well enough with it.Now, the viola itself. I must admit, I was surprised at the color when I first opened it. It seemed much more orangey than I anticipated. I was thinking it was going to be a medium reddish-brown, but it is more of a dark pumpkin orange-brown. It's not a color I associate with classy string instruments, but that's a minor detail for a student instrument. The back does appear to be flamed, so it does have that nice striped/flamed pattern on it. The tuning pegs were all a bit loose, but a little rosin on them tightened them up just fine. The chinrest is a fairly low-profile off-centered one and works well enough with my daughter's small neck. The tailpiece is sturdy with 4 metal fine tuners already mounted on it. I would have preferred built-in fine tuners, but that is also something that can be changed out later if I want to. I can't easily tell if the purflings really are inlaid like they said they are in the description, but there are spots here and there that make me think they are.Initial setup of the instrument involved a bit of fussing with it. I would not say it was ready to play straight out of the box, but there was nothing wrong with it that I couldn't do myself. I did have to straighten and center the bridge a bit, and I mentioned having to rosin the pegs. That involved loosening and taking each string off, rubbing the peg along the rosin a few times, then putting the peg and string back on. Tedious, but not impossible or hard. Tuning this instrument is easy. The pegs are easy to turn, and the fine tuners help. The D'Addario strings keep in tune beautifully, so I'm glad I paid a bit extra for them.Finally, how does this viola sound It sounds beautiful! Nice, deep, mellow tones that I associate with the viola come out of this instrument - even when my daughter first started bowing on it. ;) heh, heh! There is a good resonance that I can feel when I play it. It sounds so pretty that even my husband doesn't mind hearing our daughter scratching away on it, and we haven't had to use the mute yet. Just for fun, I restrung one of my spare violins as a viola (I read online that some people do that as a substitute for a 14" viola), and compared the sound. There is no comparison. The real viola is so much more deep and resonant than the violin-strung-as-a-viola.Now, I know this doesn't even begin to touch a professional viola's sound and quality, but I bought this for my 9 year old daughter. She only needs something that can produce decent tones, and this viola amply fills that need. Even her music teacher was surprised at the quality of the instrument despite it being bought online. My daughter says he often uses her instrument to demonstrate something during class, so I assume he's okay with it. She's been playing on it for a little over 3 months, now, and is still going on strong. I will update this review later if there is more to add.

For the price it was well worth it. I stopped playing after high school and wanted to get back into it, this was a great and cost effective way.Included was 2 full sets of strings, bridge, sound bar (installed), tail piece, cello, rosin, bow, microfiber cloth, stand, and a soft case.The cello arrived with the strings and bridge removed (states that in description) and the sound bar in place where it should be although that can pop loose in shipping. If you do not know how to set a cello up, YouTube is a great place to get some info or any music shop worth their salt can do it for you. Getting the bridge and sound bar in their correct spots is important to the sound quality of the instrument. So you may want the professionals to do it. The bow is complete and just needed a quick tighten and some rosin.I got the black one and the finish is not perfect but unless you are looking for defects it is good to go. The dust really shows on that black background. The included microfiber cloth makes easy work of it though.The sound can be a bit metallic but I have read and heard some professionals recommend switching to higher quality strings. I personally have not seen it as a big issue as long as I have good contact and vibration. In all, it sounds just fine to me. However, I am not a connoisseur yet. 😏Some cons:The tuning pegs worked them selves loose and it wasnt staying in tune very well. I fixed this by coating the pegs with chalk. That added some more friction and I havent had any issues since.The tail piece is a little bit cheap, but it does do the job and it has fine-tune adjusters.Overall, I would absolutely suggest buying this for a beginner or for someone who wants to start up again without wanting to buy a more expensive student cello.

For the price it was well worth it. I stopped playing after high school and wanted to get back into it, this was a great and cost effective way.Included was 2 full sets of strings, bridge, sound bar (installed), tail piece, cello, rosin, bow, microfiber cloth, stand, and a soft case.The cello arrived with the strings and bridge removed (states that in description) and the sound bar in place where it should be although that can pop loose in shipping. If you do not know how to set a cello up, YouTube is a great place to get some info or any music shop worth their salt can do it for you. Getting the bridge and sound bar in their correct spots is important to the sound quality of the instrument. So you may want the professionals to do it. The bow is complete and just needed a quick tighten and some rosin.I got the black one and the finish is not perfect but unless you are looking for defects it is good to go. The dust really shows on that black background. The included microfiber cloth makes easy work of it though.The sound can be a bit metallic but I have read and heard some professionals recommend switching to higher quality strings. I personally have not seen it as a big issue as long as I have good contact and vibration. In all, it sounds just fine to me. However, I am not a connoisseur yet. 😏Some cons:The tuning pegs worked them selves loose and it wasnt staying in tune very well. I fixed this by coating the pegs with chalk. That added some more friction and I havent had any issues since.The tail piece is a little bit cheap, but it does do the job and it has fine-tune adjusters.Overall, I would absolutely suggest buying this for a beginner or for someone who wants to start up again without wanting to buy a more expensive student cello.

For the price it was well worth it. I stopped playing after high school and wanted to get back into it, this was a great and cost effective way.Included was 2 full sets of strings, bridge, sound bar (installed), tail piece, cello, rosin, bow, microfiber cloth, stand, and a soft case.The cello arrived with the strings and bridge removed (states that in description) and the sound bar in place where it should be although that can pop loose in shipping. If you do not know how to set a cello up, YouTube is a great place to get some info or any music shop worth their salt can do it for you. Getting the bridge and sound bar in their correct spots is important to the sound quality of the instrument. So you may want the professionals to do it. The bow is complete and just needed a quick tighten and some rosin.I got the black one and the finish is not perfect but unless you are looking for defects it is good to go. The dust really shows on that black background. The included microfiber cloth makes easy work of it though.The sound can be a bit metallic but I have read and heard some professionals recommend switching to higher quality strings. I personally have not seen it as a big issue as long as I have good contact and vibration. In all, it sounds just fine to me. However, I am not a connoisseur yet. 😏Some cons:The tuning pegs worked them selves loose and it wasnt staying in tune very well. I fixed this by coating the pegs with chalk. That added some more friction and I havent had any issues since.The tail piece is a little bit cheap, but it does do the job and it has fine-tune adjusters.Overall, I would absolutely suggest buying this for a beginner or for someone who wants to start up again without wanting to buy a more expensive student cello.

For the price it was well worth it. I stopped playing after high school and wanted to get back into it, this was a great and cost effective way.Included was 2 full sets of strings, bridge, sound bar (installed), tail piece, cello, rosin, bow, microfiber cloth, stand, and a soft case.The cello arrived with the strings and bridge removed (states that in description) and the sound bar in place where it should be although that can pop loose in shipping. If you do not know how to set a cello up, YouTube is a great place to get some info or any music shop worth their salt can do it for you. Getting the bridge and sound bar in their correct spots is important to the sound quality of the instrument. So you may want the professionals to do it. The bow is complete and just needed a quick tighten and some rosin.I got the black one and the finish is not perfect but unless you are looking for defects it is good to go. The dust really shows on that black background. The included microfiber cloth makes easy work of it though.The sound can be a bit metallic but I have read and heard some professionals recommend switching to higher quality strings. I personally have not seen it as a big issue as long as I have good contact and vibration. In all, it sounds just fine to me. However, I am not a connoisseur yet. 😏Some cons:The tuning pegs worked them selves loose and it wasnt staying in tune very well. I fixed this by coating the pegs with chalk. That added some more friction and I havent had any issues since.The tail piece is a little bit cheap, but it does do the job and it has fine-tune adjusters.Overall, I would absolutely suggest buying this for a beginner or for someone who wants to start up again without wanting to buy a more expensive student cello.

For the price it was well worth it. I stopped playing after high school and wanted to get back into it, this was a great and cost effective way.Included was 2 full sets of strings, bridge, sound bar (installed), tail piece, cello, rosin, bow, microfiber cloth, stand, and a soft case.The cello arrived with the strings and bridge removed (states that in description) and the sound bar in place where it should be although that can pop loose in shipping. If you do not know how to set a cello up, YouTube is a great place to get some info or any music shop worth their salt can do it for you. Getting the bridge and sound bar in their correct spots is important to the sound quality of the instrument. So you may want the professionals to do it. The bow is complete and just needed a quick tighten and some rosin.I got the black one and the finish is not perfect but unless you are looking for defects it is good to go. The dust really shows on that black background. The included microfiber cloth makes easy work of it though.The sound can be a bit metallic but I have read and heard some professionals recommend switching to higher quality strings. I personally have not seen it as a big issue as long as I have good contact and vibration. In all, it sounds just fine to me. However, I am not a connoisseur yet. 😏Some cons:The tuning pegs worked them selves loose and it wasnt staying in tune very well. I fixed this by coating the pegs with chalk. That added some more friction and I havent had any issues since.The tail piece is a little bit cheap, but it does do the job and it has fine-tune adjusters.Overall, I would absolutely suggest buying this for a beginner or for someone who wants to start up again without wanting to buy a more expensive student cello.

For the price it was well worth it. I stopped playing after high school and wanted to get back into it, this was a great and cost effective way.Included was 2 full sets of strings, bridge, sound bar (installed), tail piece, cello, rosin, bow, microfiber cloth, stand, and a soft case.The cello arrived with the strings and bridge removed (states that in description) and the sound bar in place where it should be although that can pop loose in shipping. If you do not know how to set a cello up, YouTube is a great place to get some info or any music shop worth their salt can do it for you. Getting the bridge and sound bar in their correct spots is important to the sound quality of the instrument. So you may want the professionals to do it. The bow is complete and just needed a quick tighten and some rosin.I got the black one and the finish is not perfect but unless you are looking for defects it is good to go. The dust really shows on that black background. The included microfiber cloth makes easy work of it though.The sound can be a bit metallic but I have read and heard some professionals recommend switching to higher quality strings. I personally have not seen it as a big issue as long as I have good contact and vibration. In all, it sounds just fine to me. However, I am not a connoisseur yet. 😏Some cons:The tuning pegs worked them selves loose and it wasnt staying in tune very well. I fixed this by coating the pegs with chalk. That added some more friction and I havent had any issues since.The tail piece is a little bit cheap, but it does do the job and it has fine-tune adjusters.Overall, I would absolutely suggest buying this for a beginner or for someone who wants to start up again without wanting to buy a more expensive student cello.

For the price it was well worth it. I stopped playing after high school and wanted to get back into it, this was a great and cost effective way.Included was 2 full sets of strings, bridge, sound bar (installed), tail piece, cello, rosin, bow, microfiber cloth, stand, and a soft case.The cello arrived with the strings and bridge removed (states that in description) and the sound bar in place where it should be although that can pop loose in shipping. If you do not know how to set a cello up, YouTube is a great place to get some info or any music shop worth their salt can do it for you. Getting the bridge and sound bar in their correct spots is important to the sound quality of the instrument. So you may want the professionals to do it. The bow is complete and just needed a quick tighten and some rosin.I got the black one and the finish is not perfect but unless you are looking for defects it is good to go. The dust really shows on that black background. The included microfiber cloth makes easy work of it though.The sound can be a bit metallic but I have read and heard some professionals recommend switching to higher quality strings. I personally have not seen it as a big issue as long as I have good contact and vibration. In all, it sounds just fine to me. However, I am not a connoisseur yet. 😏Some cons:The tuning pegs worked them selves loose and it wasnt staying in tune very well. I fixed this by coating the pegs with chalk. That added some more friction and I havent had any issues since.The tail piece is a little bit cheap, but it does do the job and it has fine-tune adjusters.Overall, I would absolutely suggest buying this for a beginner or for someone who wants to start up again without wanting to buy a more expensive student cello.

For the price it was well worth it. I stopped playing after high school and wanted to get back into it, this was a great and cost effective way.Included was 2 full sets of strings, bridge, sound bar (installed), tail piece, cello, rosin, bow, microfiber cloth, stand, and a soft case.The cello arrived with the strings and bridge removed (states that in description) and the sound bar in place where it should be although that can pop loose in shipping. If you do not know how to set a cello up, YouTube is a great place to get some info or any music shop worth their salt can do it for you. Getting the bridge and sound bar in their correct spots is important to the sound quality of the instrument. So you may want the professionals to do it. The bow is complete and just needed a quick tighten and some rosin.I got the black one and the finish is not perfect but unless you are looking for defects it is good to go. The dust really shows on that black background. The included microfiber cloth makes easy work of it though.The sound can be a bit metallic but I have read and heard some professionals recommend switching to higher quality strings. I personally have not seen it as a big issue as long as I have good contact and vibration. In all, it sounds just fine to me. However, I am not a connoisseur yet. 😏Some cons:The tuning pegs worked them selves loose and it wasnt staying in tune very well. I fixed this by coating the pegs with chalk. That added some more friction and I havent had any issues since.The tail piece is a little bit cheap, but it does do the job and it has fine-tune adjusters.Overall, I would absolutely suggest buying this for a beginner or for someone who wants to start up again without wanting to buy a more expensive student cello.

For the price it was well worth it. I stopped playing after high school and wanted to get back into it, this was a great and cost effective way.Included was 2 full sets of strings, bridge, sound bar (installed), tail piece, cello, rosin, bow, microfiber cloth, stand, and a soft case.The cello arrived with the strings and bridge removed (states that in description) and the sound bar in place where it should be although that can pop loose in shipping. If you do not know how to set a cello up, YouTube is a great place to get some info or any music shop worth their salt can do it for you. Getting the bridge and sound bar in their correct spots is important to the sound quality of the instrument. So you may want the professionals to do it. The bow is complete and just needed a quick tighten and some rosin.I got the black one and the finish is not perfect but unless you are looking for defects it is good to go. The dust really shows on that black background. The included microfiber cloth makes easy work of it though.The sound can be a bit metallic but I have read and heard some professionals recommend switching to higher quality strings. I personally have not seen it as a big issue as long as I have good contact and vibration. In all, it sounds just fine to me. However, I am not a connoisseur yet. 😏Some cons:The tuning pegs worked them selves loose and it wasnt staying in tune very well. I fixed this by coating the pegs with chalk. That added some more friction and I havent had any issues since.The tail piece is a little bit cheap, but it does do the job and it has fine-tune adjusters.Overall, I would absolutely suggest buying this for a beginner or for someone who wants to start up again without wanting to buy a more expensive student cello.

For the price it was well worth it. I stopped playing after high school and wanted to get back into it, this was a great and cost effective way.Included was 2 full sets of strings, bridge, sound bar (installed), tail piece, cello, rosin, bow, microfiber cloth, stand, and a soft case.The cello arrived with the strings and bridge removed (states that in description) and the sound bar in place where it should be although that can pop loose in shipping. If you do not know how to set a cello up, YouTube is a great place to get some info or any music shop worth their salt can do it for you. Getting the bridge and sound bar in their correct spots is important to the sound quality of the instrument. So you may want the professionals to do it. The bow is complete and just needed a quick tighten and some rosin.I got the black one and the finish is not perfect but unless you are looking for defects it is good to go. The dust really shows on that black background. The included microfiber cloth makes easy work of it though.The sound can be a bit metallic but I have read and heard some professionals recommend switching to higher quality strings. I personally have not seen it as a big issue as long as I have good contact and vibration. In all, it sounds just fine to me. However, I am not a connoisseur yet. 😏Some cons:The tuning pegs worked them selves loose and it wasnt staying in tune very well. I fixed this by coating the pegs with chalk. That added some more friction and I havent had any issues since.The tail piece is a little bit cheap, but it does do the job and it has fine-tune adjusters.Overall, I would absolutely suggest buying this for a beginner or for someone who wants to start up again without wanting to buy a more expensive student cello.

For the price it was well worth it. I stopped playing after high school and wanted to get back into it, this was a great and cost effective way.Included was 2 full sets of strings, bridge, sound bar (installed), tail piece, cello, rosin, bow, microfiber cloth, stand, and a soft case.The cello arrived with the strings and bridge removed (states that in description) and the sound bar in place where it should be although that can pop loose in shipping. If you do not know how to set a cello up, YouTube is a great place to get some info or any music shop worth their salt can do it for you. Getting the bridge and sound bar in their correct spots is important to the sound quality of the instrument. So you may want the professionals to do it. The bow is complete and just needed a quick tighten and some rosin.I got the black one and the finish is not perfect but unless you are looking for defects it is good to go. The dust really shows on that black background. The included microfiber cloth makes easy work of it though.The sound can be a bit metallic but I have read and heard some professionals recommend switching to higher quality strings. I personally have not seen it as a big issue as long as I have good contact and vibration. In all, it sounds just fine to me. However, I am not a connoisseur yet. 😏Some cons:The tuning pegs worked them selves loose and it wasnt staying in tune very well. I fixed this by coating the pegs with chalk. That added some more friction and I havent had any issues since.The tail piece is a little bit cheap, but it does do the job and it has fine-tune adjusters.Overall, I would absolutely suggest buying this for a beginner or for someone who wants to start up again without wanting to buy a more expensive student cello.

For the price it was well worth it. I stopped playing after high school and wanted to get back into it, this was a great and cost effective way.Included was 2 full sets of strings, bridge, sound bar (installed), tail piece, cello, rosin, bow, microfiber cloth, stand, and a soft case.The cello arrived with the strings and bridge removed (states that in description) and the sound bar in place where it should be although that can pop loose in shipping. If you do not know how to set a cello up, YouTube is a great place to get some info or any music shop worth their salt can do it for you. Getting the bridge and sound bar in their correct spots is important to the sound quality of the instrument. So you may want the professionals to do it. The bow is complete and just needed a quick tighten and some rosin.I got the black one and the finish is not perfect but unless you are looking for defects it is good to go. The dust really shows on that black background. The included microfiber cloth makes easy work of it though.The sound can be a bit metallic but I have read and heard some professionals recommend switching to higher quality strings. I personally have not seen it as a big issue as long as I have good contact and vibration. In all, it sounds just fine to me. However, I am not a connoisseur yet. 😏Some cons:The tuning pegs worked them selves loose and it wasnt staying in tune very well. I fixed this by coating the pegs with chalk. That added some more friction and I havent had any issues since.The tail piece is a little bit cheap, but it does do the job and it has fine-tune adjusters.Overall, I would absolutely suggest buying this for a beginner or for someone who wants to start up again without wanting to buy a more expensive student cello.

There are some pretty mixed reviews on here and the rest of the internet, but my experience with this has been pretty decent. Considering its price tag, I don't really believe you can go wrong even with taking a risk on a potentially bad-quality product. My local instrument shop prices their cellos at minimum around $1000, so I'll take my chances with the online option that's 1/3 of the cost; at least there's such thing as a return policy.That being said, I am pretty happy with my purchase, as e

There are some pretty mixed reviews on here and the rest of the internet, but my experience with this has been pretty decent. Considering its price tag, I don't really believe you can go wrong even with taking a risk on a potentially bad-quality product. My local instrument shop prices their cellos at minimum around $1000, so I'll take my chances with the online option that's 1/3 of the cost; at least there's such thing as a return policy.That being said, I am pretty happy with my purchase, as e

This is a review of the CCO-600 I received but as I received both the CCO-500 (returned) and CCO-600 I will include information comparing the two, as I found comparisons hard to find when I was looking at reviews for these instruments.We are retired and purchased the Cecilio CCO-600 for my wife, who is just beginning to learn to play the cello. It is a beautiful looking and beautiful sounding instrument. We originally purchased a CCO-500 which had some non-shipping related damage and, after speaking to KKMusic (who offered to replace the 500 with another), decided to purchase the 600. The 500 was beautiful also and great sounding to our ears but the 600 had a fuller sound with more projection - I could feel the C string's vibration in my body from a short distance away. Customer service at KKMusic was responsive and friendly.I had a cello teacher look at and play both the 500 and 600. While he was impressed with CCO-500 for the price and thought it beautifully made he said the CCO-600 was much better, calling the 500 a "student cello" in comparison. The 500 had a shiny heavy finish which looks pretty and the wood used for the top, sides, and the bottom is lovely. The "flaming" is painted with tea stain, unlike the real flaming on the 600, but well done. The tone of the cello was resonant and deep.The wood used in the 600 was obviously hand-picked, with the spruce top having close grains in the center and widening towards the sides. The maple sides and backs are gorgeous with their flaming (real flaming where you can observe the shift from dark to light to dark when you move the instrument in the light) and the oil finish does nothing to obscure the beauty of the instrument.On both cellos, there were minor imperfections due to the hand carving and perhaps handling after the cello was made - the 600 has a sliver of one of the corners of the bout that has been glued back on, but you have to look close to discover it. The 500 did have a serious 3 1/2" deep scratch along with the bridge being cut a bit too short, which is why we returned it.As mentioned in the item listing both cellos had the bridge down and tied with a ribbon to the neck. I found them easy to install after watching a video by Linda West (https://www.lindawest.com/setting-up-a-bridge-on-a-cello-a/108.htm) - there is both a video and step-by-step pictures and descriptions on the page. Both cello's sounding peg was upright and in place.Both cellos, one shipped by USPS and one by UPS, arrived without undue damage to the boxes or contents. There seems to be some inconsistency in the packing process:The CCO-500 barely had any packing material, just some wadded up heavy plastic and nothing else. There was no additional protection in the hard (cardboard) case with the cello and the bow was in one of the bow holders in the case.The CCO-600 had the box lined with 1/2" thick pieces of styrofoam, then a combination of bubble wrap and air pillows. The fiberglass case itself was encased in a sleeve and inside the case was more bubble wrap protecting the cello. The cello bow was separately wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in the box outside of the case.We did spend $20 at a music store to have the footing of the bridge for the 600 sanded and fitted properly as it did not fit completely flat to the body of the cello. For $20 I figured it was worth having a professional do the job.The 500's bridge footing fitted perfectly once I set it up. I suspect the 600 might not have gone through a complete set-up process in Cecilio's California site before being sent out. The nuts holding the fine tuners to the bridge were loose and the cello's strings looked to be put in haphazardly; I need to unwind and rewind so they didn't cross themselves in the pegbox. The 500's strings were wound perfectly and the fine tuner was tightly affixed to the tailpiece. These items weren't a problem and easily remedied.I would recommend purchasing the cello through Amazon, as you won't be charged anything if returning the instrument (at least through Prime). KKMusic on their site states there is a $69 charge for cello returns, plus the customer handles return postage. The KKMusic site does offer a couple of other knick-knacks for the same price. You might want to check out both sites as I see the price of CCO-600 on Amazon is now $999.99 and on KKMusic is $899.99 - the price I paid on Amazon a few days ago.The fiberglass (or ABS) case that came with my 600 included a built-in handle on the head of the case for hauling around if you're dragging the case using the wheels. I noticed this handle in the Cecilio video but not on the pictures here at Amazon or at KKMusic. The case is fairly heavy, somewhat a chore for my 5' 3" wife to haul in and out of the car.The hard case for the 500 feels like heavy cardboard covered in simulated leather vinyl with a plush red interior. The interior material seems to be the same with both the 600 and 500 hard cases.When talking with Customer Service at KKMusic (which is the distribution arm of Cecilio - same physical address in California) the rep told me, after checking with someone else, the wood used in the Cecilio cellos was aged from 3 to 5 years. The 600 description states the wood is aged at least 7 years, so her information may have been for the models under the 600. There wasn't anyone that could give me a definitive answer even though I ended speaking to a supervisor for 20 minutes - she offered to contact the people that would know, but that would still just be someone's word. The 600 certainly uses a better grade of wood all around, but of course, there is no way to tell actual aging of wood used in any instrument. We are very pleased with the fit and finish of the 600 we received - I went over the instrument inch-by-inch, using a magnifying glass at times.I think a begining student would be happy with either cello. I went with the step-up so we wouldn't be looking for something better in a few years.

This is a review of the CCO-600 I received but as I received both the CCO-500 (returned) and CCO-600 I will include information comparing the two, as I found comparisons hard to find when I was looking at reviews for these instruments.We are retired and purchased the Cecilio CCO-600 for my wife, who is just beginning to learn to play the cello. It is a beautiful looking and beautiful sounding instrument. We originally purchased a CCO-500 which had some non-shipping related damage and, after speaking to KKMusic (who offered to replace the 500 with another), decided to purchase the 600. The 500 was beautiful also and great sounding to our ears but the 600 had a fuller sound with more projection - I could feel the C string's vibration in my body from a short distance away. Customer service at KKMusic was responsive and friendly.I had a cello teacher look at and play both the 500 and 600. While he was impressed with CCO-500 for the price and thought it beautifully made he said the CCO-600 was much better, calling the 500 a "student cello" in comparison. The 500 had a shiny heavy finish which looks pretty and the wood used for the top, sides, and the bottom is lovely. The "flaming" is painted with tea stain, unlike the real flaming on the 600, but well done. The tone of the cello was resonant and deep.The wood used in the 600 was obviously hand-picked, with the spruce top having close grains in the center and widening towards the sides. The maple sides and backs are gorgeous with their flaming (real flaming where you can observe the shift from dark to light to dark when you move the instrument in the light) and the oil finish does nothing to obscure the beauty of the instrument.On both cellos, there were minor imperfections due to the hand carving and perhaps handling after the cello was made - the 600 has a sliver of one of the corners of the bout that has been glued back on, but you have to look close to discover it. The 500 did have a serious 3 1/2" deep scratch along with the bridge being cut a bit too short, which is why we returned it.As mentioned in the item listing both cellos had the bridge down and tied with a ribbon to the neck. I found them easy to install after watching a video by Linda West (https://www.lindawest.com/setting-up-a-bridge-on-a-cello-a/108.htm) - there is both a video and step-by-step pictures and descriptions on the page. Both cello's sounding peg was upright and in place.Both cellos, one shipped by USPS and one by UPS, arrived without undue damage to the boxes or contents. There seems to be some inconsistency in the packing process:The CCO-500 barely had any packing material, just some wadded up heavy plastic and nothing else. There was no additional protection in the hard (cardboard) case with the cello and the bow was in one of the bow holders in the case.The CCO-600 had the box lined with 1/2" thick pieces of styrofoam, then a combination of bubble wrap and air pillows. The fiberglass case itself was encased in a sleeve and inside the case was more bubble wrap protecting the cello. The cello bow was separately wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in the box outside of the case.We did spend $20 at a music store to have the footing of the bridge for the 600 sanded and fitted properly as it did not fit completely flat to the body of the cello. For $20 I figured it was worth having a professional do the job.The 500's bridge footing fitted perfectly once I set it up. I suspect the 600 might not have gone through a complete set-up process in Cecilio's California site before being sent out. The nuts holding the fine tuners to the bridge were loose and the cello's strings looked to be put in haphazardly; I need to unwind and rewind so they didn't cross themselves in the pegbox. The 500's strings were wound perfectly and the fine tuner was tightly affixed to the tailpiece. These items weren't a problem and easily remedied.I would recommend purchasing the cello through Amazon, as you won't be charged anything if returning the instrument (at least through Prime). KKMusic on their site states there is a $69 charge for cello returns, plus the customer handles return postage. The KKMusic site does offer a couple of other knick-knacks for the same price. You might want to check out both sites as I see the price of CCO-600 on Amazon is now $999.99 and on KKMusic is $899.99 - the price I paid on Amazon a few days ago.The fiberglass (or ABS) case that came with my 600 included a built-in handle on the head of the case for hauling around if you're dragging the case using the wheels. I noticed this handle in the Cecilio video but not on the pictures here at Amazon or at KKMusic. The case is fairly heavy, somewhat a chore for my 5' 3" wife to haul in and out of the car.The hard case for the 500 feels like heavy cardboard covered in simulated leather vinyl with a plush red interior. The interior material seems to be the same with both the 600 and 500 hard cases.When talking with Customer Service at KKMusic (which is the distribution arm of Cecilio - same physical address in California) the rep told me, after checking with someone else, the wood used in the Cecilio cellos was aged from 3 to 5 years. The 600 description states the wood is aged at least 7 years, so her information may have been for the models under the 600. There wasn't anyone that could give me a definitive answer even though I ended speaking to a supervisor for 20 minutes - she offered to contact the people that would know, but that would still just be someone's word. The 600 certainly uses a better grade of wood all around, but of course, there is no way to tell actual aging of wood used in any instrument. We are very pleased with the fit and finish of the 600 we received - I went over the instrument inch-by-inch, using a magnifying glass at times.I think a begining student would be happy with either cello. I went with the step-up so we wouldn't be looking for something better in a few years.

As I received both the CCO-500 and CCO-600 I will include information comparing the two, as I found comparisons hard to find when I was looking at reviews for these instruments.We are retired and purchased the Cecilio CCO-600 for my wife, who is just beginning to learn to play the cello. It is a beautiful looking and beautiful sounding instrument. We originally purchased a CCO-500 which had some non-shipping related damage and, after speaking to KKMusic (who offered to replace the 500 with another), decided to purchase the 600. The 500 was beautiful also and great sounding to our ears but the 600 had a fuller sound with more projection - I could feel the C string's vibration in my body from a short distance away. Customer service at KKMusic was responsive and friendly.I had a cello teacher look at and play both the 500 and 600. While he was impressed with CCO-500 for the price and thought it beautifully made he said the CCO-600 was much better, calling the 500 a "student cello" in comparison. The wood used has obviously hand-picked, with the spruce top having close grains in the center and widening towards the sides. The maple sides and backs are gorgeous with their flaming (real flaming where you can observe the shift from dark to light to dark when you move the instrument in the light) and the oil finish does nothing to obscure the beauty of the instrument.On both cellos, there were minor imperfections due to the hand carving and perhaps handling after the cello was made - the 600 has a sliver of one of the corners of the bout that has been glued back on, but you have to look close to discover it. The 500 did have a serious 3 1/2" deep scratch along with the bridge being cut a bit too short, which is why we returned it.As mentioned in the item listing both cellos had the bridge down and tied with a ribbon to the neck. I found them easy to install after watching a video by Linda West (https://www.lindawest.com/setting-up-a-bridge-on-a-cello-a/108.htm) - there is both a video and step-by-step pictures and descriptions on the page. Both cello's sounding peg was upright and in place.Both cellos, one shipped by USPS and one by UPS, arrived without undue damage to the boxes or contents. There seems to be some inconsistency to the packing process:The CCO-500 barely had any packing material, just some wadded up heavy plastic and nothing else. There was no additional protection in the hard (cardboard) case with the cello and the bow was in one of the bow holders in the case.The CCO-600 had the box lined with 1/2" thick pieces of styrofoam, then a combination of bubble wrap and air pillows. The fiberglass case itself was encased in a sleeve and inside the case was more bubble wrap protecting the cello. The cello bow was separately wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in the box outside of the case.We did spend $20 at a music store to have the footing of the bridge for the 600 sanded and fitted properly as it did not fit completely flat to the body of the cello. For $20 I figured it was worth having a professional do the job. The 500's bridge footing was perfect once I set it up. I suspect the 600 might not have gone through a complete set-up process in Cecilio's California site before being sent out. The nuts holding the fine tuners to the bridge were loose and the cello's strings looked to be put in haphazardly; I need to unwind and rewind so they didn't cross themselves in the pegbox. The 500's strings were would perfectly and the fine tuner was tightly affixed to the tailpiece. These items weren't a problem and easily remedied.I would recommend purchasing the cello through Amazon, as you won't be charged anything if returning the instrument (at least through Prime). KKMusic on their site states there is a $69 charge for cello returns, plus the customer handles return postage. The KKMusic site does offer a couple of other knick-knacks for the same price. You might want to check out both sites as I see the price of CCO-600 on Amazon is now $999.99 and on KKMusic is $899.99 - the price I paid on Amazon a few days ago.The fiberglass (or ABS) case that came with my 600 included a built-in handle on the head of the case for hauling around if you're dragging the case using the wheels. I noticed this handle in the Cecilio video but not on the pictures here at Amazon or at KKMusic.When talking with Customer Service at KKMusic (which is the distribution arm of Cecilio - same physical address in California) the rep told me, after checking with someone else, the wood used in the Cecilio cellos was aged from 3 to 5 years. The 600 description states the wood is aged at least 7 years, so her information may have been for the models under the 600. There wasn't anyone that could give me a definitive answer even though I ended speaking to a supervisor for 20 minutes - she offered to contact the people that would know, but that would still just be someone's word. The 600 certainly uses a better grade of wood all around, but of course there is no way to tell actual aging of wood used in any instrument. We are very pleased with the fit and finish of the 600 we received - I went over the instrument inch-by-inch, using a magnifying glass at times.I think a begining student would be happy with either cello. I went with the step-up so we wouldn't be looking for something better in a few years.

As I received both the CCO-500 and CCO-600 I will include information comparing the two, as I found comparisons hard to find when I was looking at reviews for these instruments.We are retired and purchased the Cecilio CCO-600 for my wife, who is just beginning to learn to play the cello. It is a beautiful looking and beautiful sounding instrument. We originally purchased a CCO-500 which had some non-shipping related damage and, after speaking to KKMusic (who offered to replace the 500 with another), decided to purchase the 600. The 500 was beautiful also and great sounding to our ears but the 600 had a fuller sound with more projection - I could feel the C string's vibration in my body from a short distance away. Customer service at KKMusic was responsive and friendly.I had a cello teacher look at and play both the 500 and 600. While he was impressed with CCO-500 for the price and thought it beautifully made he said the CCO-600 was much better, calling the 500 a "student cello" in comparison. The wood used has obviously hand-picked, with the spruce top having close grains in the center and widening towards the sides. The maple sides and backs are gorgeous with their flaming (real flaming where you can observe the shift from dark to light to dark when you move the instrument in the light) and the oil finish does nothing to obscure the beauty of the instrument.On both cellos, there were minor imperfections due to the hand carving and perhaps handling after the cello was made - the 600 has a sliver of one of the corners of the bout that has been glued back on, but you have to look close to discover it. The 500 did have a serious 3 1/2" deep scratch along with the bridge being cut a bit too short, which is why we returned it.As mentioned in the item listing both cellos had the bridge down and tied with a ribbon to the neck. I found them easy to install after watching a video by Linda West (https://www.lindawest.com/setting-up-a-bridge-on-a-cello-a/108.htm) - there is both a video and step-by-step pictures and descriptions on the page. Both cello's sounding peg was upright and in place.Both cellos, one shipped by USPS and one by UPS, arrived without undue damage to the boxes or contents. There seems to be some inconsistency to the packing process:The CCO-500 barely had any packing material, just some wadded up heavy plastic and nothing else. There was no additional protection in the hard (cardboard) case with the cello and the bow was in one of the bow holders in the case.The CCO-600 had the box lined with 1/2" thick pieces of styrofoam, then a combination of bubble wrap and air pillows. The fiberglass case itself was encased in a sleeve and inside the case was more bubble wrap protecting the cello. The cello bow was separately wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in the box outside of the case.We did spend $20 at a music store to have the footing of the bridge for the 600 sanded and fitted properly as it did not fit completely flat to the body of the cello. For $20 I figured it was worth having a professional do the job. The 500's bridge footing was perfect once I set it up. I suspect the 600 might not have gone through a complete set-up process in Cecilio's California site before being sent out. The nuts holding the fine tuners to the bridge were loose and the cello's strings looked to be put in haphazardly; I need to unwind and rewind so they didn't cross themselves in the pegbox. The 500's strings were would perfectly and the fine tuner was tightly affixed to the tailpiece. These items weren't a problem and easily remedied.I would recommend purchasing the cello through Amazon, as you won't be charged anything if returning the instrument (at least through Prime). KKMusic on their site states there is a $69 charge for cello returns, plus the customer handles return postage. The KKMusic site does offer a couple of other knick-knacks for the same price. You might want to check out both sites as I see the price of CCO-600 on Amazon is now $999.99 and on KKMusic is $899.99 - the price I paid on Amazon a few days ago.The fiberglass (or ABS) case that came with my 600 included a built-in handle on the head of the case for hauling around if you're dragging the case using the wheels. I noticed this handle in the Cecilio video but not on the pictures here at Amazon or at KKMusic.When talking with Customer Service at KKMusic (which is the distribution arm of Cecilio - same physical address in California) the rep told me, after checking with someone else, the wood used in the Cecilio cellos was aged from 3 to 5 years. The 600 description states the wood is aged at least 7 years, so her information may have been for the models under the 600. There wasn't anyone that could give me a definitive answer even though I ended speaking to a supervisor for 20 minutes - she offered to contact the people that would know, but that would still just be someone's word. The 600 certainly uses a better grade of wood all around, but of course there is no way to tell actual aging of wood used in any instrument. We are very pleased with the fit and finish of the 600 we received - I went over the instrument inch-by-inch, using a magnifying glass at times.I think a begining student would be happy with either cello. I went with the step-up so we wouldn't be looking for something better in a few years.

There are some pretty mixed reviews on here and the rest of the internet, but my experience with this has been pretty decent. Considering its price tag, I don't really believe you can go wrong even with taking a risk on a potentially bad-quality product. My local instrument shop prices their cellos at minimum around $1000, so I'll take my chances with the online option that's 1/3 of the cost; at least there's such thing as a return policy.That being said, I am pretty happy with my purchase, as e

There are some pretty mixed reviews on here and the rest of the internet, but my experience with this has been pretty decent. Considering its price tag, I don't really believe you can go wrong even with taking a risk on a potentially bad-quality product. My local instrument shop prices their cellos at minimum around $1000, so I'll take my chances with the online option that's 1/3 of the cost; at least there's such thing as a return policy.That being said, I am pretty happy with my purchase, as e

First off, I have never played a cello so I pretty much have nothing to compare it to. I was always interested, but never wanted to spend $800 on a quality "beginner" acoustic cello. I do know that every single bit of parts/manufacturing effects the tone of any piece of acoustic instrument. Coming from a little bit of a guitar background, solid body/ electric guitars are a bit more forgiving. (Meaning a cheap electric guitar can sound pretty decent, when a cheap acoustic guitar can sound down ri

First off, I have never played a cello so I pretty much have nothing to compare it to. I was always interested, but never wanted to spend $800 on a quality "beginner" acoustic cello. I do know that every single bit of parts/manufacturing effects the tone of any piece of acoustic instrument. Coming from a little bit of a guitar background, solid body/ electric guitars are a bit more forgiving. (Meaning a cheap electric guitar can sound pretty decent, when a cheap acoustic guitar can sound down ri

The Cecilio open hole C-foot is an outstanding value for a mass-produced flute. Tones responsive and clear from c1 to Bb3; high notes b3 and above are unreliable. Surprising pianississimo (very, very soft) to strong fortissimo. Lacks the heft and sturdy feel of other name-brand introductory flutes, possibly due to use of thinner spec materials. Silver plating is quite good; small wrinkles noted on the key Y-arms, but only under close inspection. Interior bore is polished. Joint tenons and sockets a bit gritty out-of-the-box, but a little rubbing with a silver polishing cloth nicely smooths out the feel. Head joint cork required placement adjustment; a simple, basic task.

The Cecilio open hole C-foot is an outstanding value for a mass-produced flute. Tones responsive and clear from c1 to Bb3; high notes b3 and above are unreliable. Surprising pianississimo (very, very soft) to strong fortissimo. Lacks the heft and sturdy feel of other name-brand introductory flutes, possibly due to use of thinner spec materials. Silver plating is quite good; small wrinkles noted on the key Y-arms, but only under close inspection. Interior bore is polished. Joint tenons and sockets a bit gritty out-of-the-box, but a little rubbing with a silver polishing cloth nicely smooths out the feel. Head joint cork required placement adjustment; a simple, basic task.

The Cecilio open hole C-foot is an outstanding value for a mass-produced flute. Tones responsive and clear from c1 to Bb3; high notes b3 and above are unreliable. Surprising pianississimo (very, very soft) to strong fortissimo. Lacks the heft and sturdy feel of other name-brand introductory flutes, possibly due to use of thinner spec materials. Silver plating is quite good; small wrinkles noted on the key Y-arms, but only under close inspection. Interior bore is polished. Joint tenons and sockets a bit gritty out-of-the-box, but a little rubbing with a silver polishing cloth nicely smooths out the feel. Head joint cork required placement adjustment; a simple, basic task.

The Cecilio open hole C-foot is an outstanding value for a mass-produced flute. Tones responsive and clear from c1 to Bb3; high notes b3 and above are unreliable. Surprising pianississimo (very, very soft) to strong fortissimo. Lacks the heft and sturdy feel of other name-brand introductory flutes, possibly due to use of thinner spec materials. Silver plating is quite good; small wrinkles noted on the key Y-arms, but only under close inspection. Interior bore is polished. Joint tenons and sockets a bit gritty out-of-the-box, but a little rubbing with a silver polishing cloth nicely smooths out the feel. Head joint cork required placement adjustment; a simple, basic task.

 I am a 55 year old and 46 year flute player who has played professionally on my own recordings, and for radio and TV and taught the flute. I am classically trained but I play jazz and rock flute the most. I record in my home studio as well. I know the flute very well and I am an official flute snob. ;) I wanted to review this flute since I just got this flute. Out of the box it was in great shape and nothing was broken. It was very clean and shiny and the case and supplies were in good order. I have no complaints at all with the case or the condition and look of the flute. The real test though is the flute itself and how it plays. Since it is new I will not be able to talk about durability, but if it made it here via UPS and that treatment, I believe it must at least be pretty tough.I compared this flute to my best flute, my Pearl PF-775 flute, which cost near 3000.00 in 1995 when I bought it, and today you can find them in good condition for around 1800.00 or so. A 169.00 flute VS an 1800.00 flute. Both are identical in every way except one is solid silver head to foot the other plated silver over cupernickel. Which is betterThey both are B-foot and have the gizmo key, the Glory has the offset G and the Pearl has the inline G. The inline G to an offset G is the only other difference. I can tell you all, it is very close, and very hard to tell which is better. I know you don't want to believe that, so, let's just listen shall we Play the video I uploaded where I compare them side by side playing the same song. You will be amazed at how nice the Glory sounds! In the picture of both flutes the Glory is the one on the left.Update:4 years later...Yeah, still plays great and I still can't compare. The silver started to tarnish, but that does not affect the sound and I have been able to polish it back up just like my other flutes that are 100% solid silver. Any loss of silver is not visible either. Still sounds amazing! No adjustments needed, nothing and the pads though a little more worn are still doing their job. I am so glad I bought this flute. :)

 I am a 55 year old and 46 year flute player who has played professionally on my own recordings, and for radio and TV and taught the flute. I am classically trained but I play jazz and rock flute the most. I record in my home studio as well. I know the flute very well and I am an official flute snob. ;) I wanted to review this flute since I just got this flute. Out of the box it was in great shape and nothing was broken. It was very clean and shiny and the case and supplies were in good order. I have no complaints at all with the case or the condition and look of the flute. The real test though is the flute itself and how it plays. Since it is new I will not be able to talk about durability, but if it made it here via UPS and that treatment, I believe it must at least be pretty tough.I compared this flute to my best flute, my Pearl PF-775 flute, which cost near 3000.00 in 1995 when I bought it, and today you can find them in good condition for around 1800.00 or so. A 169.00 flute VS an 1800.00 flute. Both are identical in every way except one is solid silver head to foot the other plated silver over cupernickel. Which is betterThey both are B-foot and have the gizmo key, the Glory has the offset G and the Pearl has the inline G. The inline G to an offset G is the only other difference. I can tell you all, it is very close, and very hard to tell which is better. I know you don't want to believe that, so, let's just listen shall we Play the video I uploaded where I compare them side by side playing the same song. You will be amazed at how nice the Glory sounds! In the picture of both flutes the Glory is the one on the left.Update:4 years later...Yeah, still plays great and I still can't compare. The silver started to tarnish, but that does not affect the sound and I have been able to polish it back up just like my other flutes that are 100% solid silver. Any loss of silver is not visible either. Still sounds amazing! No adjustments needed, nothing and the pads though a little more worn are still doing their job. I am so glad I bought this flute. :)

I would definitely purchase this again if it broke or something. I mean, I don't need two of them but I'd buy it for a gift for someone else. It's very nice quality and looks like it was hand carved. I don't know if it was, just saying it looks very nice. Not like some cheap, dried up piece of garbage you'd get from some sweatshop overseas.

I would definitely purchase this again if it broke or something. I mean, I don't need two of them but I'd buy it for a gift for someone else. It's very nice quality and looks like it was hand carved. I don't know if it was, just saying it looks very nice. Not like some cheap, dried up piece of garbage you'd get from some sweatshop overseas.

I decided to get back into playing the flute, (used to play from 5th grade up to my senior year and a little in college, so I know my way around a good flute) and wanted a new one, came across this. I did my research and decided to get the antique flute. I have to say, it is gorgeous!However, I was hoping from the pictures it would have more hints of gold on the keys, but it's not really noticeable. And the ends of the middle and foot joints are rounded, they're not shaped like in the picture. Those were my only qualms. (Still giving it 5 stars)Other than that, it looks like stainless steel, I'm impressed by this style. Mine came with everything pictured, gloves and all. I'm sure over time the color will fade on the keys without the gloves, but that's normal after playing for a while because of the oils in your hands.I've had mine for about a week and have been practicing nonstop. The sound is beautiful, I can't remember the last time I was able to play all notes clearly, (especially the F key...) They all sound perfect!Now, I've seen reviews for the colored ones saying the color was chipped in areas, so I did look very closely and there were a couple of spots, but it's so miniscule I can't even tell. I don't know if that will change with time, but I'm sure with proper care and handling, it'll be fine. (Please don't leave your instrument in extreme temps!)My advice, get this flute, it's worth it! It's a lot cheaper than renting, and the sound and overall quality is just as good as the more high-end flutes. If its taken care of, cleaned after every use, and the springs aren't popped out (be careful with q-tips), this will last a long time.

I decided to get back into playing the flute, (used to play from 5th grade up to my senior year and a little in college, so I know my way around a good flute) and wanted a new one, came across this. I did my research and decided to get the antique flute. I have to say, it is gorgeous!However, I was hoping from the pictures it would have more hints of gold on the keys, but it's not really noticeable. And the ends of the middle and foot joints are rounded, they're not shaped like in the picture. Those were my only qualms. (Still giving it 5 stars)Other than that, it looks like stainless steel, I'm impressed by this style. Mine came with everything pictured, gloves and all. I'm sure over time the color will fade on the keys without the gloves, but that's normal after playing for a while because of the oils in your hands.I've had mine for about a week and have been practicing nonstop. The sound is beautiful, I can't remember the last time I was able to play all notes clearly, (especially the F key...) They all sound perfect!Now, I've seen reviews for the colored ones saying the color was chipped in areas, so I did look very closely and there were a couple of spots, but it's so miniscule I can't even tell. I don't know if that will change with time, but I'm sure with proper care and handling, it'll be fine. (Please don't leave your instrument in extreme temps!)My advice, get this flute, it's worth it! It's a lot cheaper than renting, and the sound and overall quality is just as good as the more high-end flutes. If its taken care of, cleaned after every use, and the springs aren't popped out (be careful with q-tips), this will last a long time.

I decided to get back into playing the flute, (used to play from 5th grade up to my senior year and a little in college, so I know my way around a good flute) and wanted a new one, came across this. I did my research and decided to get the antique flute. I have to say, it is gorgeous!However, I was hoping from the pictures it would have more hints of gold on the keys, but it's not really noticeable. And the ends of the middle and foot joints are rounded, they're not shaped like in the picture. Those were my only qualms. (Still giving it 5 stars)Other than that, it looks like stainless steel, I'm impressed by this style. Mine came with everything pictured, gloves and all. I'm sure over time the color will fade on the keys without the gloves, but that's normal after playing for a while because of the oils in your hands.I've had mine for about a week and have been practicing nonstop. The sound is beautiful, I can't remember the last time I was able to play all notes clearly, (especially the F key...) They all sound perfect!Now, I've seen reviews for the colored ones saying the color was chipped in areas, so I did look very closely and there were a couple of spots, but it's so miniscule I can't even tell. I don't know if that will change with time, but I'm sure with proper care and handling, it'll be fine. (Please don't leave your instrument in extreme temps!)My advice, get this flute, it's worth it! It's a lot cheaper than renting, and the sound and overall quality is just as good as the more high-end flutes. If its taken care of, cleaned after every use, and the springs aren't popped out (be careful with q-tips), this will last a long time.

I decided to get back into playing the flute, (used to play from 5th grade up to my senior year and a little in college, so I know my way around a good flute) and wanted a new one, came across this. I did my research and decided to get the antique flute. I have to say, it is gorgeous!However, I was hoping from the pictures it would have more hints of gold on the keys, but it's not really noticeable. And the ends of the middle and foot joints are rounded, they're not shaped like in the picture. Those were my only qualms. (Still giving it 5 stars)Other than that, it looks like stainless steel, I'm impressed by this style. Mine came with everything pictured, gloves and all. I'm sure over time the color will fade on the keys without the gloves, but that's normal after playing for a while because of the oils in your hands.I've had mine for about a week and have been practicing nonstop. The sound is beautiful, I can't remember the last time I was able to play all notes clearly, (especially the F key...) They all sound perfect!Now, I've seen reviews for the colored ones saying the color was chipped in areas, so I did look very closely and there were a couple of spots, but it's so miniscule I can't even tell. I don't know if that will change with time, but I'm sure with proper care and handling, it'll be fine. (Please don't leave your instrument in extreme temps!)My advice, get this flute, it's worth it! It's a lot cheaper than renting, and the sound and overall quality is just as good as the more high-end flutes. If its taken care of, cleaned after every use, and the springs aren't popped out (be careful with q-tips), this will last a long time.

Really good flute, great quality but if youre like me and have never touched a flute before keep reading cause this may help.I got this cause I wanted to learn the flute but wanted to get something cheaper than a western flute, that being said it took me 2 days just to figure out how to get it to make a decent sound, so keep that in mind.I highly suggest for anyone learning this instrument for the first time to use tape instead of the membrane it gives you, it made it a little easier for me at least.I also suggest looking at YouTube videos of people showing you how to play or even videos of people playing them and examine their posture and such.

Really good flute, great quality but if youre like me and have never touched a flute before keep reading cause this may help.I got this cause I wanted to learn the flute but wanted to get something cheaper than a western flute, that being said it took me 2 days just to figure out how to get it to make a decent sound, so keep that in mind.I highly suggest for anyone learning this instrument for the first time to use tape instead of the membrane it gives you, it made it a little easier for me at least.I also suggest looking at YouTube videos of people showing you how to play or even videos of people playing them and examine their posture and such.

Vali la pena la espera. Lleg 2 das despus de la fecha, al parecer por retraso en la paquetera.Cumple con lo que el vendedor publica.Incluye funda y dems accesorios. Lleg en buen estado en su caja y una caja extra por parte de Amazon para mayor proteccin.Recomiendo.

Vali la pena la espera. Lleg 2 das despus de la fecha, al parecer por retraso en la paquetera.Cumple con lo que el vendedor publica.Incluye funda y dems accesorios. Lleg en buen estado en su caja y una caja extra por parte de Amazon para mayor proteccin.Recomiendo.

At the beginning we were hesitant about this violin, even our violin teacher said that she didnt know how it would be later on, because the brand didnt have good reviews according to her. However, the violin has been great for my daughter to learn, and after 15 months of using it, it has held very well. The shoulder rest had to be replaced, the one it brought didnt work for us, but overall, the performance and quality had been great!

At the beginning we were hesitant about this violin, even our violin teacher said that she didnt know how it would be later on, because the brand didnt have good reviews according to her. However, the violin has been great for my daughter to learn, and after 15 months of using it, it has held very well. The shoulder rest had to be replaced, the one it brought didnt work for us, but overall, the performance and quality had been great!

I'm an adult beginner who always wished I learned to play violin. I'm not getting any younger, so I decided to just go for it. Having no experience purchasing a violin before, I did a TON of research and watched video reviews by several professionals. I'll save you some time. Buy this violin. Not only a beginner instrument, it should also take you into your intermediate years, which was a big plus in making my decision. The sound quality is great, at least to me, but obviously it's not going to sound like a professional instrument. The violin itself is beautiful and glossy. I did have some issues in the beginning with the pegs slipping but that seems to be normal for a brand new instrument (they don't slip anymore). It stays in tune quite nicely with just minor adjustments with the fine tuners. The fingerboard did make my fingertips black for a while, but that wore off fairly quickly. I really love this instrument!I am giving it 5 stars because the instrument itself is great, however the add ons... not so much:- Bows: It comes with 2, which is nice and they seem decent, but I had a nicer bow given to me and it's definitely better.- Shoulder rest: Do yourself a favor and just add a better one to your cart right now, you'll be happy you did. This thing is absolute junk, extremely uncomfortable, and didn't hold the violin in the right place no matter what I did to adjust it. When I got a better one it was a world of difference!- Rosin: Seems decent and I used it for a while (it did need to be scored first) but I bought some jade rosin a month or so ago and I could immediately hear the sound was better (and I'll take anything that makes me sound even slightly better at this point!).- Strings: It's been three months am still using the ones that came with the instrument. They seem great to me! I wish it came with a second set!- Tuner/metronome: I never even put batteries in it. It doesn't seem like something that's well made. I just use an app on my phone.- Lesson book: This book is awesome! It's pretty much the only book I am using, and my tutor also agrees it's a great beginner book. Obviously it starts with the basics and builds you up. It indicates there are songs on a disc that match up, but my book did not come with a disc. There is a link on the very first page where you can download the songs though, which is VERY helpful!- Case: Decent. It has a zipper pocket on the outer top of the case, perfect for a small notebook. The lesson book is a little too big to fit in it all the way though. The case closes with a zipper and velcro flap. There's a space inside to store your rosin and extra bridge. The case lid doesn't stay open though, which is annoying. The hinge should allow it to go back just an inch more so it doesn't slam shut on you. Otherwise, it's a case and it does its job.All in all, I am super happy with my purchase and learning to play has been such a joy (and not as hard as I thought it would be)!

I'm an adult beginner who always wished I learned to play violin. I'm not getting any younger, so I decided to just go for it. Having no experience purchasing a violin before, I did a TON of research and watched video reviews by several professionals. I'll save you some time. Buy this violin. Not only a beginner instrument, it should also take you into your intermediate years, which was a big plus in making my decision. The sound quality is great, at least to me, but obviously it's not going to sound like a professional instrument. The violin itself is beautiful and glossy. I did have some issues in the beginning with the pegs slipping but that seems to be normal for a brand new instrument (they don't slip anymore). It stays in tune quite nicely with just minor adjustments with the fine tuners. The fingerboard did make my fingertips black for a while, but that wore off fairly quickly. I really love this instrument!I am giving it 5 stars because the instrument itself is great, however the add ons... not so much:- Bows: It comes with 2, which is nice and they seem decent, but I had a nicer bow given to me and it's definitely better.- Shoulder rest: Do yourself a favor and just add a better one to your cart right now, you'll be happy you did. This thing is absolute junk, extremely uncomfortable, and didn't hold the violin in the right place no matter what I did to adjust it. When I got a better one it was a world of difference!- Rosin: Seems decent and I used it for a while (it did need to be scored first) but I bought some jade rosin a month or so ago and I could immediately hear the sound was better (and I'll take anything that makes me sound even slightly better at this point!).- Strings: It's been three months am still using the ones that came with the instrument. They seem great to me! I wish it came with a second set!- Tuner/metronome: I never even put batteries in it. It doesn't seem like something that's well made. I just use an app on my phone.- Lesson book: This book is awesome! It's pretty much the only book I am using, and my tutor also agrees it's a great beginner book. Obviously it starts with the basics and builds you up. It indicates there are songs on a disc that match up, but my book did not come with a disc. There is a link on the very first page where you can download the songs though, which is VERY helpful!- Case: Decent. It has a zipper pocket on the outer top of the case, perfect for a small notebook. The lesson book is a little too big to fit in it all the way though. The case closes with a zipper and velcro flap. There's a space inside to store your rosin and extra bridge. The case lid doesn't stay open though, which is annoying. The hinge should allow it to go back just an inch more so it doesn't slam shut on you. Otherwise, it's a case and it does its job.All in all, I am super happy with my purchase and learning to play has been such a joy (and not as hard as I thought it would be)!

Hi, I had mixed feelings buying this violin. A number of reviewers panned this violin so I was concerned on what I would receive. Now for my observations. The violin is gorgeous, the flaming and finish is wonderful. The bridge was intact as the sound post. The violin tuned easily and sounds great, much better than I expected. The electronic tuner works very well. Based on some reviews that said that the bows were substandard, I purchased a better bow. The quality of the supplied bows is yet to be determined. The case is excellent and of very high quality. This violin is worth every penny spent. IMO you will not be disappointed.Edit 01/08/24: I now have three of the Cecilio cvn-600 violins. They all look the same, but sound somewhat different. I installed geared tuners, Wittner and Perfection pegs, boxwood harp tailpieces and Fiddlerman strings, and removed the fine tuners. Each of the cvn-600 have similar weights, but as the plates measured with the Magic Probe, they have different plate thicknesses. The average thickness for the top plate goes from violin 3.38 to 5.11 mm. The thinner plate top is the oldest of the three and sounds the best. This suggests that Cecilio quality is slipping. The thickness variation suggests that the plates are indeed hand made and not a CNC product. Also notice that the description for the cvn-600 no longer states that the tonewood is aged for seven years. IMO Cecilio keeps shooting themselves in the foot. I am seriously thinking of buying another cvn-600 to see how it matches with my other three. BTW, if you get a good cvn-600 it sounds as good as a thousand dollar+ violin. If you get a poor sounding one, either send it back, or put octave strings on the violin and have some fun.Edit 01/25/24: I recently purchased a Cecilio cvn-600 from eBay that was probably made in 2006, the first year of cvn-600 production. As suspected the older cvn-600 top and bottom plate are much thinner than current production. Also the scroll is a few mm narrower than current production. The pegs are 7.1mm while current production pegs are 7.4mm. Interesting that the weight difference between my four cvn-600 violins is only 0.1oz. This suggests that irrespective of the different plate thickness, Cecilio keeps the weight the same over the 20 years of cvn-600 production. The first cvn-600 were list priced at $1000 with the price decreasing over the years. IMO while the current production cvn-600 build quality has slightly decreased over the years, current cvn-600 violins are still pretty good sounding if you replace the strings with either Fiddlerman, or Pirastro Tonica strings and use a better than the Cecilio supplied bows. The Fiddlerman carbon fiber bows are good. The Fiddlerman Sandalwood bows are even better. I have found that the D'Addario dark rosin works well with the cvn-600's.

Hi, I had mixed feelings buying this violin. A number of reviewers panned this violin so I was concerned on what I would receive. Now for my observations. The violin is gorgeous, the flaming and finish is wonderful. The bridge was intact as the sound post. The violin tuned easily and sounds great, much better than I expected. The electronic tuner works very well. Based on some reviews that said that the bows were substandard, I purchased a better bow. The quality of the supplied bows is yet to be determined. The case is excellent and of very high quality. This violin is worth every penny spent. IMO you will not be disappointed.Edit 01/08/24: I now have three of the Cecilio cvn-600 violins. They all look the same, but sound somewhat different. I installed geared tuners, Wittner and Perfection pegs, boxwood harp tailpieces and Fiddlerman strings, and removed the fine tuners. Each of the cvn-600 have similar weights, but as the plates measured with the Magic Probe, they have different plate thicknesses. The average thickness for the top plate goes from violin 3.38 to 5.11 mm. The thinner plate top is the oldest of the three and sounds the best. This suggests that Cecilio quality is slipping. The thickness variation suggests that the plates are indeed hand made and not a CNC product. Also notice that the description for the cvn-600 no longer states that the tonewood is aged for seven years. IMO Cecilio keeps shooting themselves in the foot. I am seriously thinking of buying another cvn-600 to see how it matches with my other three. BTW, if you get a good cvn-600 it sounds as good as a thousand dollar+ violin. If you get a poor sounding one, either send it back, or put octave strings on the violin and have some fun.Edit 01/25/24: I recently purchased a Cecilio cvn-600 from eBay that was probably made in 2006, the first year of cvn-600 production. As suspected the older cvn-600 top and bottom plate are much thinner than current production. Also the scroll is a few mm narrower than current production. The pegs are 7.1mm while current production pegs are 7.4mm. Interesting that the weight difference between my four cvn-600 violins is only 0.1oz. This suggests that irrespective of the different plate thickness, Cecilio keeps the weight the same over the 20 years of cvn-600 production. The first cvn-600 were list priced at $1000 with the price decreasing over the years. IMO while the current production cvn-600 build quality has slightly decreased over the years, current cvn-600 violins are still pretty good sounding if you replace the strings with either Fiddlerman, or Pirastro Tonica strings and use a better than the Cecilio supplied bows. The Fiddlerman carbon fiber bows are good. The Fiddlerman Sandalwood bows are even better. I have found that the D'Addario dark rosin works well with the cvn-600's.

First, I've purchased hundreds of items on Amazon. Overall I have been very pleased with the quality of what I get, so my expectations are generally pretty high.I used to play the violin and recently decided to pick it back up. I live in an apartment and thought a "silent" violin would be easier on the neighbors and my family! After tons of research I chose the Cecilio Mahogany Style 2 for the quality of materials described, looks, and bang for the buck. Upon receiving it my expectations were far exceeded.In my research I discovered that, as with any new violin not purchased from a music store, the bridge height needs to be adjusted (so each string is the proper distance off the fingerboard), the pegs fine fitted to keep their grip, and the strings replaced with a decent quality set. I embraced this as part of the deal so I was not surprised when this violin needed it as well. I would suggest using the services of a violin luthier or, if you're handy, to do it yourself (see expert luthier David Snelling's helpful video on youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watchv=kI4KOIGSq8Q).Brief description:- Quality of construction: excellent, good attention to detail- Finish: visually stunning (I thought it would be painted, but it's varnished and shows through beautiful wood grain)- Pegs, fingerboard, tailpiece, chin rest, and bow frog: solid ebony with brass accents (nice touch)- End button - brass (would rather have ebony, but it's a decent alternative)- Fine tuners - a bit cheap, but they work fine (no pun intended). I may order better ones at some point.- Strings: poor quality. I replaced them with D'Addario Prelude strings and kept the old ones for backup- Bow - quality materials, straight, good tension, nice horsehair (should have a little more hair, though)- Electronics: decent sound quality. The polarization marks in the battery compartment were switched and thought the pickup was broken when the light didn't come on. It worded when I turned the battery around.- Headphones and cables: on the cheap side (I expected this considering the price)- Rosin: so-so. I ordered a decent cake with the violin- Case: again, quality far exceeded what I expected to receiveOverall the sound quality is good (even better than some acoustics I've played), the strings hold their tune (BTW, new strings take about a week for their tension to normalize), and it's not too loud when the pickup is off.I would not hesitate suggesting this product.

First, I've purchased hundreds of items on Amazon. Overall I have been very pleased with the quality of what I get, so my expectations are generally pretty high.I used to play the violin and recently decided to pick it back up. I live in an apartment and thought a "silent" violin would be easier on the neighbors and my family! After tons of research I chose the Cecilio Mahogany Style 2 for the quality of materials described, looks, and bang for the buck. Upon receiving it my expectations were far exceeded.In my research I discovered that, as with any new violin not purchased from a music store, the bridge height needs to be adjusted (so each string is the proper distance off the fingerboard), the pegs fine fitted to keep their grip, and the strings replaced with a decent quality set. I embraced this as part of the deal so I was not surprised when this violin needed it as well. I would suggest using the services of a violin luthier or, if you're handy, to do it yourself (see expert luthier David Snelling's helpful video on youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watchv=kI4KOIGSq8Q).Brief description:- Quality of construction: excellent, good attention to detail- Finish: visually stunning (I thought it would be painted, but it's varnished and shows through beautiful wood grain)- Pegs, fingerboard, tailpiece, chin rest, and bow frog: solid ebony with brass accents (nice touch)- End button - brass (would rather have ebony, but it's a decent alternative)- Fine tuners - a bit cheap, but they work fine (no pun intended). I may order better ones at some point.- Strings: poor quality. I replaced them with D'Addario Prelude strings and kept the old ones for backup- Bow - quality materials, straight, good tension, nice horsehair (should have a little more hair, though)- Electronics: decent sound quality. The polarization marks in the battery compartment were switched and thought the pickup was broken when the light didn't come on. It worded when I turned the battery around.- Headphones and cables: on the cheap side (I expected this considering the price)- Rosin: so-so. I ordered a decent cake with the violin- Case: again, quality far exceeded what I expected to receiveOverall the sound quality is good (even better than some acoustics I've played), the strings hold their tune (BTW, new strings take about a week for their tension to normalize), and it's not too loud when the pickup is off.I would not hesitate suggesting this product.

I got mine as a lefthand one for only 94 bucks...at that price it was a bargain I think. I am a newbie so I didn't mind taking a chance on what is usually a 150 dollar plus violin. I expected poor sound...I have a good ear, but all the strings ring nice, loud, clear, and true...with open strings lol.Only downside was the rosin is shattered, but useable for now. It is in a small wooden box, in the accessory compartment of the hard case, which was packaged in the Cecilio box, which was in an amazon box. Makes me think it was shattered prior to shipping lol. Everything else looks like a steal for any price under 150. Very satisfied so far. Shoulder pad, two bows, and two bridges was nice and definitely adds to my newbie experience. As I said, the finish and the sound are BOTH better than I expected...so I'm very satisfied. Able to get long clear notes within a minute after setting it up. Make sure to rosin the bow several minutes straight that first time...and scratch the rosin with the edge of a quarter. I'll update if it falls apart or any other negative discoveries.

I got mine as a lefthand one for only 94 bucks...at that price it was a bargain I think. I am a newbie so I didn't mind taking a chance on what is usually a 150 dollar plus violin. I expected poor sound...I have a good ear, but all the strings ring nice, loud, clear, and true...with open strings lol.Only downside was the rosin is shattered, but useable for now. It is in a small wooden box, in the accessory compartment of the hard case, which was packaged in the Cecilio box, which was in an amazon box. Makes me think it was shattered prior to shipping lol. Everything else looks like a steal for any price under 150. Very satisfied so far. Shoulder pad, two bows, and two bridges was nice and definitely adds to my newbie experience. As I said, the finish and the sound are BOTH better than I expected...so I'm very satisfied. Able to get long clear notes within a minute after setting it up. Make sure to rosin the bow several minutes straight that first time...and scratch the rosin with the edge of a quarter. I'll update if it falls apart or any other negative discoveries.

I recently got back into violin playing after a 20 year hiatus. One of the biggest issues is that I often find myself wanting to practice, but not being able to for fear of disturbing the neighbors in my apartment complex. I think this violin is going to be a good solution to that problem. I intend to mostly just leave the batteries out and play it without any amplification. In the following video, that's what I'm doing, and I'm cranking down on it as loud as I can. It's audible, but still not very loud. With my other violin, I would definitely be waking up the neighbors, but I think this should be alright if I just sort of take it easy on the bow. I think if I play it with a heavy practice mute, it should be reasonable to practice at any hour.https://youtu.be/Xl56-oBnIKkCons:The bow is pretty cheap. It's good enough for beginners, but if you are planning to play any rapid staccato, it's going to bounce out of control. A better bow would fix that. I tried the included bow once, and put it away. I can use it for a spare periodically when I send my normal bow in to get re-haired.The strings are pretty cheap. At some point, I'll probably replace them with Dominants. Amusingly, a set of Dominants costs about $50, so a substantial proportion of the cost of the instrument will then be in strings.The pegs are very slippery. You can fix that with either some rosin rubbed onto the parts of the peg that contact the peg box, or use some peg compound. (Which I think is just rosin in a liquid form so it's easier to apply.) Without the peg compound, the pegs will slip and the instrument will go out of tune while playing it.I had to replace one of the fine tuners because it was bent, and not turning easily. I had some spares, so this was easy. Replacement fine tuners are only a few dollars on Amazon.Also on the same note, when tuning up for the first time, make sure that the fine tuners are properly screwed in. There's a tuning screw, and a mounting screw below that. On mine, the mounting screws were loose, causing the instrument to go out of tune frequently.Pros:I get to practice my violin in my apartment at night.I think it sounds decent, but a bit more metallic than a real violin. Changing the strings will probably fix that.It more or less feels like a regular violin when you are playing it.The construction feels solid enough, so hopefully it will last.The price makes it a great place to start. A real student violin should cost $500-$1000, just to get one that isn't too hard to play and sounds semi-decent.I would definitely recommend that new players get an experienced violinist to help them set up the instrument for the first time, because although the instrument arrived in a mostly playable condition, I did have to do a lot of little things to make it play well. Nothing was difficult or expensive to correct, but if I hadn't already known how to do the repairs/modifications, it would have been frustrating.

I recently got back into violin playing after a 20 year hiatus. One of the biggest issues is that I often find myself wanting to practice, but not being able to for fear of disturbing the neighbors in my apartment complex. I think this violin is going to be a good solution to that problem. I intend to mostly just leave the batteries out and play it without any amplification. In the following video, that's what I'm doing, and I'm cranking down on it as loud as I can. It's audible, but still not very loud. With my other violin, I would definitely be waking up the neighbors, but I think this should be alright if I just sort of take it easy on the bow. I think if I play it with a heavy practice mute, it should be reasonable to practice at any hour.https://youtu.be/Xl56-oBnIKkCons:The bow is pretty cheap. It's good enough for beginners, but if you are planning to play any rapid staccato, it's going to bounce out of control. A better bow would fix that. I tried the included bow once, and put it away. I can use it for a spare periodically when I send my normal bow in to get re-haired.The strings are pretty cheap. At some point, I'll probably replace them with Dominants. Amusingly, a set of Dominants costs about $50, so a substantial proportion of the cost of the instrument will then be in strings.The pegs are very slippery. You can fix that with either some rosin rubbed onto the parts of the peg that contact the peg box, or use some peg compound. (Which I think is just rosin in a liquid form so it's easier to apply.) Without the peg compound, the pegs will slip and the instrument will go out of tune while playing it.I had to replace one of the fine tuners because it was bent, and not turning easily. I had some spares, so this was easy. Replacement fine tuners are only a few dollars on Amazon.Also on the same note, when tuning up for the first time, make sure that the fine tuners are properly screwed in. There's a tuning screw, and a mounting screw below that. On mine, the mounting screws were loose, causing the instrument to go out of tune frequently.Pros:I get to practice my violin in my apartment at night.I think it sounds decent, but a bit more metallic than a real violin. Changing the strings will probably fix that.It more or less feels like a regular violin when you are playing it.The construction feels solid enough, so hopefully it will last.The price makes it a great place to start. A real student violin should cost $500-$1000, just to get one that isn't too hard to play and sounds semi-decent.I would definitely recommend that new players get an experienced violinist to help them set up the instrument for the first time, because although the instrument arrived in a mostly playable condition, I did have to do a lot of little things to make it play well. Nothing was difficult or expensive to correct, but if I hadn't already known how to do the repairs/modifications, it would have been frustrating.

40 years playing guitar, complete newbie to the violin. First, the instrument looks beautiful and comes with everything you need safe and sound in it's own case. It's completely set up and ready to tune and play. The white has a subtle sparkle to it that I really like. It does smell like paint upon opening but that will dissipate, albeit slowly, very slowly. It is very loud unplugged and sounds like itself when plugged into an amp. I had no trouble getting it to produce distinguishable notes using the bow, rosin and strings that it comes with. Yes, the back of the neck is unpainted but that is how it's supposed to be. I replaced 2 of the 4 strings with D'Addario preludes when I accidentally broke them by using the wrong peg for the wrong string and I actually prefer the sound of the stock strings, they seem more articulate. I've had no trouble tuning it and it keeps it's tune for a few days at a time, although I always tune any of my stringed instruments before playing them.Before changing anything, whether bow, strings, rosin or shoulder rest, take a look at Fiddlerman's "109 dollar violin test" on youtube where he takes it out of the box, tunes it very quickly, and plays with everything it comes with. It's the same violin as this one in black without the electronics. It sounds fantastic when he plays it and he is quite impressed and he is also quite impressive. The only thing I've had to add to this outfit is a mute because it's so loud it was hurting my left ear. I would also recommend a snark clipon tuner if you don't already have one. I play with the tuner clipped behind the scroll which makes it easier to know where to put your finger when you are starting out.I am so pleased with this brand that I have also ordered their viola outfit as well.

40 years playing guitar, complete newbie to the violin. First, the instrument looks beautiful and comes with everything you need safe and sound in it's own case. It's completely set up and ready to tune and play. The white has a subtle sparkle to it that I really like. It does smell like paint upon opening but that will dissipate, albeit slowly, very slowly. It is very loud unplugged and sounds like itself when plugged into an amp. I had no trouble getting it to produce distinguishable notes using the bow, rosin and strings that it comes with. Yes, the back of the neck is unpainted but that is how it's supposed to be. I replaced 2 of the 4 strings with D'Addario preludes when I accidentally broke them by using the wrong peg for the wrong string and I actually prefer the sound of the stock strings, they seem more articulate. I've had no trouble tuning it and it keeps it's tune for a few days at a time, although I always tune any of my stringed instruments before playing them.Before changing anything, whether bow, strings, rosin or shoulder rest, take a look at Fiddlerman's "109 dollar violin test" on youtube where he takes it out of the box, tunes it very quickly, and plays with everything it comes with. It's the same violin as this one in black without the electronics. It sounds fantastic when he plays it and he is quite impressed and he is also quite impressive. The only thing I've had to add to this outfit is a mute because it's so loud it was hurting my left ear. I would also recommend a snark clipon tuner if you don't already have one. I play with the tuner clipped behind the scroll which makes it easier to know where to put your finger when you are starting out.I am so pleased with this brand that I have also ordered their viola outfit as well.