How to Find the Best Electric Violin in 2022

So, you’ve entered into the world of electric violins. How exciting!

Playing the electrical violin for the first time is quite a thrilling experience, considering that electric violins are different from acoustic ones. Playing the electric violin has its own benefits and drawbacks when compared to playing the acoustic violin.

However, it’s still a fun and exciting instrument to learn how to play, no matter what type of musical experience you have.

 The thing is, is that there’s a lot of different types of models on the market. Depending on your budget and your experience level, some types of electrical violins may be better suited for you than others. Suppose you’ve never purchased an electric violin before. In that case, it can be frustrating trying to figure out which option is the best for you to invest in.

So today, I’m dedicating myself to helping you figure out how you can find the perfect electric violin for yourself and recommending some of my all-time favorite models. Let’s get going! 

Bottom Line Up Front: Finding an electric violin doesn’t have to be tricky. Overall, I would highly recommend the Bunnel Edge Electric Violin. It comes with everything that a beginner would need to have success with their first electric violin, without going over more than $500.

My Top Picks

• Bunnel EDGE Electric Violin
• Crescent EV
• Merano MVE10
• Cecilio CEVN-2

What is an Electric Violin?

There are a lot of differences between an acoustic violin and an electric violin. Electric violin doesn’t have a soundbox, unlike an acoustic violin. So, since it doesn’t have a sound box, it relies on an amplification system, such as an amplifier or even speakers, to create sound. 

Like an electric guitar, the sound that comes from an electric violin depends on the pickup and the sensors it has.

When you’re playing on an electric violin, leave vibrations of the strings are picked up by an electrical signal that goes to an amplifier to create the sound that you hear from an electric violin. If you don’t have an amplifier or speakers, you won’t hear really any sound from your electrical violin.

Which, for some people, this is a good thing. If you don’t want to have to plug it in your violin and two speakers every time that you play, you can practice on your instrument. You will produce a hardly audible sound, but maybe it’s just enough for you to get your practice in without having to use headphones. 

Electric Violin vs Classical Violin: Is a Traditional Acoustic Violin or an Electric Violin Better?

There are many differences between an electric violin and an acoustic violin. Some people refer to an acoustic violin as a classical violin. Even though they have different terminology, people are referring to the same instrument. 

First, you may notice that some electric violins have more than four strings. A classical violin only has four strings, whereas an electric violin can have all the way up to 7 strings.

In addition, a classical violin doesn’t need any technology to produce a sound. You can hear a classical violin whenever it’s being played because the sound doesn’t need an amplifier or speakers. This is because classical violins have a hollow body, whereas electrical violins are solid in depend on an amplification system to be heard.

 Also, electrical violins tend to be a lot heavier than a classical violin. This is partly because of the hollow-body difference between the two. But, some of the technological requirements of the electrical violin make the instrument heavier. 

In addition, you may notice that a lot of classical violins all look the same. However, with an electric violin, there aren’t any limitations with what the design can look like. So, electrical violin tends to look a lot different than a classical violin because there’s a lot more that can be done with experimenting with the appearance of the body. 

As a result of all of these differences, it does preach different sensations while you’re playing your instrument. Also, you are going to need to develop two different techniques when you’re playing each type. If you already have experience playing the violin, you may notice that you feel a little out of your element when you pick up your first electrical violin.

Don’t worry too much, though, because this feeling is normal. Over time, you will get used to the difference in feeling and sound quality between these two different instruments. 

Do You Have to Tune an Electric Violin?

Yes, you do have to tune an electric violin. An electric violin is tuned in the same way that you tune a classical violin. Depending on the number of strings there are, you may have a different number of pegs.

However, most classical violins have four pegs on them to tune nice strings. It’s highly recommended that you plug your instrument into an amplifier while you’re training. Otherwise, you may find it to be very difficult to tune your instrument because it’ll be really hard to hear your strings without the amplification system.

How Do I Choose the Right Electric Violin?

How you choose the right electric violin for yourself depends on many things. Your budget, your go with your electric violin, and your experience with playing the violin all play a part in determining what type of electric violin will be best for you.

Let’s take a closer look at how to determine How to choose the right electric violin for yourself. 

Tone

The tone is really the most subjective part of shopping around for an electric violin. That some people are looking for an electric violin that has more of an acoustic sound. Others will want the violin to sound electrical. And even more stressful, the higher you go up in price range, the more complex the tone of your violin will become.

So, it’s really important for you to get a great idea of what exactly you’re looking for out of an electric violin before you commit to even looking around for one. 

In my personal opinion, this is the most challenging part of shopping around for an electric violin. If you’re specifically looking for sound quality, you’ll want to invest in a more expensive model. Expensive models have higher-quality materials used in their production, which will resulting in a better sound quality. But, you need to decide if this is important for you.

Once you get this part of your shopping journey figured out, you’ll have a much easier time shopping around to figure out what electric violin would be the best option for you to invest in. 

Ergonomics

 Next, you also need to consider the ergonomics of your violin. How your violence feels in your hands is really important because this will also play a large role in how well you’re able to play and how much you enjoy playing.

 Since electric violins can be made without any limitations, a lot of companies will shape their electrical violins in a way that makes them rest comfortably on your shoulder. But, it’s really important for you to test out an electric violin before you purchase it to make sure that it feels comfortable on your body.

 The shape of the violin isn’t the only thing that’ll play a role and how the violence feels on you. The weight of the instruments will also determine whether or not you feel like you can play comfortably if you feel sluggish and slow down by the weight of the war instrument. Some electric models are going to be a lot heavier than others.

This will very drastic be by model, so it’s important for you to do your research before you commit to finding you’re perfect electric violin. 

Your Needs

Let’s not forget that you also need to figure out what your exact needs are before you decide on one model. This will really help you to figure out what your budget should be when you’re shopping around.

If you’re just looking for an electric violin that you can practice on, you won’t need to spend as much money on an electric violin as you would if you were looking for a model you could perform on. 

Appearance

Of course, the design of your electric violin is important. If you’re looking for an electric violin that doesn’t catch people’s eyes (you want something more modest), you’ll want to look into different models than people who want something flashy. Flashier electric violins will have unique designs and intricate details.

Plus, there are some electric violin models that come with unique colors and finishes, so what you’re looking for from your electric violin will also have an impact on how much you’re spending on your electric violin. 

Selection Criteria

I chose the products in this guide Based on specific criteria. I chose all the electric violins in this guide Based on their availability, my personal experiences using these violins, positive customer reviews, and how easy they were to use. I made sure that all of these electric violins were readily available and weren’t too difficult to find, whether that be in-store or online.

I’ve personally used all of these electric violins, so I understand the strengths and weaknesses that each violin offers. But, I made sure that I wasn’t the only person that had a good experience with the violins I’ve recommended.

I read through customer reviews to make sure that generally, other people also had a positive experience with the violence I’m recommended. Lastly, I made sure that these electric violins didn’t create a lot of problems and weren’t too difficult to use. 

My Top Picks 

Now, time for the fun part. Here are my top electric violin picks!

Best Professional Electric Violin – Bunnel EDGE Electric Violin

Personally, I highly recommend this electric violin the most out of all of the suggestions I’ve been on this place. I think that this is the perfect option for someone who is just starting out with the electric violin and aren’t sure of all of the accessories that would possibly need to be successful.

Coming in at what I consider to be a budget option for an electric violin, You could get your hands on this electric violin for just around $500.

 Included with your purchase see, you will receive additional strings, rosin, a polishing cloth, and a case. But, what I found most impressive about this violin is the clarity that you get from a professional one.

A lot of people, especially professional musicians, complain about the cloudiness that comes with electrical instruments. However, this Edge electric violin doesn’t have any sort of fuzziness coming through the pickup.

 Well, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this electric violin for someone who doesn’t have any prior musical experience; this is a great option for someone who is highly interested in playing the electric violin or a professional musician who’s interested in adding the electric violin into their playing capabilities. 

Pros

• Everything you need to get started to play the violin comes in a kit
• Great for intermediate and advanced players
• Comes with a ceramic pickup

Cons

• Pricing is very expensive for someone who’s just starting out with the violin
• If you compared to the quality of a classical violin, you may be disappointed

Best Beginner Electric Violin – Crescent EV

This is a wonderful electric violin for people who are just beginning to learn how to play the violin. Even if you’re shopping around for someone for their very first instrument, this electric violin is super affordable, comes in a lot of fun colors, and it’s pretty comfortable to hold.

I would highly recommend this violin to anyone who’s considering learning how to play the electric violin, mainly because it’s so affordable. 

Plus, this electric violin isn’t super heavy, so it’s pretty easy to hold on to, even if you weren’t used to holding an instrument. 

Pros

• Super affordable
• Your purchase comes with a case, bow, and a tuner
• Several colors to choose from
• Has an okay tone, especially considering the price range for your violin

Cons

• Doesn’t have the colorful and rich tone that more expensive violins tend to have 

Cheapest Electric Violin – Merano MVE10

This is another affordable violin and is great for intermediate-level players. A step-up from the previously listed violin, the body of this violin is made from carved maple.

Some experienced violin players like the feeling of this violin because it feels similar to that of a real violin. Your purchase of this violin comes with extra strings, cables, headphones, and a built-in amplifier. 

If you’re not sure if you’re going to stick with the electric violin and don’t want to shell out too much money, you should look into this violin. Especially if you already have experience playing the violin, so you know what a real violin feels like. 

Pros

• Affordable price
• Carved wood body mocks a real violin
• Several colors available

Cons

• Not at the same level as professional level violins 

Best for Intermediate Players – Cecilio CEVN-2

This is a pretty well-known brand among student models, and Cecilio is well both for their electric violins and their classical violin. You’ll find that the body has been hand-carved from maple wood, and all the fittings are made from ebony.

That’s a lot of attention to detail, especially considering the pricing of this instrument. I personally recommend Cecilio products, especially because I have played on them for many years. This is one of the very first electric violins I ever picked up, and considering the price range, this isn’t a bad model for intermediate violinists.

Pros

• Affordable
• Beautiful design
• Hand-carved from real wood

Cons

• Not suitable for professionals

FAQs

Conclusion

There’s a lot of electric violins on the market. However, that doesn’t mean that you need to get lost in your own research trying to figure out which model is the best for you. Personally, I would highly recommend the Bunnel Edge Electric Violin. This violin is a great option for people who are looking to get started with the electric violin with a serious instrument.

You don’t have to spend a whole lot of money to get quality out of this piece. Plus, you get access to all of the accessories that you can need to be comfortable while you are learning. 

Looking for more interesting readings? Check out:

• Fiddle vs Violin Explained: What’s The Difference?
• Mendini Violin Buying Guide
• Cecilio CVN 500 Review & Guide: Quality Serious Student Violin in a Cheap Package
• Cecilio CVN-600 Review and Guide – Why I Love It!