String Instruments

Great for the Beginner!

Advantages: Good value, nice instrument
Disadvantages: Bow lets the outfit down a little

...Stentor. I purchased the Stentor Conservatoire and so far I have not been disappointed in any way whatsoever. Although it is not the highest quality instrument, it is certainly good value for money and has a nice look and feel to it. Although I bought it as a beginner instrument, it is often recommended for the advancing student. Stentor does produce one or two cheaper models but I found that the quality was far less both in sound and build. I was ...
...produced in China, especially as the Primavera I used had a permanent smell of super glue! However this appears a well constructed instrument that is comfortable to play. From what I have seen I would say it has t be up there for the best beginner outfit on a budget. The outfit means you get the bow, case and Rosin included, which is obviously convenient, as you need these items to play! The bow seems to be of a slightly reduced quality to the violin ...

JoshD82 25.07.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Stentor Conservatoire 4/4 Size Violin Outfit

My Favourite Triple

Advantages: Beautiful sound, excellent quality, friendly/helpful harpmaker, can be customised
Disadvantages: handmade by sole trader so may have a wait

...have seen and played, and Tim Hampson harps are becoming well sought after. The sound is magnificent, I only wish I could afford more of his harps as they are well worth the money paid, I'm sure they will far outlive the originals too!!!! I can't think of anything bad about them - the only slight negative as with any hand-built instrument is it has a wait before you get it anywhere from a month - but then they do say good things come to those who ...
...now........ The service from Tim is great and as it's only one person you know exactly where you stand. His website is great, with good pictures and full price lists of all his products and services (he will service all you harps - even ones he hasn't made, and if you find old ones he restores too!!!), I have heard he will soon have videos on youtube so I will be keeping a search on there for Tim Hampson, and he's on facebook too!!! ...

Hannah714 21.10.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Tim Hampson Emma Elizabeth Welsh Triple Harp

It's a Double Bass daddio!

Advantages: They're beautiful.
Disadvantages: You'll cry if you have to sell it.

It's difficult to buy a double bass in the simple way you might buy a good quality electric guitar or electric bass . For a guitar you can sort of decide if you're Fender, Gibson, Gretsch etc type of person by seeing what you're favourite players use on the telly and then trying them out in any good guitar store. But for the double bass we're in different territory all together and different rules apply. If you try out the bass in a store or room ...
...spaces can make an unamplified double bass sound great. I like to play mine on the lower landing of my stairwell - always sounded beautiful there. If you intend to play with a bow be prepared for some utterly glorious sounds and some hard work. Then of course there are not so many easily identifiable brands for a double bass and not so long ago, and still today, basses were referred to in a very general manner as either Romanian, German or Austrian ...

padfoot100 17.10.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Double Bass

Get some ear plugs!

Advantages: See text.
Disadvantages: See text.

...and views on playing the violin as I have learnt to play it, or rather NOT how toplay it as some people would make out! There are many different sized violins, of course making it easier for those with shorter or longer arms to play. They are full size (adult); 3/4 size; half size, and 1/4 size (for the littler people). These can be purchased in any good music shop or on the Internet brand new (price dependant), or second hand from your local paper ...
...Being one of the major players in any standard orchestra, it is of course an instrument that when well it has a beautiful-sounding quality to it. Otherwise, play it in a sound proofed room with ear plugs - and that is for the person who is playing it at the time! The majority of people who learn this instrument do as I did, which is to go to a recognised teacher. This way, whatever you learn you know o be true on how best to handle the instrument ...

dynamicnurse 24.01.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Violin

It's Finger Pickin' Good

Advantages: great sound, unusual
Disadvantages: more expensive than a similar standard guitar

...hand. The Tanglewood banjo is a great budget instrument; it cost me £120 and came with a book, a spare set of strings, set of metal finger picks, an electronic tuner, shoulder strap and a soft case. I was impressed with the tuning keys, they don't jump like some cheap guitars, and the banjo stays in tune for a long time. Now that I have acquired a hard case for my banjo it stays in tune almost indefinitely. The way to tell the quality of a banjo ...
...ones have twelve. The Tanglewood has 18, which seems plenty to me. The vellum should last the life of the instrument, provided you take care and don't poke holes in it or bash people over the head with it. Keeping it in a hard case is a good investment. It's a bit different to playing a guitar, after all, almost everyone has a guitar but you don't see many banjos in this country. If you want to cheat, there is a six string guitar banjo, which is ...

JeffFromPoole 11.02.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Tanglewood TB18-5 5-String Banjo