Ever wondered about the costs? Well, here's a list of the equipment and instructional material that I've purchased. I decided not to reveal the cost of my violin because I don't want to influence you while choosing a violin to purchase.
Rosin - $2.79
Replacement Strings - $22.47
Shoulder Rest - $9.09
Replacement Bridge - $19.19
Mutes - $2.20
Metronome w/ Tuner - $15.86
Instruction - $42.97 (for 6 months)
Essentials 2000 Book 1 - $5.10
A chin rest, bow, rosin and hard case were included with my violin... I was unaware that I'd get rosin, so I bought another small block prematurely. I'm sure I'll buy more (better quality) in a few months; I should notice the difference by then.
Given I purchased a used instrument (manufactured in 2001) I didn't know the condition of the strings and decided to replace them - not to mention I popped the original A string. I'll be using the D'Addario Pro Arte strings. They have a synthetic perlon core and great reviews for students (or the "serious amateur" lol).
The shoulder rest is better than what I expected for ten bucks! The feet don't scratch the violin and the legs are adjustable to fit other violin sizes along with adjustable height and a tilting pad - good buy overall. Now take a look at the bridge that arrived, haha really? (I actually wasn't laughing about the bridge - initially a bit annoyed by it.) I bought a replacement that's kinda "ready-2-go". It has adjustable feet, so it should conform to the body and there shouldn't be much additional adjustment needed. I've found 2 brands with adjustable feet: Glaesal and Aubert a Mirecourt. One day, I'll have a bridge actually fitted for my violin.
My university offers private lessons for a very affordable price ($34.50/hr per week), but I've decided not to utilize them. So I'll be using Beth Blackerby's ViolinLab. It's a great site with excellent AV quality, though I imagine that I'll still seek some live instruction to make sure my technique is correct.
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