If you live in or near the Skokie area, the violin shop with the best violins and customer service is Seman Violins. For phone number, location and driving directions click here.

Otherwise, look in your local yellow pages under MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS-DLRS. Only go to VIOLIN SHOPS!!! Anything named "Band & Orchestra" will know NOTHING about violins. The quality and service will be horrible!!!

You must bring your child to the Violin Shop in order to get the correct size violin. Someone in the store will have your child hold the violin and stretch his/her arm to measure the proper length of the violin.

If the child has no bend in the elbow and looks like he/she is straining, the violin is too big. Often times, students are in between two sizes. As a rule of thumb, it is better to go smaller than larger.

DO NOT let the violin shop convince you to go larger. Sometimes they do that because they don't have the other size in stock and are scared of losing your business. A good violin shop will take your name and call you when it becomes available.

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SHOULDER REST
This is a device that hooks under the violin where the violin touches the shoulder. This accessory is necessary to help the person hold the violin properly. Many devices are available. The size and shape of the student's body will determine which one is best to get:

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ELECTRONIC TUNER
Visually lets you tune your child's instrument. Easy enough that the student can learn to tune his/her own instrument.

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Music Stand
There is a multitude of music stands online or at the music stores. They come in different colors, some are fold-up and portable, others are solid metal and sturdier.

The first few lessons do not require a music stand. This is a good item to let the student pick out as a way to encourage their enthusiasm for playing the violin.

Practice Mute - optional
Practice mutes are made to quiet the violin down so you can practice in apartments, at night, etc. I have never seen one for a small violin except for this one, Heavy Practice Mute, Rubber - 1/4 - 1/16 violin, small .

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Chin Rest - optional
The chin rest is where the head/jaw rest on top of the violin. A lot of the small children have discomfort with the tiny chin rests and the metal parts that hold it to the violin.

I use a " Flesch" Chin Rest which is large and flat and sits in the middle of the violin (normally it sits to the left corner). I have never seen one for small sized violins except for this Flat Flesch. If your child is having discomfort/difficulty holding his/her violin, I recommend this chin rest highly.

Also, another solution is to put a Strad Pad (last one on the page) over the chin rest for comfort. It's a soft cushioned padding that covers the chin rest and the metal parts that irritate the children's neck.

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If you are a beginning violinist, it is rare to find a small sized high quality instrument. Usually beginning instruments are built sturdier and have an adequate sound. There are amazingly inexpensive violin packages at www.SharMusic.com that include the case, bow and violin.

I found online a novice violin kit for on sale for $99 ($139 regular) plus a free tuner. I have never ordered from this company, but if they have a good return policy you can try them.

They have packages for beginners, intermediate and advanced students. Several of my students have bought full size violins from Shar and received great service and satisfaction. The $149 violin outfit was fine for a beginning student, and the $850 violin outfit was definitely better in sound and playability.

If you like Ebay, they have amazing deals! I typed in Violin Accessories in the Search Window and found brand new violins (all sizes) that come with a Kun shoulder rest, extra bow, extra bridge, extra set of strings, pitch pipe tuner, rosin, and case for $19.98! At this price, it's almost disposable. I have never ordered from this company, but it says it has a 100% customer satisfaction guaranteed.

There are also the local violin shops. I would recommend going there only if you are looking for a finer quality instrument. The shops will let you take the violin(s) home and try them out for a week. This way you can hear how it sounds in different environments and have your teacher evaluate it.

Here is a really good web site on violin care and maintenance, with some buying tips at the end.

For more links about the violin go to The Violin Directory -
Your source for Violin related articles, resources and information.

Buying a Keyboard

Buying a piano can be a big investment. Besides the cost of the instrument itself, you also have to pay for moving and tuning the instrument (which can cost several hundred dollars). A good alternative for a beginning student is to buy a keyboard or electric piano. They are inexpensive, easy to move and never need tuning.

MAJOR BRANDS
The common brands you will find are CASIO, YAMAHA, rarely KAWAI.

WHERE TO BUY
• LOCALLY - The best places and prices are Walmart, Target, Best Buy and the Guitar Center. For discount prices there is the CASIO outlet store in Kenosha, WI.

• ONLINE - www.yahoo.shopping.com & www.Bizrate.com will shop and compare prices for you with anyone who has your item(s) online.

• E-BAY - Do your research by looking at different makes and models of keyboards, write down the names and numbers of the ones you like, and check E-Bay to see what's available. I checked myself, and there are some really great deals!

I have a CASIO CTK-620L (my students love it) that I purchased at the CASIO outlet store in Wisconsin several years ago for $299 (That was a great price back then). This model is now discontinued, but I found it on E-bay for $49.99 with zero bidders!

• COSTCO - I found a nice Yamaha keyboard with touch sensitive keys, including stand and adapter for $189 on the Costco website.

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WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• FULL SIZE KEYS - The keys must be the same size as a real piano. Mini keys are not acceptable.

• FIVE OCTAVE RANGE - That translates to 61 keys. The more keys, the better.

• TOUCH RESPONSE or SENSATIVE - This means the keys are sensitive to the amount of pressure put on them. The harder you press, the louder the sound. The lighter you press, the softer the sound. This is how a real piano reacts.

• JACKS - Does the keyboard have jacks for headphones and a pedal?

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STAND
Keyboards do not come with a stand. The most popular one available is the "X" style. The keyboard just rests on top of it and is not very secure. If you have lots of children and someone bumps into it, the keyboard can fall off.

BENCH
Your child needs an ADJUSTABLE bench. This is very important for correct posture and positioning to the instrument.

ADAPTER
Most keyboards DO NOT come with an adapter. Check your keyboard purchase to see if it is included.

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ELECTRIC PIANO
These are examples of electric pianos that cost under $1000.

• Williams ETUDE Console Piano

• Casio AP38 Digital Piano

• Casio AP31 Digital Piano

• Celviano AP-24 Digital Piano

• Yamaha YDP113 Digital Piano

• Valdesta Classico 750 Digital Piano

• Roland EP-760C Digital Piano

• Casio PX100 Privia Keyboard + CS55 Stand

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ACOUSTIC PIANO
The best deals are to buy from someone who is moving or an estate sale.

A good local source for listing is www.pioneerlocal.com -> classified ad -> merchandise -> musical instruments. That would be your Skokie Review, Evanston Review, Highland Park Review, etc., all in one place online.

FREE PIANO - as amazing as this sounds, I have found many free pianos on www.chicago.craigslist.org under the FREE category. Usually the owner just wants to get the piano out of the house, and you are in charge of moving it. I have seen many listings with pictures and the pianos look like they are in good shape. You have to sort throught the listings on a daily basis, but the price is right!

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• WHERE WAS THE PIANO KEPT - Excessive heat, moisture and cold can all wreck havoc on the instrument. If it was in a damp, cold basement the piano will not be as nice as if it was in a environmentally controlled living room.

• HOW IS THE IVORY - Most pianos have ivory on their keys. If a few of the ivories are cracked, discolored or missing they can be replaced. If the majority of keys are in disrepair, you don't want to buy it.

• TEST THE KEYS - Press every key to see if it is functioning. If a few keys stick or sound strange, they usually can be fixed. Once again, if there are a lot of them, look elsewhere.

• LOOK INSIDE - Open the lid and look at the hardware. Look to see if the frame is warped, any broken strings, and if the hammer heads are in good shape. If you think it looks in disrepair, do not buy it. Some hardware problems cannot be fixed or are very expensive.

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MOVING THE PIANO
If you buy your piano from a store they might have their own moving service or refer you to one. If you get a mover on your own, get a mover who specializes in moving pianos and is insured.

TUNING THE PIANO
Once again, if you buy your piano at a store they usually have a tuner on hand or through referral. They will recommend 2 tunings.

The first time gets the piano in tune. There usually is a settling-in period for the piano after the trauma of a move and it's normal for it to pull out of tune. That's why a second tuning is necessary.