The Best Electric Violins Under $1,000 [Video & Comparison Chart]

The Best Electric Violins Under $1,000 [Video & Comparison Chart] - Electric Violin Shop

Our entry-level price tier offers a nice choice of styles and colors for a variety of practice and performance applications. Models in this price range include:


Watch our video demonstration of under-$1000 electric violin models or read on below to learn more...




Solid-Body Electric Violins Under $1,000

The Yamaha YEV, NS Design WAV, and Wood Violins Stingray are all "solid-body" electric violins, meaning that they do not have a resonating chamber and rely solely on their pickup and an amplfier in order to produce sound. (None of these instruments are totally silent, but all are very quiet when not plugged in. Think of the difference between strumming an acoustic vs. an electric guitar.) A solid body is desirable for two reasons:

  1. It is almost completely resistant to feedback, allowing you to play at higher volumes and use high-gain effects such as distortion without the risk of that awful, deafening feedback squeal.
  2. It take on any shape or design because, unlike with an acoustic violin, the shape and dimensions of the body do not produce the sound.

The under-$1000 instruments we offer couldn't be more different in their appearances. The YEV has a flowing, mobius strip frame that is at once a nod to tradition while also being quite modern in appearance; the WAV looks downright unique, possessing no scroll and a very narrow body; the Stingray screams rock-n-roll, with its stylish curves and points that mimic a stingray fish but wield like a battle axe; the Auro looks like a nice compromise between the other three designs: minimalist, while retaining the physical touch points of an acoustic. Gewa's Novita incorporates minimal design similar to the WAV.

Passive electronics

All four models are passive, meaning they do not require batteries and do not possess an onboard preamp. The advantage to a passive instrument is that it weighs less, without the added weight onboard electronics and batteries. However, passive violins have a much higher impedance output, which doesn't match up with most electric guitar gear or pro sound equipment without the help of some extra gear (namely a preamp). The good news is that all four of these violins do sound good plugged straight into certain acoustic instrument amps, and when used with a preamp, DI box, or multi-FX pedal that lowers the signal's impedance, they can be plugged into sound boards and PAs and sound great.

4 and 5-string options

The YEV, WAV, Gewa Novita, Glasser, Reiter, and Stingray SVX models are available in 4 or 5 strings. (A 5-string violin adds the viola-range C string, allowing you to play lower notes). The Auro is currently available in only a 4-string version.

Case options

The WAV and Stringray both include a case. The YEV, Gewa Novita, and Auro models do not include a case but both fit in any standard violin case--we recommend the Toshira TC-100 for a good economical case that fits them well.

Shoulder rest compatibility

The Auro, Gewa, Stingray, and YEV all accommodate standard violin shoulder rests, so you can use the rest you're used to for comfort; the WAV has its own incorporated shoulder rest system, which is highly adjustable for height, tilt, angle, and is malleable for a perfect fit.

Chin rests

The Auro, Stingray, and WAV have incorporated chinrests, while you can replace the YEV's included chinrest with any center-mounted chin rest you like.

So how to decide between the three? All three sound great, and for most people it may come down a design preference. Take a look at this comparison chart and see how these models compare in the areas that are most important to you...


Comparison Chart



Acoustic-Eletric Violins Under $1,000

Acoustic-electric violins are violins with an acoustic body and a built-in pickup system. The benefits of these instruments are that you can play them acoustically and be heard without an ampflier, and that when plugged into an amplifier you get some added tonal complexity from the acoustic vibrations of the instrument body being passed throug to the pickup.

The main drawback to using an acoustic-electric are that they are susceptible to feeding back. When you play amplified, and particularly when your amp volume or the other sound from other musicians around you is quite loud, the acoustic violin picks up that sound, amplifies certain frequencies, sends them out through your speaker, which in turn comes back at your violin and gets amplified again. It's what's known as a feedback loop.

For players who want the option to both amplify and play acoustically, who amplify in quieter settings (think coffee shop-sized venues and in-home settings), and who want only to work with more traditional, acoustic sounds, an acoustic-electric is a good choice.

Acoustic-electric is probably not the best choice for players who want to use high-gain effects such as distortion and/or play in loud settings, such as with a rock band or on a stage that requires higher volumes to be heard, since these will likely result in unwanted feedback. Even for smaller and quieter performance venues and acoustic-electric is not ideal if you intend to use effects, since a close-up audience will be able to hear both the acoustic violin and the effected tone coming from the speaker.

If you think an acoustic-electric is the right choice for you, we carry three models that start under $1,000:

Barcus Berry is a famous name in violin amplification and has been around for a very long time. Their Vibrato acoustic-electric violins feature colorful painted finishes and a bright amplified tone.

The Glasser AEX violin has a carbon fiber body and is available in both 4 or 5 string versions in a number of vivid colors. It offers more sophisticated amplification than the Barcus Berry, with an active Bartolini pickup and a bass/treble tone knob on the tailpiece and a volume knob built into the chin rest.

The Glasser AE violin is like the AEX, but with a higher grade woven carbon fiber body that produces a more complex tone. The visual colors aren't as bright as the AEX, but the tonal colors are brighter.

 





Silent Practice violin under $1000

If you are shopping for an electric violin for the sole purpose of quiet headphone practice, the Yamaha YSV104 is a fantastic option. If you want to also be able to plug in and amplify your violin, then the YSV104 is not a great choice. It comes with a control box that is a headphone amp with some cool additional practice features, but it does not have a pro audio quality output for plugging into amps or PA systems. If you are buying an instrument that's just for practicing in hotel rooms, the dormatory, or your bedroom late at night so that you won't bother others, we recommend the Yamaha YSV104 because of it's great quality and awesome practice features. If you want both the ability to plug in and to play through headphones. any of the solid body electric violins above can work if you also add a headphone amplifying device. Learn more...



And there you have it--our guide to electric violins priced from $500-$1,000! If you have any questions, feel free to contact us by emailing info@electricviolinshop.com, or give us a call at 919-806-3311 during business hours. We'll be happy to help you assemble your first electric violin rig for under $1,000.

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