On behalf of Teachers, Violin Shops, and Beginning Players across the country, we encourage parents to avoid the temptation to buy a cheap internet-auction violin outfit, commonly known as a V.S.O. – Violin Shaped Object.
V.S.O.’s look like violins, but a very high percentage are virtually unplayable due to innumerable structural and set-up problems. Many well-meaning parents bring in their V.S.O.’s to violin shops around the country (including the SHAR Repair Shop) and are disappointed to find out that the repairs needed to make their instrument playable far exceed both the price they paid for the instrument and the price of a properly made and set up instrument without any of the problems of a V.S.O.

VSO Tuning Problems
Frustrating pegs that are very hard to turn making tuning difficult even for an experienced player or they “slip” causing frustration when instrument constantly goes out of tune.  Caused by improper peg installation and/or low quality pegs made of wood that is too soft or green (not dried properly).  Cost to install new pegs:  $50 to $100

VSO Sound Problems
Awful sounding strings that have a shrill sound or just one or two bad ones that give an uneven and unpleasant sound from one string to the next.  Caused by low quality strings and/or improper set-up causing string damage.  Cost for new set of strings:  $10 to $30

Annoying & frustrating string buzzing sound when played.  Caused by string being too close to fingerboard due to improper set-up and/or low quality wood parts (fingerboard, nut, bridge, neck) that are too soft or too green (not dried properly).  Cost for a new nut $30 to $50, plane the fingerboard $30 to $50, new bridge $30 to $75, correct neck projection $200+.

VSO Discomfort/Pain Problems
Painful/uncomfortable fingers (especially younger players) during and/or after playing because string height is too high requiring too much pressure to push them down to the fingerboard.  Caused by nut being too high, and/or fingerboard not having proper “scoop”, and/or bridge being too high, and/or neck projection being too low.  See “string buzzing” for costs to fix.

VSO Playability Problems
Frustration with bow hitting two strings when trying to just play one string.  Caused by improper set-up where bridge curvature is too flat so difficult to have bow touch just 1 string at a time.

“I see a lot of unplayable Instrument Shaped Objects from the internet—instruments that people thought might be a good deal—instruments that are unfortunately not a good deal at all because they’re just unfixable wasted purchases.  But there IS a great deal—enter the Hoffmanns to the rescue.  These are instruments that we can guarantee get the best attention and care at every stage of the process. Hoffmanns are consistently made better, set up better, and play and sound so incredibly much better than any of those internet cheapies. Since your kid is excited about playing, doesn’t he or she deserve the best? Doesn’t your kid deserve a Hoffmann?”
Dick Mattson, SHAR Repair Shop Coordinator & Test Player Supervisor