[edit2] Wow, thanks for the gold, stranger! First time I got a comment gilded :-)

___

Ok, lots of questions, I'll try to hit them all. (edit: didn't realize how long this was going to be, sorry!! TL;DR: accessories are fine, but don't invest in that instrument itself because it has no resale value and if/when you upgrade, it will have good "parts" on it already).

Strings - your new strings (linked) look better than the stock ones. Not good. But a bit less bad. If you were thinking of upgrading, I would say don't get a full set. Just replace the A/D (or even just the A) and see how it compares. They should be about $20 each for the A/D strings. Those are the spares I carry in my case (I play Larsen, but don't want $50 spares, especially if someone else asks for one!). Jargar are kinda harsh, but in a good way - they are loud, easy to project, and cut through the mix of the orchestra very well. Easier to be heard, that kind of harsh. On the downside, they require more work of you to not squeak. The cheaper the strings, the easier they squeak, and crunch, and eventually go dead if you apply enough pressure (like crunching that never turns into tone?) but maybe that's not happening to you if you don't have good rosin. So onto point 2!

Rosin. Get this stuff it's superb. I used to pay 2-3x that price, I'm so thrilled it's become readily available. I'm not sure it's quite as good as it was in the 90s, but after experimenting with about a dozen brands (including synthetic, because I'm allergic to pine), this is the one I come back to. You'd think it doesn't much matter, and I used to think that too. Until I did the experiment and found that rosin brand/composition does make a difference. I don't know how much you can hear it, but you can DEFINITELY feel it! Which makes playing easier/harder, and the audience can always hear you working hard. They want to hear you make it look easy, right? Right. Get the Hill Light (violin/viola/cello). Smooth as butter, easy as pie, and creamy like a... something french dessert, I don't know... As for the old rosin, use a dry cloth and just gently wipe and wipe and wipe. Don't use alcohol. it will dry out the hair. Also, you can put new rosin even if the hair isn't 100% clean. It mixes right in, no problems. Wipe off some old, then put on too much of the new Hill rosin. It will make some dust, then in a week put on too much again. Then it should be good to apply once or twice a week from there (depending on how much you play).

Tailpiece is 100% you're done. End game quality right there. Some prefer wood, but whatever. I think I have one of those on one of my cellos. Only problem is you can't fit gut strings because they're thicker and have knots instead of balls at the end :-) The reason it's easier to tune is not the tailpiece, though, it's the fine tuners. Either way, you're sorted. Mazel tov.

Bow - holy cow, that looks legit for the price! Depends on the quality of the hair, though... I pay about that for just the hair every couple years on my carbon fiber bow (CodaBow Classic, I think they're not as expensive as they used to be, mine was top of the line 15-20 years ago and I paid like $1500 for it? Carbon Fiber was not as common so much more expensive in every product... now you can get CF sunglasses for $20 haha). Hard to tell if your struggles might be from the bow hair (stick is probably fine) or the rosin. Easier/cheaper to change the rosin first, though!

For the buildup on the strings, I'd say replace the strings (haha!) - no, but really, take a clean handkerchief and give them a rough hand-wiping at least once a week (some do it every time they play, but not me, I'm lazy!). Every now and then (once a year for me?) I'll put a little bit of rubbing alcohol on the cloth and carefully wipe the rosin-y parts of the strings. If you get alcohol on the cello, it will dissolve the varnish. That's bad. If you get it on the fingerboard, you might find out your fingerboard is painted black and not real ebony... etc. Just be careful. Also, when you clean the strings, take a few seconds to clean the entire length from nut to bridge, because oils from your skin build up in between the wrappings on the strings and make them heavier (so they don't want to vibrate as freely). This extends the life of my strings from 1 year to like 5 years. (again, I'm lazy. Sometimes I don't change for 10 years... but I like a dull/warm sound anyway).

LASTLY

On to the cello itself... Where to begin... The tuning pegs can be replaced, and the peg box can be reamed to better fit the friction pegs (or geared pegs if you want to go crazy). People used friction pegs for hundreds of years so don't moan too loudly. As for the tone, I think the thickness of the finish/varnish make a big difference, the amount of glue (and type) in the seams makes a difference, and the thickness of the wood. The thinner it is, the easier it vibrates. the heavier it is, the harder it is to get a full sweet sound. That also has some to do with the quality of the bridge (which needs to be carved by a luthier, you can't just get a Fournier bridge from Amazon and stick it on there... Expect to pay $75-250 for a bridge out the door from a pro, depending on the quality of the blank. He will also set it up for you). Don't put a fancy bridge on a junk cello tho. It will always be heavy. And it feels heavy when you play. Even in just the left hand. The neck is chunky like a baseball bat (so it won't break?) and the fingerboard might not be perfectly planed, the action can be too high (bridge height can help this, but the nut can also be a problem - and at that point, you do get buzz sometimes if the fingerboard isn't perfectly flat). The fingerboard can be thick/heavy and not vibrate easily - which means it absorbs vibration from the strings, and deadens your sound. Mostly, it's the playability and feel - not like sharp frets, more like the smoothness of the neck like a Strat with nitro finish or matte vs full gloss poly, right? People sand down the neck to get a "nicer" smoother playing? Same thing. It will also feel different in your knees (like a nicer guitar can feel better in your lap? Maybe a $3k American Strat doesn't feel any better than a $500 mexican, but it might feel a LOT better than a $50 knock-off, you know?)

I wouldn't put much more into the cello itself. I'd get a decent A string, depending on what your budget and goals are, I'd recommend the $20 Jargar or maybe D'Addario Kaplan which is much gentler sounding and feeling, sweet and easy to play, but not loud, hard to project and easy to choke it if you press too hard, but I like them for beginners overall. I'd say get good rosin. The wood bow it came with is also probably fine, but play both and see if you can actually feel a difference - play for 15 minutes with one, then switch for 15 minutes so you have time to get used to it. Put good (Hill) rosin on both of them.

Lastly, after you've been playing for a bit (enough to play a Bach minuet from the 6 suites, or the Breval sonata or something, like 6 months in?) go find a local luthier or bowmaker, see if they have a showroom where you could test-drive a $5k cello (that's middle intermediate, like high school players). they should give you a bow and some privacy. See how it feels compared to what you're used to. It's hard to gauge sound under the ear. If you're shopping for sound, you need to take someone with you (a teacher) or have someone at the shop play them for you while you sit across the room listening. But you can definitely feel the difference. They will probably come with Larsen A/D and Spirocore tungsten C/G strings, they'll give you a $1k wood bow to test it with, and the end-pin will be sharp :-)

If you want to argue the difference between a $5k cello and a $50k cello, it gets harder to quantify and you'd have have to do it in person, not in writing. But from where you are? A $1500 yamaha cello would be a step up, but you wouldn't understand what you're missing. I'd say $3500-5k and preferably a locally handmade one (no "brand," just the maker's name inside). It's not snobbery, there's something you'd just have to feel, but you might not be at a place yet to tell the nuance.

Speaking from experience as both a violinist and teacher, obviously the best thing to do would be to see a teacher - but I definitely understand that isn't an option for everyone financially or time-wise. That said, here's my advice:

Start from the very beginning. Essential Elements is an awesome book series to teach you the basics, especially if you're rusty on reading music. The interactive CD helps quite a lot, and you should use it.

Put finger tapes on your instrument. Here is a good instructional on how to do it. I don't recommend the violin fretboard as it's too busy; the tapes are much easier to look at while you're playing.

Buy a tuner! If finances are a concern, you can download an app to your phone/tablet, but a digital tuner is your best option. I use this one and swear by it, particularly as it also has a metronome.

Practice using a full-length mirror. Since you don't have a teacher watching you play, you'll have to take on the role yourself. Particularly watch your left wrist (is it folding in against the instrument?) and your bow arm (is your bow moving straight and is your right shoulder hunched?). It sounds crazy, but practice in the bathroom...it usually has great acoustics and a large mirror. It works!

Make playing comfortable. If you need one, use a shoulder rest - they aren't especially expensive and make a great deal of difference in holding the instrument securely and comfortably (you don't want to be pinching your shoulder upwards or angling your head downwards). The Kun is an industry standard and works well for most beginners. Also, use a stand - do NOT put your music down on your bed or on a table and hunch over to read it, as it totally ruins your playing posture and prevents you from bowing properly.

I hope this helps!

Hey there,

Here are a few things that might be helpful.

1 - Get a percussion mallet. Essentially a stick with a ball on the end. The ball should be hard drubber and not wood or felt. Like this: https://www.amazon.com/Shappy-Mallets-Glockenspiel-Sticks-Percussion/dp/B075LN9V1L

2 - Buy a cheap violin or cello bow...don't spend too much.
This would probably be fine. https://www.amazon.com/Violin-Stunning-Carbon-Fiber-Violins/dp/B01J19ABGI

3 - Buy some rosin for the bow, you'll need it!

Practicing:
First, just start with the mallet. Get a drone/single note playing on your phone or on a keyboard with a note that is loud enough for you to hear well. Try and play the note on the saw by striking the blade with the mallet and bending the saw into an S-shaped curve. Bend up into the note from below, then bend down into the note from above. Do that a bunch, then change the note and do it with a different note.

After you can do that reliably for different notes, try playing a simple melody with the drone...twinkle twinkle, silent night, etc...keep the drone going and really listen, try to stay in tune as best you can.

Once you get a sense of how to find notes when playing with the mallet, try out the bow. Make sure to rosin up the bow pretty good as it will give the bow more bite on the blade. Focus on keeping the bow perpendicular to the flat (non-teeth) side of the saw. Play a note and let it rig by talking the bow off the blade. Practice playing a major scale (do that with the mallet too).

Take care to keep your left hand relaxed (the hand on the tip of the saw blade) it's so easy to create a lot of tension in your body when first learning, and you want to be relaxed. Also, when you bend the saw into the S-curve shape, it doesn't have to be bent too much....again, just try to keep your hand/arm relaxed. Try to find the minimum amount of pressure/tension that you need to get a good sound.

Also, very important, it's fucking tiring at first, so limit your practice time to 10 minutes. Listen to your body. If your hand is hurting, take a break.

I taught myself from this book about 25 years ago, might be a good place to start for you. Fair warning, the book is super cheesy with lots of bad saw-related puns. But it has all the info you need on how to get started. https://www.amazon.com/Scratch-My-Back-Pictoral-History/dp/096208820X

Finally, here's a little arrangement I made of Are You Lonesome Tonight with a saw/saxophone accompaniment, came out pretty good!
https://soundcloud.com/andrewinnes/are-you-lonesome

Here's anther arrangement I did of a hymn: https://soundcloud.com/andrewinnes/doxology

Have fun!

Most people aren't willing to part with so much money right away, that's fantastic that you're okay with it. It's a great idea. You'll get a far better instrument from Givens than Shar.

As for stand, case, and rosin I'll give you a couple of my favorites:

Solid stand (does not collapse) - Manhasset

Collapsible stand - K & M heavy duty

BAM Cases are awesome This one is a newer version of the case I've had for 10 years. It looks like this case has some improvements over the one I have (my locks rusted, but still work, and I don't have wheels, I've also needed to re-glue the inner padding once) but this case has an excellent "bang for your buck" value. I once fell on ice and landed squarely over my cello case (I'm about 200 pounds...so yeah, OUCH) and my cello was perfectly protected inside. No damage at all. There are stronger, less flexible, lighter cases out there but they'll cost over $1000 easily.

Rosin - If you're in a cold, dry area (especially in the winter) you may want to get a dark rosin, they're a bit stickier than light rosin. Generally speaking, light rosin is all-purpose. There's little or no difference between violin/viola rosin and cello rosin (stay away from Bass rosin, it's like glue on your bow and you won't be able to play well). I've used most of these and have never had a complaint. I currently have Jade rosin, but I'm finding it a little slippery and dusty for my playing style. I found Pirastro Goldflex to be a good starting point for me and I still buy a cake every now and again. You'll need a new cake every 6 months to a year because it'll dry out and crack, so you'll get plenty of opportunities to try different brands.


You also might want to think about a humidifier to put in your case in the winter, and some peg compound to help smooth sticky tuning pegs.

Hope this helps!

Not sure what your price range is or what your bf has but here are some ideas (I'll try to go from cheapest to most expensive) :

A nice dark rosin. http://www.amazon.com/Original-Hill-Dark-Rosin-Violin/dp/B000F3FQP6


Chair strap. http://www.amazon.com/Xeros-Anchor-Endpin-Rest-Cello/dp/B000FCJUV8/ (This is the kind I have. There is no substitute, if he doesn't have a strap like this then he really needs one. If you are buying one note that you get one with a circular holder for the end pin and not a V-shaped one. The V-shaped ones are for basses and don't work nearly as well)


Sheet music. I am a fan of the Music Minus One (MMO) series. However a nice anniversary gift might be duet music. I can help think of some good duet music if you want but would like to know a little more about your playing level.


Bow rack. I bought my rack at Home Depot and it looks like this. (actual pic, sorry no link) http://i.imgur.com/Ytww0.jpg They're just hooks, but I really like mine


Cello CDs. There's a lot of good recordings out there but that's for you to find, I can give some suggestions if you want.


Music stand. http://www.amazon.com/Manhasset-Model-Sheet-Music-Stand/dp/B0002FOBJY/ If all your bf has is a wire stand then this is a great gift. There's also stuff like pencil holders, lights, and other stuff that would make good gifts as well.


Cello stand. There are lots of stands out there, I highly recommend a stand that supports the neck of the cello like this. http://www.amazon.com/Stagg-Foldable-Stand-for-Cello/dp/B003ZUEQLG/ref=sr_1_6?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1343515413&sr=1-6&keywords=cello+stand




There are some other cool stuff you could get, but may come off as offensive.


A practice mute. I would suggest an ebony comb style mute kind.http://www.amazon.com/JSI-Ebony-Cello-Mute/dp/B000F3HK5U/ over a "tourte style"

A tuner and or metronome. I use http://www.amazon.com/Matrix-MR500-Metronome/dp/B0002F6ZJI/

A wolf tone eliminator. http://www.amazon.com/Generic-Cello-Wolftone-Eliminatr-Brass/dp/B003KWGW9I

For the bow you will need to get some rosin. No other oils needed for the strings. I was using Carlsson for a long time and really like it. It's bass rosin, so very grippy and less dusty than some of the violin kinds. http://www.amazon.com/Carlsson-Bass-Rosin/dp/B000OJ418O

Right now I am using Baker's rosin and I think it's the best that is made. The problem is that it's so popular, you have to go on a waiting list and it took over 2 years before I was able to buy some.

For the two higher playing strings I recommend using harp strings (sheep gut), and a metal one (can use a flatwound guitar string) for the lowest. This is a very good brand for the harp strings. http://www.bowbrand.co.uk/home.html

My guruji lives in Lahore, but he gives lessons over Skype and is an amazing player, very kind and a patient teacher. http://zohaibhassanamritsari.com/Lessons.html

Where are you located? I know a lot of sarangi players around the world, and your best case scenario would be to find one you could meet in person and help you get setup.
I was lucky enough to have a close friend that started sarangi a few years before me, so he has been able to help with getting my instruments in proper playing condition.

Feel free to PM if you have questions or want more info.

I'm a violin teacher and have received quite a few "violin-themed" presents over the years from my students and here are some of my favorites for some inspiration with links when I can find them.

This mug with a bag of nice tea

This "Drop Bass not Bombs" Hoodie (so cute and soft and there are quite a few other ones on cafepress that are funny, too)

Fancy silk violin bag with a tiny violin pillow that I don't really need (or know how to use...) but it's cute, too.

Wood violin stand kinda like this one.

Honestly, get your violinist a little something that shows you care and appreciate her and she'll love it. As someone else suggested, wine and flowers are always a good bet.

Well, I'm a pretty basic beginner myself, but there are a couple of things that might be leading to your problem.

First, the rosin: I like to scratch up the surface of the rosin with a key before application so that the hair of the bow can really dig into it a bit. Just speeds up the process. After I've got it good and dusted, I kind of half pat/half wipe the hair along the back of my hand to remove the excess. There should be a bit of white powder coming off the hair at first. Also, I only rosin mine every few weeks. It hangs on to it pretty well.

Second, bow tension. When you tighten the endscrew, you should have about a pinky-fingertip's worth of space between the stick and the hair at their closest point. If it's too close, you might be rubbing the stick on the strings, which is no good.

Next, bow placement--if you're too close to the fingerboard, it'll squawk. If you're too close to the bridge, it'll squeak. It takes a fair bit of practice to keep the bow from wandering between the bridge and the fingerboard without specifically focusing on it, but a big part of that is bow straightness; the bow should always be perpendicular to the strings. If the tip of the bow points too far toward the head of the violin, or back off over your shoulder, it'll have a tendency to wander and that leads to squeaks and squawks.

After all that, solid control of speed and pressure are key. I'd look up some youtube videos on the basics of violin bowing to see if you can get it to behave. If it's still not and you're pretty sure there's something genuinely wrong with the bow (which there could be, especially if the hair's visibly dirty), Amazon's got some pretty good stuff, pretty cheap. This is the one I use.

I have to say that, unfortunately, the best advice I can give you is to find a teacher. I know that it seems like you can learn the basics by yourself, especially if you are already musical. But you will either learn habits that will be horrendously difficult to break later on, injure yourself, or both. You could end up with tendinitis, carpal tunnel, serious back problems, serious jaw problems, etc.

If you still want to learn on your own, as you look for a teacher, here's some advice that might help (from a violinist of 19 years):

• Make sure you don't have excess tension in your body. Your arms, your hands, your back, should be relaxed. This is imperative for not hurting yourself.
  
• Make sure you use either a shoulder rest or a sponge (not a kitchen sponge. One made for violin.) http://www.amazon.com/Players-Economy-Foam-Violin-Shoulder/dp/B000EEHDBG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1301454082&sr=8-2
  
• Make sure you put rosin on your bow. Don't over rosin, though. Just put enough on so that there is resistance when pulling the bow across the strings. If you are accumulating a layer of white on your violin while playing, you're using too much.
  
• Make sure to care for your violin. Wipe off any accumulated rosin, place the violin in the case snugly, and loosen the hair of your bow a bit before placing in the case.
  
• It may look dumb, but you'll want to place tape on the neck of your violin so you can easily find the right pitches, until your muscle memory is developed. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31YQHPWYMAL.jpg
  Work with a tuner. Play on the A string, and place tape at B natural, C sharp, and D natural. Make sure your violin is in tune first (using the tuner!)
  
• Don't start playing songs that involve anything other than first position. First position is when (on A-string), your index finger is placed on the tape at B natural, your middle finger on C sharp, and your ring finger on D natural. To find songs at this level, I suggest buying Suzuki Violin Book 1. Start at the beginning. http://www.amazon.com/Suzuki-Violin-School-Revised-Part/dp/B0027P7QY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1301454626&sr=1-1
  
  Troubleshooting:
  
  
• One reason for notes not speaking well would be not having any or enough rosin on your bow. But remember, add gradually. Don't pile it on. Oh, and common mistake for beginners: Just rub the hair of your bow across the rosin. DON'T CHIP AWAY AT THE ROSIN BEFORE APPLYING. You'll just gunk up your bow hair and damage it.
  
  
• Start slowly. Don't try to play songs the way you hear them. You want to master songs at a slow speed before trying them faster. You'll just frustrate yourself otherwise.
  
  
• Squealing and bouncing happens when you don't have consistent weight of your bow arm. You should not feel like you're holding your bow arm up in the air from the shoulder. Your elbow should not held down by your side. (This should also be in the Suzuki book. With pictures.)
  
  I could go on forever, but hopefully this will help you. But, seriously. If you want to actually learn anything, find a teacher! But I wish you luck!

I have a few questions for you here if you don't mind. I'm a (very) beginner cellist and I'm playing one of these cheap-ass amazon cellos. I immediately replaced the tailpiece, the bow, the strings, and the rosin. I'd say the tailpiece and bow replacements really dramatically increased playability for me, though the base instrument is still obviously kind of shit.

What I want to know is, what kind of a difference would I see in being on an actual better Cello? Given the nature of the beast, it seems like i'm not running into the playability issues that you do on terrible guitars (bad frets, buzzing), and I'm not going to. I understand tone won't be the best, but I'm not certain I'm a good enough player for that to matter yet anyway. The whole friction peg situation is a pain, but the better tailpiece means I rarely have to re-tune at the head, I just get them stuck in the general area and i'm good for like a month.

Also, you mentioned putting better strings on, can you comment a little more on the difference between a $20 set, and say, this set of jargars? Edit: I guess you already did, What I mean is, can you describe the specific way cheap strings sound bad that better ones don't? I want to see if that's a part of my experience.

Also also, the rosin i'm using is still pretty damn cheap, and I feel like i'm leaving alot of rosin on the strings (a white cake buildup), but it takes really alot of rosin for the bow to feel sticky. Is better rosin better in that way? Do you have a recommendation on brand? How do you de-rosin a bow to get the chance to switch brands?

Thanks!

1. Something Grey We are indeed all mad here.
   
   
2. Something reminiscent of rain. I love the smell of tomato plants after rain.
   
   
3. Something food related that is unusual Carrots were originally purple until the Dutch bred orange ones
   
   
4. Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. For my husband because he is evil and can do Rubix Cubes without much/any thinking involved. This will teach him to be so smug.
   
   
5. A book You should read because it's mad, very clever and very well written, the entire series is so easy to consume.
   
   
6. An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping - ¬_¬ damn you americans and you awesome cheap amazon items.
   
   
7. Something related to cats My playing sounds like a wailing cat
   
   
8. Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it :)
   
   
9. A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. If i have to explain this one to anyone here...
   
   
10. Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. I'll be able to hide away int he deepest woods behind all my defences and grow food to survive no matter what the climate.
    
    
11. Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals. I daresay there's nothing I can link for this one as it's not a physical item.
    
    
12. One of those pesky Add-On items Screw you add on items!
    
    
13. The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item I can't imagine the freedom one could gainwith a 3d printer to hand. For myself i could print bits and bobs and crochet hooks and. jeeze what can't you do with a 3d printer? Plus i could pretend i'm in a time dilation in star trek.
    
    
14. Something bigger than a bread box. Hehe
    
    
15. Something smaller than a golf ball
    
    
16. [Something that smells wonderful.](http://www.amazon.co.uk/F1043-
    amp-Golden-Curry-Mild-Hot/dp/B003OMMUKE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=7ROEFRHQDCZ&coliid=I1XPSYGUO07V8E) Best ever
    
    
17. SFW Toy choochoo!
    
    
18. Something that would be helpful for going back to school :)
    
    
19. Something related to your current obsession bwhahaha, it's not for real floristry!
    
    
20. Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it - It's IRN BRU FOR A SODA STREAM!!!! ZOMG!!!! Irn Bru is one of only 3 world wide to unseat Coke Cola as the number 1 drink
    
    ----
    
    Oregan
    
    fear cuts deeper than swords

I don't really know what the actual name of it is, but it is soft fabric that comes with the case that you lay over your violin. It's extra protection for the instrument, I guess, and helps regulate temperature. Maybe protection from bows or anything else in the case. Mine has soft maroon velvety fabric on one side, and like a gold satin sheen on the other side. I put the satin side down in summer and cloth side down during winter; I don't know if it does anything or if it's just a placebo effect. Here's a link to a case with the cloth in front: http://www.amazon.com/DLuca-VC-380-Oblong-Violin-Hygrometer/dp/B004QQ2MR8/ref=sr_1_28?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1413229130&sr=1-28

Or here's a picture of my violin I just posted on my blog- you can see my cloth thing in the background: http://theclassicalmusicblog.tumblr.com/post/97441417698/pictures-of-my-violin-as-per-request

let me know if you have other questions- i'd love to help! :)

I personally like the look of that better. Your neck looks more relaxed. I got to talk with a chinrest expert a while back (a person with a custom chinrest business). There are some great examples on this site:
http://chinrests.com/fullsizegallery.php

Her point of view was - find a comfortable chinrest first, then use minimal height on a shoulder rest.
A high shoulder rest will make it necessary to raise your RIGHT arm significantly higher, whereas a slightly beefier chinrest won't impact the right arm significantly.

It might be worth trying a higher, and perhaps center mounted chinrest (https://www.amazon.com/Flat-Flesch-Violin-Chinrest-Standard/dp/B000EARF1I/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1495907040&sr=8-6&keywords=center+chinrest), while additionally trying a lower shoulder rest.

My students tend to prefer the center mounted rest because it places the violin a little higher on the collarbone.
Playing on the G string and in high positions is usually more comfortable because the left elbow doesn't have to jut in front of your body as much.

These things you'll probably experiement a lot wih over time, and as you become more experienced.

Unfortunately, the cost is still higher than purchasing a perfectly capable cheap student violin off of Amazon. Regardless, I used Inland PLA, which is $14.99 for a 2.2lb spool. Here's the total breakdown:

• Inland PLA - 1kg @ $14.99 (http://www.microcenter.com/product/434392/175mm_Blue_PLA_3D_Printer_Filament_-_1kg_Spool_(22_lbs)) = $7.20
  
• Carbon fiber truss rods (https://goodwinds.com/20143.html) = $15.99
  
• D'Addario Prelude Violin String Set, 4/4 Scale, Medium Tension (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002Y6BJI) = $15.49
  
• 1set 3L3R grover - style tunning pegs Tuners Machine Heads Gold High Quality (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0092M2EZQ) = $9.99
  
• ADM 4/4 Full Size Well Balanced Brazilwood Violin Bow with Wood Stick, Horsehair, Ebony Frog with Pearl Eye and Pearl Slide, Nickel Silver Mounted (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DW12HR8) = $22.59
  
• Vio Music Full Size 4/4 Violin Chinrest - Ebony with Standard Bracket (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BDON64Y) = $11.99
  
• Everest EZ Series Shoulder Rest for 4/4 - 3/4 Violin (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002QJVTNA) = $12.99
  
• 
  ADM® 4/4 Full Size Basic Professional Triangular Shape Super Light Suspension Violin Case (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J1UXIPY) = $36.99
  
• D'Addario Natural Rosin, Light (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002OP0WC) = $3.59
  
  Total Cost = $136.82
  
  I used a MendelMax 1.0 with an E3D V6 hot end and Bowden extruder setup.

A friend who knows a bow maker recommended Andrea Solo Cello Rosin. This stuff is awesome. I bought several as gifts for friends who also play. Andrea Solo Cello Rosin Full Cake https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045ZXJ68/ref=cm_sw_r_taa_z7lrybFN68ZHR

I've always had problems with whistling E strings, especially on certain passages where I wasn't able to change my bowing technique to prevent it. Last year there was a song I was playing regularly with a certain note that would *always* whistle when I crossed over from the A string, so I vowed to go on a hunt for an E string that prevented whistling.

​

I can thankfully say that I found it in this string, which has some sort of special connector which reduces whistling. It's been working flawlessly so far. :-)
https://www.amazon.com/DAddario-Kaplan-Non-Whistling-Violin-Aluminum/dp/B000P61P30

It is a Kaplan Ball End Adapter for use on single hook style fine tuners. That's what it says on the product page here, anyway.

User /u/bazzage gave more input over at /r/violinist :
>With many ball-end strings, it is possible to pop out the ball, or crack it in pieces which may be picked out of the loop without |damaging it. That may not be possible with the special construction of the Kaplan wound E, so the adaptor becomes necessary.

Maybe mark this as solved /u/BestN00b

I make my own: I bought a cheap bar of rosin ($6) from a violin shop. Violinists use rosin to increase the friction of their bows against the strings. That one bar will probably last me a lifetime. I crush bits of it until it's a fine powder and dissolve it into an eye dropper bottle filled with isopropyl alcohol (A.K.A. Rubbing alcohol) until saturated.

Costs next to nothing, works wonders. I apply it with whatever is handy: Bit of paper tissue, Q-Tip, small paintbrush...

You really can't go wrong with the standard Kun shoulder rest

Andrea

Depends on your strings and setup.

That said, Hill Light Rosin.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002OP0WC/ref=twister_B00N4ZLLP6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I will see if I can post a pic later.

i really need rosin my kid needs it for school and his last one crumbled to dust.

Forget about your worries and your strifes