Israel, you couldn't be farther from the truth. First, to say that all the manufacured violins, either chinese or european are worthy of new students is a serious error. I own a professional violin shop and this article speaks volumns about what we actually experience - people getting ripped off by substandard junk which is unplayable and unfixable. These instruments are not to be confused with the many chinese instruments which are of good quality. Problem is that the entry level consumer doesn't know the difference. Mind you, the instruments I'm speaking of are totally unplayable and are a recipe for certain failure and even injury - yes injury. As for older German instruments, there is plenty of junk left over from the catalog boom in this country around the turn of the last century. The warning there is also appropriate - just because it's old doesn't mean it's good. Here's a new warning - just because it's new and it's European doesn't mean it's any better than the old European junkers. You should stick to your hobby and leave the retail to people who know what they are talking about and have stores out front with names on them and reputations as well instead of hiding behind some garage run business. James Brown, J. Brown Violin Maker LLC

Sounds like you work in a retail store that is losing business to better quality and lower prices. I have never seen a violin as good a quality as a Chinese made violin for $50. I've seen violins in retails shops for $800 or more and couldn't even come close the the quality of the Chinese violins. Get your facts straight and don't mislead people. You are describing used broken instruments. I've bought dozens of good violins for under $300 and any comparable violin in a retail shop would cost me thousands. New and used instruments are a hobby of mine and the "internet" provides a realistic quality and price for materials. The only place that's a rip-off is retail stores trying to make rent.