Top 5 Best Cremona Violins In 2023 Review & Buying Guide

In the Lombardy region of Northern Italy is a beautiful city that sits beside the Po River. Not far from Milan, passing travelers might stop and gaze at its historic buildings without realizing what they are looking at.

For there is nowhere, and we mean nowhere in the world, like Cremona.

Since the 16th Century, it has forged a musical history like no other place. And once housed the workshops of Guarneri, Francesco and Vincenzo Rugeri, and members of the Amati family. Oh, and before we forget, one Antonio Stradivari.

However…

Times have changed in this part of Italy. The Second World war took its toll, but the manufacture of violins and other instruments survived. These days some of the more budget instruments are made overseas, especially in China. Made by Luthiers that retain the skills and the craftsmanship.

So sit back in your chair, pour a glass of fine Italian wine, and order some pasta with Mozzarella. Transport yourself to one of the most beautiful countries on earth as we find the Best Cremona Violin for you…

Top 5 Best Cremona Violins In 2023 You Should Buy Reviews

1 Cremona SV-130 Premier Novice Violin Outfit – 4/4 Size, Traditional Brown – Best Value for The Money Cremona Violin

This is a full-size violin that is designed for the young starter. The quality of the wood used in the construction is of high quality. That is going to ensure that the sound is going to be as you might expect.

Good quality woods are important in making an instrument for a novice. The violin is not the easiest of instruments to learn and to become proficient. If it is going to take a long time for a student to get a decent sound, they can sometimes become frustrated and quit. Good quality materials can make a difference.

Marvelous maple and sweet spruce…

With this instrument, the sound is going to be good from the early stages. Cremona has used maple wood for the sides and the back. This gives a nice warmth and depth to the sound. For the all-important top wood, they have used spruce.

Like all wooden instruments, the top wood is vital to the sound. It reflects the sounds and vibrations from the instrument. Spruce is a great wood to use, especially with maple. Combined, they produce a sweet sound with plenty of spruce top and maple depth.

Solid woods…

Cremona has gone a step further and used a solid piece of Spruce, not a laminate. The body has the traditional ‘f’ holes cut in and some attractive purfling on the edges of the body.

Quality manufacturers rarely cut corners in the making of instruments, and they haven’t with this violin. There is an alloy tailpiece with four tuners. They work alongside the tuning pegs to fine-tune the intonation. The neck has been well-oiled to ensure it is smooth and easy to play.

Comfort and durability…

The fingerboard is made from Ebony. This is an important choice. Ebony is a very hard and dense wood. Therefore it is not prone to be affected by moisture or condensation around the instrument.

There is a wooden chin rest. This has been designed for comfort, and it is given a low-profile design.

Of course, the violin comes with a bow that has natural horsehair, and the package includes a pack of Rosin. This to treat the hair on the bow before use.

Worth every penny?

When you buy the first violin for a student, the temptation is to go very cheap. That is understandable as you don’t want to waste your money if they choose to stop. But cheap violins are often unplayable and certainly don’t sound like this violin.

It sounds great and looks good as well and is nicely set up before leaving the factory. This includes the setting for bridge and string heights. It comes with a nice fitted case.

For a starter instrument, the Cremona SV-130 Premier Novice Violin is easily one of their best.

2 Cremona SV-500 Premier Artist Violin Outfit – 4/4 Size – Best Full-Size Cremona Violin

At some point, no matter how good the starter violin has been, the student will need to progress. That will mean a better instrument. This is the Cremona SV-500 Premier Artist Violin. Why is it considered the next level up? Well, you are about to find out.

Professional craftsmanship…

The workmanship on this violin is of the highest quality. Cremona has used solid Maple for the back and the sides. Additionally, there is also a solid spruce top. When you are looking for a quality sound from a wooden instrument, the woods used in the construction is the best place to start. The spruce and maple are going to give you that exceptional sound.

Maple is also used for the neck, and it has a hard Ebony fingerboard. To give the instrument that vintage style, there are hand-cut ‘f’ holes and purfling on the body edges. The body is given a clear varnish that brings out the beauty of the grains of the woods.

Top-notch hardware…

The quality of the materials and workmanship is matched by the fittings. Fine tuners on the lightweight tailpiece and a low-profile wooden chin rest. A carved traditional swirling headstock with tuning pegs and a maple wood bridge.

There is a bow made from Brazilwood that features pure natural horsehair with Rosin. Plus, a hard case fitted to the Violin is included. As an extra, a hygrometer to measure the amount of moisture in the air is included to protect the instrument.

Playability…

You can consider how superb this instrument looks. But how does it play? Superbly is the answer. It is no wonder this is often considered the Best Cremona Violin you can buy.

The sound is clean and with nice highs and good depth. The bridge is quite high and might not suit some. But that is a simple job to fix with the help of a local Luthier if it’s not right for you.

A beautiful instrument and one of Cremona’s best violins. The next step for a lucky musician.

3 Cremona SV-75 Premier Novice Violin Outfit – Best Childrens Cremona Violin

If you are buying a child their first violin, then one of the most critical considerations should be the size. Not all instruments are full-sized, and there are some made for young starters. This Cremona SV-75 Premier Novice Violin is one such instrument. The child must also find the instrument attractive to the eye. More on this later.

This is a half-size instrument made for a beginner. It is ideal as it will be easy to hold and, at only two and a half pounds, quite lightweight. Having decided on the size, you must check the quality of the workmanship and the materials used.

Quality assured…

A poorly made violin will likely be nearly unplayable. Cheap materials will not give you a nice sound. Workmanship and materials are, therefore, very important. However, neither issue should worry you when buying a Cremona violin.

This has a maple body and solid spruce top. The neck is maple with a polished Ebony fingerboard. The ‘f’ holes are cut into the body.

They make instruments for starters to professionals, but one thing is always constant. They use good materials, and they are made by people who know what they are doing.

A red violin?

So, why will the young player find this instrument attractive? Cremona has given this violin a rather nice red color. Different from the usual plain wood styles, this violin sticks out in a crowd. Young players will be quite impressed, we are sure.

The usual quality fittings are included. The swirling headstock design with the four pegs, and composite material for the tailpiece with four fine tuners and chin rest.

To summarize…

A high-quality violin for beginners. Not the cheapest you will find but certainly one of the best at its price point.

4 Cremona SV-200 Premier Student Violin Outfit – 3/4 Size – Best Student Cremona Violin

For those students who are not quite ready for a full-size Violin, Cremona has this ¾ size. As usual, they have used quality materials in its manufacture.

Solid maple for the back and sides give it a warm depth to the sound. A solid spruce top that will add a little bit of top end. Combined, they produce a great sound.

Simply gorgeous…

To add to the styling, it is given a Flamed Maple finish that is a red and brown mix. This shows off the grain of the wood perfectly. Additionally, there are ‘F’ holes cut into the body, and there is gentle decorative purfling on the edges of the body.

Furthermore, it features a maple neck with a hard Ebony fingerboard that has been given a polish to make the action smooth.

At the headstock, there is the traditional swirling headstock with Ebony pegs. At the other end, a composite material tailpiece with the fine tuners for precise intonation.

Excellent extras…

Included is a Brazilwood bow with natural horsehair that is unbleached. It comes with a fitted case, and Cremona has supplied a hygrometer for checking moisture conditions to protect the instrument.

A quality instrument beautifully made with fine materials. It sounds excellent and is a great violin for someone beginning their musical journey.

It’s not cheap, but then again, real quality rarely is. But for what it is, a quality student violin, it is well-placed price-wise.

5 Cremona SV-600 Premier Artist Violin Outfit – 4/4 Size – Best Premium Cremona Violin

For our final look at a Cremona Violin, we go a little bit higher up the tree. The Cremona SV-600 Premier Artist Violin is what you might term as a step up the ladder instrument.

This is created more with the advanced student in mind. We say students, but professionals may well use this violin. But they are also still students. You can never learn it all.

Nothing but the best…

This is a violin that excels in its choice of materials and quality of the build. Even the Viennese Thomastik Dominant strings are high-quality and some of the best you can get. What makes it worth the money? You are about to find out.

A hand-carved maple body. Solid wood, no laminates. And a solid wood spruce top. But the spruce top has been specifically selected. It has a much tighter pattern in the grain. The top has been given an orange-like varnish applied by hand.

This affects the tone and makes it much richer and warmer. Experienced players will immediately hear the difference. Beautiful purfling designs on the edge and the traditional ‘F’ holes give it a look of quality. But then again, everything about this violin says quality.

Style and substance…

The Ebony wooden pegs and tailpiece are superior, and the maple neck is flamed to give it a stunning finish. The fingerboard is Ebony and polished for smooth playing.

Even the bridge has been built by Aubert in France. And the low-profile chin rest made in the best Guarneri styling.

Included with the instrument is a bow made from Brazilwood with an Ebony frog. The bow has natural horsehair that is unbleached. And along with all of this, a hardshell case and some violin-specific care products.

A top-of-the-line instrument…

It might not be reasonable to compare this Cremona to others we have looked at. But this instrument would take some beating in its price range by any manufacturer.

A great tone and extraordinary looks, it is a near work of art. Of course, you might expect to pay for this quality. And you would be right. On the flip side, this is not only a great instrument; it could well be a very good investment.

Best Cremona Violin Buying Guide

So many wonderful musicians have played this instrument and still do. Of course, the styles have changed a little in some ways.

The great orchestras are still there. They always will be. But now we have the British ‘punk rock’ virtuoso violinist Nigel Kennedy. He who brought the Royal Albert Hall to its feet playing Elgar’s Violin Concerto. And a few nights later, he was on stage with The Who.

Some have brought a bit of glamour to what was a very serious instrument. Two female players, Sarah Chang and Vanessa-Mae, both rated as two of the best of all time. Quite rightly so, geniuses both.

The first steps always matter…

It is a long journey to that level, but it has to start somewhere. But it does need to start with a good instrument. So many cheap Violins are bought and are almost unplayable. The result is that the child gives up, and you can’t really blame them.

If you are nervous about spending a lot of money, then you could rent one. However, after one year, that will end up being just as expensive, if not more so, as buying a violin.

Furthermore, if you buy a quality instrument, then you could always sell it if you need to. Cremona violins are widely known as high-quality instruments.

What to buy?

It will depend on a few basic criteria. Who is it for? What age are they? What size are they? All of those will influence what you need to buy. Overall, length and weight are important to consider. The violin has to be held under the chin. A heavy instrument will tire a young starter.

There are some good violins from Cremona, and they come in all sizes. Even the smallest ones are still made from quality woods and with great workmanship.

What can I expect in the box?

You will get the instrument, of course, and the bow. The bows that Cremona produces are as well-made as the violin itself and use real horsehair. Not a synthetic replacement.

Also, in the vast majority of cases, a quality hard case is included. This is a vital piece of equipment to keep your violin safe from accidental damage. In some cases, there will also be a hygrometer. That will keep you informed about any dangers to the violin due to climate.

Finally, it is also likely you will get some Rosin. This, of course, is vital to use on the hair of the bow. You need to use it fairly often to be able to get a great sound when horsehair meets strings.

Prices…

These violins are not cheap. But you are buying a quality instrument that will last the player a good length of time. It will also have positive resale value when they need to upgrade.

Any negatives?

The bridge is sometimes mentioned as a negative. But that can apply to all violins. The height of the bridge will affect the playing. Some like the bridge high, others low. It is a personal choice.

Cremona tends to make its bridges high. At least that way, you can take it down a little in size. If you need to do this, you should take it to an experienced Luthier.

Looking for some other violin options?

Then check out our in-depth reviews of the Best Electric Violins, our Red Desert Violin Review, and the Best Violin for Kids currently on the market.

Or if you need some violin accessories, then take a look at our reviews of the Best Violin Bows, the Best Violin Rosins, the Best Violin Cases, and the Best Violin Strings you can buy in 2023.

What is the Best Cremona Violin?

If we were going to buy a Violin, it would be for ourselves. We play instruments but never the Violin. It would be great to learn. We would therefore need a full-size instrument for a novice.

We would pick the…

Cremona SV-130 Premier Novice Violin Outfit

A great sounding and good looking Violin from a great manufacturer. Easy to play and for a starter a great price for a quality instrument that will last quite a while.

Right, where is that Italian Wine and the Mozzarella and Mr. Kennedy?