Pleas tell me a good violin and a good price for a violin that will last past the begining stage
I have personally ordered student instruments from sharmusic.com and swstrings.com. I have never been disappointed. A price range of $150-$200 is the least you would want to spend on an outfit (with case and bow). Anything less and you might need repairs or adjustment right away (broken strings, bridges and pegs, strings set too high). I see students bring ebay junk to school every year and it’s just not worth the trouble.
These models are fine, you might find used ones for less too:
http://www.swstrings.com/catalog/showInstruments.jsp?subcategory=Violin
http://www.sharmusic.com/moreinfogroup.asp?t1=hv10044
These are going to be sturdy instruments with a good tone but nothing like a hand-made instrument. As you spend more on outfits the sound will become warmer with a less tinny/nasal quality. You really get what you pay for at these mail order sites.
If you can spend a little more I would upgrade the bow to a carbon-fiber bow. Not a "brazilwood" bow. $100 should get you a decent one. At Shar you can even try out an instrument at home for the cost of shipping. For a really good "Wow, that sounds awesome" violin you’ll need to spend more. Pros always spend at least several 1000, often much more and for good reason. Don’t forget a shoulder rest (try a brand called Kun for less than $20) and a humidifier (Dampit $5 or so) to keep the seams from coming unglued in the winter.
It’s great to have the expert advice of a local dealer, but realize they will mark up the price 100s of dollars every time.
Good Luck!
An excellent resource for your violin lessons need.