Fender FV-1 Electric Violin

Spruce top. Ebony fingerboard. Includes bow and rosin.

Overall User Ratings (based on 354 ratings)
  • Overall:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Sound:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Features:
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Ease of Use:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Quality:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Value:
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Manufacturer Support:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The Wow Factor:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
(354) (see rating details)
Submitted July 15, 2006 by a customer from hotmail.com

"Great product, totally recomend it."

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
i love this violin. it plays just like a traditional but has the capacity to be much much more than traditional. Fender really hit a home run with this great instrument!
Sound
Sound is great, lots of room for your own technique, not over powering. Plays great, easy to move around the fingerboard and loads of fun. I learn new things to do with it everyday, great product.
Features
Not too many features, but most of the ones are great. Only bad thing is the shoulder rest, mine keeps falling out if i take it off of my shoulder for too long.
Ease of Use
very easy to use, i learn new things every time i play it. its a blast.
Quality
ive had mine for about a year now and it still sounds just as good as the first day. No scratches, blemishes, nothin. still gorgeous.
Value
value is no doubt one of the best on the market, great price for such a nice instrument.
Manufacturer Support
im sure if i needed them then i wouldnt be dissappointed
The Wow Factor
it looks great, very intriguing and has a kind of mystery about it that draws people to it. Lovely tone as well and helps me with my playing a great deal.

Musical Background:

Violinist of 11 years; 11 years of acoustic; one of electric

Musical Style:

everything except r&b
38 of 40 people (95%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

Submitted December 6, 2008 by a customer from hotmail.com

"Seek one out, play it, and you should be sold on it."

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Sound
Excellent sound, and amplified sound characteristics. I've always owned and played violins professionally (35+ years), and have been resisting an electric. This one sounds the best for the $.
Features
Great hardshell case, rugged,....as if I would smack it around? However there is a comfort level knowing the case looks like it can take a "hit".
Ease of Use
Good pick-up on the violin, ....I would like more realistic tone controls,....accurate volume control,...."plug and play"
Quality
Nicely finished, pegs are ititially hard to turn, but once roughly tuned the 4 fine tuners do a nice job of the rest of the process.
Value
For the price, you would be hard pressed to match the value!!
Manufacturer Support
Haven't had to use their services, so I can't comment.
The Wow Factor
Cool looking, most of my music friends were impressed with the look. It still maintains some semblance to a regular violin.

Musical Background:

Active musician

Musical Style:

Classical, Folk, Standards
43 of 46 people (93%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

Submitted April 29, 2008 by a customer from gmail.com

"Two thumbs up."

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
I am most impressed with this violin over all of the others I have tried.
Sound
This violin by far the best one on the market for the money. It's worth every bit I paid for it. The bow is worthless, but if you have a good quality bow the violin responds well.
Features
The case is very high quality. It comes with a cord as well which is good quality too. The bow is not very good. I use the bow I have for my acoustic violin which works great. The shoulder rest is very adjustable.
Ease of Use
I opened it for the first time and was playing five minutes later. GREAT!
Quality
It has great workmanship, and is very sturdy.
Value
Great deal for the money. Compared to the Yamaha SV120K it is equal in quality and a much better buy.
The Wow Factor
It looks great. Very simple, and very balanced.

Musical Background:

violin teacher

Musical Style:

country, classical, alternative
15 of 16 people (94%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

Submitted December 8, 2004 by a customer from hotmail.com

"THE BEST EVER!!!!!!!"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Features
This violin ROCKS!!!!!!!!! Alirighty..well I am a violinist with 5 years of experience. I just got it a couple days ago and it is a very good violin...if you think that the wood one is the best...yes it is more expensive...the only reason why it is expensive is because that it has alot better painting..like the rims and all that stuff. but i have the white one and it has abeautiful soud..if you want the sound that works very wil for the violin is a 25 Watt amp. I just love it all the other reviews that are bad...just don't trust them ..I relly recomend this violin to you!! It rox! thanks

Musical Background:

A student in H.A.Y.O, blue lake, fiddling club and just private lessons and Oraschastra

Musical Style:

Rock...Classic
9 of 10 people (90%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

Submitted March 23, 2008 by a customer from aol.com

"A Great, Dependable, and Cool Violin...."

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
I might buy the FV-3 next time, or a Zeta, or a Mark Wood in addition to the Fender. They all are good in their own right and have different voices and capabilities. I'd like to have a five-string one day for versatility, and I think one could get a better pickup if you want to spend three times as much for the fiddle. But I'd keep the Fenders along with the other violins I might decide to buy, and I'd replace them with new Fenders in the event of their loss.
Sound
This fiddle is pretty great---especially for the money. It threw me at first because I was playing through a friend's recording machine that overemphasized the high frequencies. Put it through an acoustic amp and it was impressive. It works best with a preamp; other fiddles often have one onboard, but this one comes alive with any preamp or distortion pedal. Even the drive on little practice amps is enough. After that, it becomes equal to just about any task. The strings that come on the fiddle are terrible, for some reason; I put dominants on one and sensicores on the other (I bought a second one after liking the first). With a delay, it sounds like I'm playing traditional violin in a huge hall, with the proper distortion, it can sound just like an electric guitar. The action may be a triffle too high at the nut out of the box, but any luthier can adjust that. All in all, it's just great for the bucks!
Features
Though the bows I got are passable, they are not all that great. I generally use other bows. The shoulder rest can tend to slip, and I might try to do something about that by way of customizing it. Nice case.
Ease of Use
I tplays very well with the right amp/preamp combo. One can easily get a deceptively bad first impression if you play on an amp that's not compatible with the instrument. I got a crate acoustic 60 watt amp with effects, and it was perfect. I also used a Boss DS-1 and a Coffin Case Blood Drive pedal. Interestingly, my little Epiphone practice amp works great on its built-in distortion but sounds "barely there" on its clear channel---probably because it's not boosted. As to the learning curve, though it took a couple weeks to discover the nuances, it sounded good right away. The electric is more sensitive in some ways and less so in others when compared to an acoustic violin. Yet there's a whole new universe of musical possibilities here too, and I'm still discovering them.
Quality
On the whole, it's extremely well-made. It's a bit heavier than other electrics, but I like that. The neck is a little thicker than necessary, though. The bridge functions well, but it is made of rosewood or something similar. I've heard others say that a new maple brdige cut by a luthier greatly enhances playability, but I've not tried that yet. Overall, it seems solid enough to use as a weapon if you get an unexpected intruder into your home and need to smack him upside the head....
Value
Yes---by all means! It is perhaps the least expensive quality electric I've seen. It's worth every penny.
Manufacturer Support
Never needed a thing, but I did get some free stuff. So I'll give 'em a "10."
The Wow Factor
It looks fine, design wise. I wouldn't mind seeing some custom finish jobs, though---other colors and patterns---that sort of thing. I think Fender's first violins probably influenced the development of other products; some of the Zetas look remarkably similar, and fender came first. I do prefer this design to most others.

Musical Background:

somewhere between a hobbyist and an active musician

Musical Style:

celtic, old time, semi-classical, and alternative
12 of 14 people (86%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

Submitted April 24, 2022 by a customer from Yahoo.com

"Fender FV-1 Violin"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
I have played this instrument in a professional band for 20 years. It has held up absolutely amazingly. It sounds incredible, feels incredible, and of course looks incredible. I use Thomastik Infeld Dominant strings to get a massive tone. I have 3 of these now; 2 black and 1 white. They are a bit hard to find, as they are collectable and are not made anymore. A Fender quality instrument will hold its value both as an instrument to enjoy through the years as I have, and as an investment. The first one I purchased 20 years ago is worth more now than when I bought it brand new.
Did you find this review helpful?
Thanks for your opinion!

Submitted November 10, 2004 by a customer from hotmail.com

"Good Violin, but preview it first"

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I personally felt that this was a good violin, but preview it first to make sure it is what you want before you spend your money
Sound
If you are looking for a nice classical soud then look into buying an acusic and a pickup. However if you are looking for a nice electric Jazzy sound then this instrument is perfect. It may not be what some people are looking for in sound, but it was perfect for my usage. If you get a chance to test this instrument before puchasing it I would recomend you do so in order to make sure that you want that Fender tone.
Features
It has good basic features, athough it could use a reverb control.If you get this you're gonna want to get an amp with some good tone controls.
Quality
The overall quality of the insrument was what I expected from Fender. It is sturdy and well manufactured.
Value
You get what you pay for with this violin. Although it is not as high quality as some of the electrics that are on the market it is the most affordable without buying second hand.

Musical Background:

College Music Student
5 of 10 people (50%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

Submitted August 18, 2008 by a customer from yahoo.com

"Not reliable in tone quality"

Overall: 1.5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Not satisfied with it. Looking for a different instrument. Would not recommend to anyone looking for a higher end instrument.
Sound
I have had this violin for many years but didn't get a chance to play it until recently when I joined a band. One moment the violin sounds fine and the next moment it will sound like crap. This is caused by humid weather as I have a friend with the same model and she has played hers for years and has had many many problems with hers when the weather gets hot out. The sound of the D and G strings are ok, but the high strings are extremely thin. The violin is very quiet when amplified with a band and needs to be run almost as loud as it will go.
Features
Came with a ok case and not so good bow.
Ease of Use
Very easy to play, however very heavy on your shoulder after a long time.
Quality
Costmetically looks nice, is put together well. However the tone and the fact that for some reason one moment it works well and one moment it doesn't is a big problem.
Value
I will say that for the price it is an ok violin. However it is not reliable.
Manufacturer Support
I haven't worked with the company
The Wow Factor
Looks very cool

Musical Background:

Fiddler

Musical Style:

Country
5 of 9 people (56%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

Submitted October 3, 2004 by a customer from sbcglobal.net

"Fender violin player"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Until I decide to get another Fender or other electric violin for a different type of violin body shape.
Sound
I have played my Fender violin for over 2 years and I love it. The sound is great, but I would suggest that anyone investing in an electric violin should have a really good accoustic amp and a really good bow, which are other factors that help the sound of an electric violin. I have an accoustic violin and my Fender is my favorite.
Features
As far as features I am so new at playing that I don't use much special effects but I like having options available with my violin. I do wish that Fender would make an electric violin to have more of the neck accessable to play and less body, and maybe to have a variety of unique looks for different styles of the body shape.
Quality
My Fender hasn't given up on me yet and has is very well made.
Value
I believe that this item is priced what it is worth performance wise as well.
Manufacturer Support
No, I haven't delt with the Fender Company themselves. I would say the company manufactured the violin great and Guitar Center sold it to me great also.
The Wow Factor
It's a violin

Musical Background:

Previous Active Musician in church band, presently Hobbyist for a bit

Musical Style:

Christian music, Southern Gospel, Rock, love Third Days music
4 of 10 people (40%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

Submitted December 16, 2007

"WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Just love this thing for shreddin around on. Sounds great with effects pedals and looper stations.
Sound
Pretty good sound on mine, but I cover original sounds with loads of distortion and effects.
Features
Tone and Volume Notches are helpful.
Ease of Use
Plug in and play is what it is.
Quality
Perfect quality for it's price, maybe a bit above
Value
For price I got it ($250.00) amazing!
Manufacturer Support
Haven't delt with support yet because it's so well made.
The Wow Factor
Looks pretty cool. Mine is white and it looks awesome. Black looks cool to.

Musical Background:

Active Musicien

Musical Style:

Rock, Classical, Country (a bit)
3 of 3 people (100%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

Submitted February 5, 2005

"I use it for my Praise Band and I LOVE IT!!!!"

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Sound
I play this violin with my church Praise Band, along with other instruments like the guitar, drums, keyboard, and bass!!..its blends well with the other instruments and it sounds great!!! There's only a difference in sound when it's hooked up and when its not..when it's not hooked up obviously it sounds a bit scratchy and soft but when you hook it up to an amp..it sounds totally different..but overall..I LOVE IT.
Features
I didnt expect it to come with a wire to hook it up to an amp..but it did =]
5 of 6 people (83%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

Submitted October 7, 2004

Fender FV-1 Violin Customer Review

Overall: 0.5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Sound
the sound on this violin is just horrible and i dont think you can do anythign to make it better but to just scratch it and start over
2 of 8 people (25%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

Submitted September 3, 2004

"LOOKS GOOD, SOUNDS BAD"

Overall: 1 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Not Recommended.
Sound
The sound of this instrument can be discribed by one word "FAKE". It's unforutunate b/c that sound of this violin actually sounds more like a keyboard's 'violin' setting. A disapointing model.
Features
like wise there is only one setting, but the jacks and pickups seemed to be good.
Quality
Just the sound alone will reflect why the scores are so low. I mean you could have a wonderful looking instrument but, that doesn't mean anything if it sounds bad.
Value
you can get a lot better for your money. Unfortunatly your paying for the name.
Manufacturer Support
no comment
The Wow Factor
Like I said earlier it does look nice, but looks aren't everything

Musical Background:

Active Musician. 11 yrs on the violin.

Musical Style:

Rock, Contemporary
5 of 9 people (56%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

Submitted August 23, 2003

Fender FV-1 Violin Customer Review

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Sound
I have played professionally for many years, and this is my first electric. Having serveral high quality violins, and one excellent one I am truly impressed by the high quality, sound and feel of this affordable instrument.

Musical Style:

Classical, country
22 of 23 people (96%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!
Please wait.