Description
The Cremona SV-488 Premier Artist 1/4 Violin is a quarter-size violin built for school programs, rental fleets and the advancing young student. It has a hand-carved and graduated solid spruce top with solid maple back and sides, a transparent golden red-brown varnish, and genuine ebony fittings. It ships as a complete outfit with an Anton Breton carbon fiberglass hybrid bow and a rugged Golden Gate oblong case.
What size player is a 1/4 violin for?
A 1/4 violin generally suits a player of about 5 to 7 years old, with an arm length of roughly 18½ to 20 inches (47–51 cm). Measure from the side of the neck, along the outstretched arm, to the middle of the palm.
Sizing follows the player's reach rather than age alone, so measure before choosing. If a measurement falls between two sizes, the smaller size is usually the safer choice — an oversized violin makes good left-hand technique harder to learn.
Violin sizes run, smallest to largest: 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 4/4 (full size).
Why is the SV-488 built for schools and rental programs?
Cremona designed the SV-488 outfit specifically for educators, school rental programs and the shops that supply them, and the choices show it. The bow is an Anton Breton AB-116F, a fiberglass and carbon fiber hybrid that is virtually unbreakable — the part of a student outfit most likely to be damaged in a school bag. The case is a Golden Gate CP-3910 in rugged ABS, built to survive being handled by a class rather than a careful adult.
The violin itself is not a compromise for that durability. The top and back are hand-carved and graduated rather than pressed, and the transparent varnish protects the wood while letting it resonate.
How does the SV-488 compare to the SV-588?
Both are Cremona Premier Artist outfits and both ship with the same AB-116F bow and Golden Gate CP-3910 case. The SV-488 has solid maple back and sides under a golden red-brown varnish. The SV-588 steps up to flamed solid maple with a transparent golden red-brown varnish and Swiss-style ebony fittings, so it is the more figured and more expensive of the two.
Specifications
| Size | 1/4 violin |
|---|---|
| Top | Hand-carved and graduated solid spruce |
| Back and sides | Solid maple |
| Finish | Transparent golden red-brown varnish |
| Fingerboard | Ebony |
| Fittings | Genuine ebony |
| Bridge | Aubert VB-5 |
| Chin rest | Stradivarius |
| Tailpiece | Composite, with four fine tuners |
| Strings | Anton Breton premium steel |
| Bow | Anton Breton AB-116F fiberglass and carbon fiber hybrid |
| Case | Golden Gate CP-3910 oblong, ABS shell |
| SKU | SV-488 1/4 |
What is included
- Cremona SV-488 Premier Artist 1/4 violin
- Anton Breton AB-116F fiberglass and carbon fiber hybrid bow
- Golden Gate CP-3910 oblong ABS case
Common questions
Is the Cremona SV-488 a solid wood violin?
Yes. The top is solid spruce and the back and sides are solid maple. The body uses no laminate, and the top and back are hand-carved and graduated.
Does the SV-488 come with a bow and case?
Yes. Every SV-488 ships as a complete outfit with an Anton Breton AB-116F fiberglass and carbon fiber hybrid bow and a Golden Gate CP-3910 oblong case.
Does the 1/4 violin have fine tuners?
Yes. The composite tailpiece carries four built-in fine tuners, which makes precise tuning far easier for a young player than tuning from the pegs alone.
Is the SV-488 bow suitable for a child or a school?
Yes. The AB-116F is a fiberglass and carbon fiber hybrid rather than wood, which makes it far more resistant to breaking than a traditional brazilwood student bow.
What strings and bridge does it use?
The SV-488 is strung with Anton Breton premium steel strings and fitted with an Aubert bridge.
What size comes after a 1/4 violin?
A 1/2 violin is the next size up, typically suiting players around 7 to 9 years old with an arm length near 20 to 22 inches.
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