Ideally, you should visit a violin shop to test out some violins in person, since each instrument is unique and an expensive violin may not be the best sounding instrument! It's a little like picking out a magical wand. :)

A couple of factors that go into the quality of an instrument:
- whether it's been played before (I've heard stories of new instruments having to be "played in" aka whipped into shape by a violinist to draw out the sound)
- the wood
- the shape of the bridge (e.g. an uneven bridge means that the distance between each string can vary, which can make the violin harder to play especially when you're switching between strings)
- the quality of the strings
- the quality of the bow

Of course, if you don't have easy access to a violin shop in person, purchasing a violin online is acceptable. The violin that I've been playing for the last 8 years I actually ordered online at https://acousticelectricstrings.com/aes-old-no-54/, and it has a higher tone quality than my old violin I played in high school/college (but purchased in person). Depending on the independent seller, they may also choose to let you play the violin on a trial basis and ship it back in exchange for another violin if you wish.

## Prices
Now, in terms of prices: the violin I purchased from https://acousticelectricstrings.com in 2014 cost $2099. Depending on your budget, you can opt for violins as cheap as $100 (see: https://www.amazon.ca/Glory-Violin-Shoulder-Rosin-Strings/dp/B09GNX7CRS/ref=sr_1_7) or $140 (see: https://www.amazon.ca/Kmise-Beginners-Students-Hygrometer-Shoulder/dp/B09C8JJSPT/ref=sr_1_4) up to several thousand dollars.

## Brands
This post contains a list of violin brands you might want to search for and consider: https://lessonsinyourhome.net/blog/top-10-brands-of-violins-for-beginners/

## Reminders
The trick with any cheap violin is that you can always bring it to a luthier shop, where the luthier can help you adjust or put in a new bridge, put in new strings (a skill that violinists typically learn, but can be a little tricky for a beginner), etc.

Learning the violin will always be a little uncomfortable at first since you'll need to get used to the right positions of placing it between your chin and shoulder and the correct way to hold the bow, etc. But whatever violin you get, know that you'll be able to upgrade later! The most important thing to do as a beginner is to build up the right foundations -- i.e. working on your technique and all the technical skills that go into playing the instrument. So in some ways, the violin you play to start might not matter so much.

1. This video is great if you are starting from the very beginning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPbCdOsrDK4
2. Follow these tips from the Violin Lab Chanel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqbMxSCFVfM
3. I've heard good things about https://www.trala.com, which is a freemium app that you can download!