• Understand the Types of Stringed Instruments

• Select the Right Stringed Instrument

• Get Essential Stringed Instrument Accessories

• Find Stringed Instruments on eBay Australia

• Buy Stringed Instruments With Confidence

• Need More Help?

• Legal Disclaimer

Understand the Types of Stringed Instruments

Understand the Types of Stringed Instruments

Even budget stringed instruments can offer an excellent tone. All you need to know is which stringed instrument you want to play before you start shopping.

• Violin: As the smallest of the stringed instruments, the violin can reach the highest notes. Tuck the violin under your chin and move a bow across the violin’s four strings (made of wire or nylon) to produce a resonant, warm and smooth sound.  

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• Viola: The viola can be plucked or strummed by hand or played with a bow. It is bigger than the violin and produces a warmer tone.     

• Cello: Cellos produce a deeper sound than both the violin and viola. As the cello is considerably larger than the violin or viola, it is played differently. Rather than hold the instrument at chest height a cello is held between your legs, the bottom resting on the floor (a spike attached to your cello will stop it from rubbing against the ground). Play your cello with a bow.   

• Double bass: The double bass (or upright bass) is the largest instrument in the string family measuring in at 6 feet (1.8 metres). It is primarily used in jazz pieces because of its’ low sounding tone. Rest it on the ground and either stand, or sit on a high stool as you play with a bow or pluck the strings.    

• Harp: The harp has a distinctive triangle shape. 45 strings, played by plucking them, are stretched across its wooden frame.   

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• Banjo: The circular soundboxes on banjos were once covered by stretched leather, but now most are covered in plastic. The five strings on the long, fretted neck are played with a plectrum/ pick.   

• Mandolin: Mandolins have almond-shaped bodies with four to six pairs of strings tuned like a violin and a fretted fingerboard. The Neapolitan mandolin, an instrument that appeared about 1750, is played with a plectrum, rather than strummed, and its strings are made of metal.

Guitars are classified as stringed instruments but have their own section on eBay Australia. For specific advice on choosing a guitar visit eBay Australia's Guitars Buying Guide.

Select the Right Stringed Instrument

Select the Right Stringed Instrument

Consider buying a stringed instrument as an investment by purchasing one of high quality that you can play and enjoy over a lifetime. To ensure the lifetime of the instrument ask sellers the age of it and if part, or all, of the instrument has been restored.

Age your stringed instrument

As the instrument ages and the wood hardens, it becomes more resonant, allowing stringed instruments to develop a deeper, richer tone. An older stringed instrument in good condition will often sound better than a new counterpart; however, an older instrument that has undergone many repairs often loses tone. That is, an older stringed instrument which has been poorly restored or is in need of restoration may not produce the right tone so look for visible and repaired cracks in the listing photos.

Evaluate stringed instrument condition

Regardless of age, you'll want to buy a stringed instrument in good condition. Make sure the neck is aligned perfectly between the “F” holes. The neck should have a projection of 20 mm to 21 mm for violins, 24 mm to 26 mm for violas, and 62 mm to 68 mm for cellos.

Spot signs of restoration on your stringed instruments

Pay especially close attention to "composite" stringed instruments made from the parts of many instruments from many manufacturers. By applying new varnish and restoring violas, violins, cellos, and basses with new parts the musical tone may have been altered.

To preserve it a stringed instrument 50 years old and older is likely to have had a full varnish restoration. To preserve what original varnish remains, older stringed instruments may also have a protective layer of very thin, clear varnish covering it. An assessment of the varnish on younger stringed instruments is also necessary because some owners completely re-varnish at the first sign of wear, thereby changing the tone, while others preserve their stringed instrument with regular polishing.

If you want to buy a stringed instrument and restore it, figure restoration costs into your total budget. 

Get Essential Stringed Instrument Accessories

Get Essential Stringed Instrument Accessories

Play your stringed instrument in comfort with bows, strings, pads and more.

Choose a high-quality bow

The right bow, whether for your violin, viola, cello or double bass, will vibrate in harmony with the strings, producing a rich sound. If you are just starting out, many stringed instruments designed for beginners can be bought with a bow. Wood bows tend to produce the best sound, though synthetic materials are also available, often at a lower cost. Although bows improve with age, they can wear out; it is therefore vital that you do not buy a bow with cracks.

Select bow strings

Strings are available in different gauges. Choose from synthetic core, gut core or steel core strings.

• Gut core strings: Gut core strings produce a warm, complex sound.    

• Synthetic core strings: Synthetic core strings, typically made of nylon, generally have more power than gut core strings and therefore need to be tuned less.

• Steel core strings: Steel core strings produce a simple, clear sound. Country and folk fiddlers and jazz musicians usually prefer the sound of steel core strings.

Play your stringed instrument in comfort

Play in greater comfort with shoulder rests and chin rests to take stress off your body. They are usually simply attached to the instrument with a rubber band.

Pack up your stringed instrument

Stringed instrument cases, often made of leather, are as important an investment as your instrument. Your case will protect your stringed instrument from damage for years to come.

Find Stringed Instruments on eBay Australia

Find Stringed Instruments on eBay Australia

Once you know what type of stringed instrument you want, go to the Musical Instruments portal, click Strings, and start searching for item listings on eBay Australia.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you concentrate your search by item type. You'll find links for Instruments and Accessories.

• Keyword search: Search eBay Australia listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find a mandolin type “mandolin” (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay Australia's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Australia Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay Australia will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Stringed Instruments With Confidence

Buy Stringed Instruments With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay Australia and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay Australia (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay Australia are not covered by eBay Australia protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay Australia item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay Australia sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay Australia and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorised payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,500.

• eBay Security & Resolution Centre: Visit the Security & Resolution Centre to learn how to protect your account and use eBay Australia's quick and efficient resolution tools.

Need More Help?

Need More Help?

Visit our help pages or start a thread on one of our Community Discussion Boards - If you have a quick question that needs answering, try posting it on our community Answer Centre - there's bound to be a seasoned eBay Australia veteran with just the information you're looking for!                      

Legal Disclaimer

Legal Disclaimer

Buying Guides are intended merely as a guide or review for members when considering what products or services they may be interested in bidding on or purchasing. eBay does not make, and nothing in these Buying Guides is intended to constitute, any warranties, guarantees, representations or assurances about the accuracy of the information or content contained in these Buying Guides. Furthermore, eBay does not make, and nothing in these Buying Guides is intended to constitute, any warranties, guarantees, representations or assurances about the nature or performance of the products or services appearing in the Buying Guides. Content, trademarks and brands referred to and contained in the third-party links provided are the property of their respective owners, and eBay has no control over and accepts no responsibility for their content. eBay is not affiliated with nor does it endorse the use of any particular product or service.