What does a beginner need?

[liuzi0512]

My 9 yo daughter is starting violin this week with Boulder Suzuki Strings. she'll use a loaner for the first couple weeks until I decide what to buy or rent. In some ways, I'm of the school of thought that says the child needs to continue to play a musical instrument since I have never met anyone who regrets it. Her teacher, though, suggests renting since kids do quit, or damage the instruments.

I know very little about violins, having played the flute myself, so I read up a little here on what you all said makes for a good instrument. I looked on ebay at those "cheap ebay" violins people have suggested I avoid- there certainly are some inexpenisve violins out there sold by Mendini and Great-tunes but they claim they have "your" criteria (but make me suspicious since the "buy it now" is $50 but they say retail is $400) , and the ones that ViolinsLover.COM Store sells look pretty decent, according to the criteria set out here, but then http://www.opentip.com/musical_instruments.html looks pretty good too...

then I also think of the first flute I owned- not a very good one and I didnt' play it well, but that had more to do with the fact that I was a slacker as a kid- I played it well enough, considering, but oh, did I appreciate my good quality flute when I got it. My daughter will outgrow this violin and if I can save half the cost of renting in
the year or so she has it, well, it isn't a bad deal, I suppose. so- will I hate something I get off ebay? I'll certainly understand if no one wants to talk about their cheap deal from there online, so feel free to mail me about it.

Erica