Cremona SV-175
Cremona's longest-running student violin outfit — described by the brand as its top-selling student model for over 30 years — built with a solid spruce top and maple back and set up at the company's US workshop, per the manufacturer's own listing. Despite the name, Cremona is a US brand, not an instrument made in Cremona, Italy.

Cremona's longest-running student violin outfit — described by the brand as its top-selling student model for over 30 years — built with a solid spruce top and maple back and set up at the company's US workshop, per the manufacturer's own listing. Despite the name, Cremona is a US brand, not an instrument made in Cremona, Italy. Suited to beginner-through-early-student players wanting solid-wood construction from a long-established US student-violin brand.
Key specifications
| Manufacturer | Cremona |
|---|---|
| Product status | Current |
| Top | Solid spruce (hand-carved) |
| Back | Solid maple (hand-carved) |
| Fittings | Ebony (pegs, fingerboard) |
| Tailpiece | Composite, with 4 fine tuners |
| Strings | US-made Prelude |
| Sizes Available | 4/4, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/10, 1/16 |
| Included Accessories | Travelite oblong case with built-in hygrometer; octagonal Brazilwood bow with ebony frog |
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Solid (not laminated) top/back construction, ebony fittings, and US-made strings at a student price point; the included case has a built-in hygrometer, a specific humidity-monitoring feature not confirmed on the other violins in this guide.
Weaknesses
- No hands-on or independent third-party expert assessment was located for this specific model in this research pass; the exact country of manufacture for the instrument itself was not independently confirmed.
Playability and construction
Not assessed hands-on — this review is based on specification and market analysis (see the badge above), so no subjective playing-feel claim (response, intonation tendencies, resistance) is made here. See the Verdict below for what this assessment is and isn't.
Construction
Solid, hand-carved and graduated spruce top and maple back/sides; ebony fingerboard and pegs; translucent brown finish.
Competing models
Verdict
Cremona's longest-running student violin outfit — described by the brand as its top-selling student model for over 30 years — built with a solid spruce top and maple back and set up at the company's US workshop, per the manufacturer's own listing. Despite the name, Cremona is a US brand, not an instrument made in Cremona, Italy. Suited to beginner-through-early-student players wanting solid-wood construction from a long-established US student-violin brand. See our full The Best Beginner Violins guide for how it compares to alternatives.
Other violin models reviewed
Each of these is assessed on the same basis — documented specifications and market positioning, not hands-on playing tests.
- Cecilio CVN-100 Cecilio
- Yamaha V3 Student Violin Yamaha
- Stentor Student I Stentor
- Mendini MV300 Mendini by Cecilio
The Best Beginner Violins
How this model compares against the alternatives, and which one suits which player.
Where to buy
Prices and availability are checked periodically, not a real-time feed.
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