Larry Jaques wrote:

If you decide to take up the violin and can't fix that one within a
tight budget, grab one from an eBay vendor for as little as $25.
They're handsomely made, good sounding instruments, too. I doubled my
money selling it locally for half the price the locals get for similar
instruments. (My neck didn't like the fiddlin' position at all so I
had to give it up before I learned much.)

http://tinyurl.com/62hrgkg $24, $19 to ship.
Violin, bow, rosin, strings, case, tuner.

http://tinyurl.com/63a3qvp $2 auction, $19 to ship.

Good Lord!

I had no idea violins could be had so cheaply.

Heck, they're cheap enough to use for DECORATION, even if one can't play it!