Instrument Reviews: Forenza Prima 2 Violin

Distributed exclusively in the UK by Normans Musical Instruments, the Forenza Prima 2 outfit is intended as a contender to the Stentor Student II and its market-leading top spot. At £99 including VAT, the Forenza comes in at roughly a third cheaper.

Normans provides a grid on its website comparing the different features of the two models, and indeed the specs seem virtually equivalent, from the solid, carved spruce table; solid, carved maple back, ribs and neck; traditional inlaid purfling; and ebony top nut to the Teka (Flesch) hardwood chin rest; alloy tailpiece; and adjustable nylon tailgut.

The Forenza comes ready set up, with polystyrene blocks on either side of the bridge to keep it in place. The snugness of this fit makes it difficult to dislodge the bridge in transit, which is a good thing, but also means it was quite hard to take the polystyrene out, and in the process I managed to dislodge the bridge anyway. As it happens, the original bridge position was set a little far backwards from where it should be relative to the f-hole nicks and the soundpost. This, of course, is easy for a teacher or luthier to adjust, but is a minor caveat to the claim of arriving ready set up.