Sell Your Violin in the UK

Used violins in the UK typically sell for £45 to £300 (about $61 to $405). Violins sell on size and setup, and the two things a buyer needs are the fraction size and whether it comes ready to play with a bow and case.

What violins are worth in the UK

Condition	Typical	What it means
New with Tags	£300	Unused, tags or seals intact
Like New	£255	Barely used, no visible wear
Good	£195	Light signs of use, complete and working
Fair	£135	Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part
For Parts	£75	Not working or incomplete, sold as seen

Guide ranges converted from sterling at the 2 August 2026 rate, not quotes — sellers set their own price. Grades are seller-declared; WishThrift does not inspect or verify them.

What lifts the price

Older instruments with a documented maker or workshop
Solid carved tops rather than laminate

What pulls it down

Open seams and cracks in the top
Warped necks or a collapsed bridge

Selling a violin in the UK

Most private sales settle by bank transfer or cash on collection. Faster Payments clear in seconds, which makes a transfer as safe as cash for the seller — wait for it to land before the item leaves your hands.

Royal Mail, Evri and InPost cover the whole country, and InPost lockers mean neither side has to be in for a delivery. Tracked 48 is the usual default for small parcels.

Distance selling rules bind traders, not private sellers, but an item must still be as described and anything sold as working must actually work.

Working out what yours is worth

Look through the f-hole for a maker’s label and note what it says
Check the seams around the edge for openings

Sell your Violin in the UK

Listing is free and there is no commission and no buyer fee, so the price you agree is the price you keep. Most listings take about a minute to put up.

List your Violin — free What is yours worth?

Getting it ready

Confirm the size: full, three-quarter, half or smaller, measured by body length.
Inspect the top and back for cracks and open seams, and check the bow hair and stick.

Photograph

The violin front on, whole, in its case if included
The bow, case, and any crack, open seam or repair

Put in the description

Whether it is ready to play, and when it was last set up
Whether a bow, case, shoulder rest and rosin are included

Size, contents and condition: “Full Size 4/4 Violin with Bow and Case, Ready to Play”. Size is the first filter, especially for children. “Ready to play” means bridge up, soundpost in, strings on — only say it if true.

Post only in a hard case with the bridge protected and the bow hair slackened. Collection lets a buyer or their teacher try it, which suits both sides.

It costs nothing to list

There is no listing fee, no selling fee and no commission, so the £300 a buyer pays is the £300 you keep. You and the buyer settle up and arrange the handover between yourselves; WishThrift does not hold the money or ship the item.

Where in the UK

The United Kingdom is a big place and what sells well moves with it. These are the parts of the United Kingdom with their own page for violins.

Common questions

Where can I sell a violin in the UK?

List it free on WishThrift and deal with the buyer direct. There is no selling fee, so the whole amount stays with you. Most private sales settle by bank transfer or cash on collection. Faster Payments clear in seconds, which makes a transfer as safe as cash for the seller — wait for it to land before the item leaves your hands.

Are there any cracks?

Examine the top, back and ribs in raking light. Cracks and open seams are repairable but must be shown.

How can I tell if a violin is valuable?

Look through the f-hole for a label, and check whether the top is carved or laminated. Genuinely old instruments should be assessed by a specialist.

Is the bow worth much?

It can be worth more than a student violin. Good bows are valued separately, so mention what you have.

More: how to sell a violin, what violins are worth, or Music & Instruments across the United Kingdom.