Realist RV-5 Pro violin

If you've been looking for a really nice five string acoustic, the Realist RV-5 Pro acoustic-electric is an excellent choice. It's a purpose-built 5-string that's set up well and nearly as playable as your average four string. Bridge curvature is excellent, and string spacing at the bridge and nut are such that it hardly feels like you're playing a five string at all.

The Realist RV-5 Pro has a rich, warm tone, with noticeably more color and complexity than the regular RV-5. Its "unplugged" tone is very good, and the additional complexity of its un-amplified sound gives the RV-5 Pro an edge when you plug it into an amplifier, as well. Its amplified tone is among the best we've heard in an acoustic-electric. The built-in Realist® pickup ensures a strong output signal that's well-balanced across the strings. It's also quite resistant to feedback, making it a good choice for performers playing in louder bands.

The Realist RV-5 Pro is a great choice for educators who want a no-compromise instrument for the classroom. It will allow you to double the violin and viola parts (and even the cello part, an octave higher) without switching instruments, and it projects well enough to play over the class, when necessary.

Price includes an oblong hard shell case.