One of the violins I carry are the Vivo Elite’s, previously known as the Montanari. They are full flame back and sides, I fit them with quality strings (usually Thomastik Alphas or Pirastro Tonica’s), which are about right for this level of instrument and player, rather than the factory strings they come with (they are not bad and good to keep as a spare set).
By way of review they are nice to play and well setup (if I say so myself). I’ve sourced them with sound quality, rather than purely looks in mind, so the cases are usually entry level and the finish is the tougher matt finish rather than layered lacquer (lacquer takes many layer of application with weeks between coats, so really adds to the cost, with minimal influence on sound). The violin is robust and the neck feels solid…so will be a durable instrument. See my store for other full size I currently have .
Here is the sound of the Vivo Montanari Elite, after setup, with Thomastik (rather than factory) strings.
I recon they sound as good as a more expensive European violin (listen for yourself). Below are my images of the grain up close (front and side), and the manufacturers images below that.
