Il y a surtout à vomir...J'appelle e-bay "le pigeonnier".Sur Ebay,il y a à boire et à manger

Rrrrou, rrrrou...
Recently I've received many questions about buying violins from eBay. I admit I have bought one violin from eBay. My intentions were to get a 1/2-size violin that my students could "try on" for size. I had no expectations about quality and only spent about $30 on the violin. It predictably sounds worse than a tin can, but it is the correct size and has been helpful in helping students decide if it is time to move into a half size violin. Playing that violin has also occasionally been a student's punishment if they forget to bring their instrument to their lesson!
If, however, you are looking for a serious instrument that will help you progress in your studies, eBay is not the place to look according to all the shops we questioned. Hammond Ashley states, "There is considerable risk of loss in buying from eBay. You often find an instrument that is more money to repair and set up than it would cost to get one from a reputable shop. The setup and adjustment is critical, as well as the ability for the shop to make adjustments for you."
Peter Zaret states, "The main problem [with buying a violin from eBay] is that you can't try the violin before you buy it. The violin might be a bargain but unplayable. The violin might be 'worth' the money but have an inferior tone. Once again a high price doesn't guarantee a good tone and visa versa. I have seen at least three instances where a violin purchased on eBay -- supposedly from abroad with a high price and purportedly made by such and such a maker -- turned out to be a fake for which the customer grossly overpaid. Buyer Beware!"