A friend of mine who is a luthier would say "yes", avoid online instrument purchases because you really have to try the instrument before committing to it. However, I think if an online retailer has a good return policy, you should have ample opportunity to "test drive" your instrument. The folks at Quintus gave me a month to try out their carbon fiber cello. Sending it back would have cost a few bucks, but I would have regarded that expense like a rental fee.*

The only downside is that these big fiddles can be a handful to ship.

I just checked the link you posted, and the prices of those instruments look way too low. I don't know anything about them, except that you might just get what you pay for. In this case, I would want to check them out thoroughly in person before buying. As they say in Star Wars, "I've got a bad feeling about this..."

Mike

* For the record, I kept the Quintus. It's not exactly like wood, but it's got its own vibe going on. It also stood up to some rather extreme conditions this summer without breaking a sweat.

Alas, my work is forcing me to travel alot again. I'm interested in buying an instrument that I can easily bring on an airplane so I can practice while I'm visiting the most boring cities on earth.

The expensive choice would be the NS Designs cello, which you can see at www.nedsteinberger.com . I think it's the best electric out there, having tried the Yamaha, Zeta and Jordan instruments. It also has the advantage of being quite small.

Unfortunately, it's not cheap. And I'm never selling mine!

Mike