Start at the bottom first. Get lessons from a decent teacher.
Working your way through the ABRSM grade system is a useful progression ladder to use, and will open many doors.
During the early days, as far as getting a violin goes, start cheap with a second hand violin from a close friend, or a reputable music store. If you can afford a Stradivarius, of course, you could do far far worse.
I'm not an expert as far as electric violins as used by the likes of Bond goes, however.
Ultimately the best violin to play is only as good as the person who plays it, and remember that it will all be for nought if at the end of the day you don't enjoy playing the violin in the first place. It will take time and a lot of practice to get anywhere near Vanessa-Mae or even Tasmin Little standard, but if you enjoy it then the journey is far easier.
And if you find the violin not your cup of tea, you could do far worse than changing instrument size, strings, musical clef, work availability and perceived credibility by going for the viola.
