Varnish advice please

My daughter and I are building a kit 'kit' which is a miniature violin - about 200mm long overall. I understand it is playable, possibly not easily... :U
The instructions say 'varnish, wet sanding the first coat to fill the wood.
Now, I understand what this means, but I'm not sure what sort of varnish. I googled 'varnish', and now I know that just about any clear coating could be called varnish.
I have shellac available, plus some monocle clear timber varnish satin, turps clean up), and also a product called 'aqualac', a water based shellac.
Would any of these be suitable? After the base coat there is a powder stain for the next coat. I guess the colour will be 'violin'.
Don't want to overthink this but it would be a shame to spoil what is a nice little instrument.

You have blundered into a very deep and dark hole.

Violin finishing is a black art and there seems to be as many ways to do this as there are luthiers! There is also a school of thought that says instruments sound better with no finish, or just an oil finish.

One thing's for certain; what luthiers call "varnish" is only distantly related to what you can buy commercially.

I suppose it depends on what you want to do with the instrument when it is finished; uh, completed. Is it destined to be played?

The great thing about shellac is that it is easily removed if you decide it is not right.

I know that is not helpful. I've read lots about this topic because I was interested at one point in making string instruments, but I do not have any practical experience.

That's sort of what I am afraid of, and thinking. Shellac is pretty safe.
Not likely to be played, after the initial enthusiasm anyway (the fingerboard is only about 80mm long ��

Next on the list is a ukelele. Also a kit, but far more work. (bought at last year's wood show)