Moving fron violin to viola for Grade 3 exam. What do I look for in a viola?

[Strix]

Has anyone else done this? Can you recommend what I should be looking for in a new (used?) viola. DD is 8 and currently on a 3/4 violin. Not sure what size this translates to in a viola. But, I haven't a musical bone in my body. So just wondered if those who do might have some advice for me Santa on what to buy instruct the elves to construct.

Thank you.

[kitkat1967]

Hi - my just 8 year old DS started on the Viola about a month ago and has a 12" but will need to move to a 13" sooner rather than later - he's a fairly big 8 though.
Can't help with makes - we're on cheap and cheerful but grade 3 is great

[DeWe]

Could you take him to a music shop to try out so that you know "what to tell the elves to make"... and go back and buy it on a different day.
Dh went to a music shop and they were perfectly happy for him to try the pianos even though he wasn't going to buy from them.

[madhairgirl]

If I remember right, his violin if you re-string it would be a 1/2 size viola. Can you just do that.

[relaxitllbeok]

Young violists I've known have always been using violins strung as violas - I didn't actually know there were such things as smaller sizes of violas tbh! But if you're buying an instrument that is going to cost a lot of money (whatever that means to you) it's really good to have the instrument played by an expert you trust. It matters enormously, and it's going to matter more for an instrument which is going to need to make a viola sound while being smaller than a full-size viola. Mumble years ago, I remember my violin teacher coming with me and my parents to choose my full-size violin. Is that a possibility? If not, tbh, I'd rent rather than buy.

[Strix]

Thank you. I think getting a new instrument is part of the fun for DD. So whilst I'm in no position to go throwing money away, I'm willing to part with about £100 or so. Teacher recommended stentor.

We got s Chinese eBay violin a couple years ago and the quality was ok but not great.... However it was a hit because it was pink.

[kitkat1967]

Our 12" Viola is a Stentor - it seems OK - also got it off ebay

Viola sizes are not the same as Violin (ie, 1/2, 3/4 etc.) - they are in inches from 12" to 17" (I think). The size is the measurement of the body so you could measure the Violin you already have see what that woudl equate to in Viola sizes.

[Merrylegs]

DD just started playing the viola. She is 11 and got a 14" which will last her a good few years.

She did start off borrowing a violin strung as a viola but the sound is different and she is enjoying learning on the 'proper' instrument so much more.

Hers was a stentor 2, £135 new from the music shop, but ours do a 'hire before you buy' policy - £30 for the first four months and then we pay the balance, or just return it if she loses interest (!).

It is a v posh looking instrument - lovely grain on the wood in a silver velvet lined case - a v. impressive Christmas present!

[Strix]

Sorry it has taken me ages to come back. I think we will go with a stentor student 2, 12".

Thanks all for you advice.

[pugsandseals]

At Grade 3 standard don't forget the decent quality strings! Dominant or Tonica would do nicely. And I would probably stretch her to a 13 inch if you can find one, violas are meant to be big? Where are you in the country Strix ? If you are buying a comparatively cheap viola (under £1000) then it is really important that you buy from a dealer with a good name. How it is set up adds hugely to the sound quality of the instrument and it's playability!

If looking online, try Foote's.

[gelatinous]

I would recommend a Gliga GEMS 2 see here Dd had one of these (a 13.5" as I recall) and everyone was extremely impressed with the quality of the instrument for the price - it had a real viola sound which is unusual for small violas apparently. Way better than stentors imo. (I'm nothing to do with elida other than a satisfied customer - they used to be the only gliga suppliers in the UK, not sure if that's still true).

[PushyDad]

My DD is a Grade 6 violin and viola player. Her violin is about £1000 while her viola is about £100.

My point? It is very difficult to produce a good sound on a cheap violin but the same argument isnt true for violas (its to do with the frequency range). There is obviously a difference between a £100 viola and a £1000 viola but at the level my daughter is at, the difference IMHO isnt worth the premium. As another poster suggested, spend the money on good strings instead. Putting viola strings on a violin doesnt really work. The 'body' is just too small to get the right sound. We initially went down that route coz DD was a small 9 year old but a year later we got her a proper viola. She struggled with the weight for a while tho.