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Beginner Viola Buying Guide
Looking to purchase your first viola but don't know a thing about string instruments?
Not to worry! We're here to give you the 101 on what you should be looking for to ensure you're getting a good quality viola that will support the player's learning.
Want more great tips for getting started? Check out some of our other blogs for beginner violists:
1. The viola must be professionally set up by a trained luthier (string instrument maker/repairer)
A professional setup by a trained luthier involves making adjustments to the bridge, nut, fingerboard, pegs and sound post of a viola; all of which affect the playability, usability and sound quality of an instrument.
If a viola hasn't been set up correctly it will be difficult to play, difficult to tune, and sound terrible, which can be very discouraging for beginners.
We are yet to find a manufacturer of student violas that offers a playable setup out of the factory. The setup therefore needs to be performed by an experienced luthier (string instrument maker/repairer).
At the Sydney String Centre, every viola is set up by the Luthiers in our workshop, and the setup on our beginner violas is specially designed to help facilitate the learning of a beginner.
Check out our blog on professional string instrument setups if you'd like to learn more or watch our video on what goes into a professional setup.
2. A good quality viola will be made from solid maple and spruce tone-woods
For centuries, violin makers have been constructing their instruments out of maple and spruce, as they have been proven to be excellent tone woods.
On a quality beginner violas, the neck, back and sides (ribs) will be made from maple, and the top will be made from spruce. The fingerboard, nut and pegs should all be ebony (or boxwood), which is a very dense, strong and hard-wearing wood.
Unfortunately, there are cheaper violas out there that are made from laminated wood, with white wood fittings that have been painted black to look like ebony. These instruments sound awful and are very difficult to tune.
You will typically find these cheaper instruments listed on eBay, from sellers who are looking to take advantage of beginners who don't know anything about string instruments. The same goes for violas sold at ALDI. If you want the best start to the viola, head to a string specialist.
Click to view our range of beginner violas.
3. To produce the best sound, you'll need good-quality strings
Even nice quality instruments are often set up and sold with factory strings. These are cheaply made Chinese strings provided by the workshop where the viola was made.
Factory strings will give you a sound that is sure to put you off playing. A good quality set of student strings might cost as much as $50-100 but it is worth every cent.
Good strings will help you produce a warm sound that will encourage the player to keep practicing! All of our violas come with good-quality strings from Germany, Denmark, France, Austria or the USA.
Browse our range of viola strings.
4. It is essential to learn on the correct size
Playing on the correct size viola is crucial to a player's development and directly affects their ability to learn and have fun playing the viola.
There are nine (standard) sizes available:
11", 12", 13", 14" sizes are for players aged 7-14 years. Typically a child will be on the one size for around 12-18 months and we measure them up much the same we we measure children for violin. It's important that while a child is still growing, that they aren't playing on something too big.
15", 15.5", 16", 16.5", 17" sizes are for adults (or fully grown teenagers). Unlike violin where there is only one 'full size' (4/4) or standard adult size, for viola there are multiple 'full sizes' to choose from depending on the length of your arm, height of your neck, hand size and overall build.
It's also important to note that even though 15" is considered the smallest 'standard adult size' if you are petite like myself (157cm), have small hands and/or a beginner, you might find 14" to be more comfortable.
The best way to find the perfect size is to come into our store and be measured against a real viola. However, if you're buying online or having a rental viola sent out to you, our sizing guide is the next best thing.
Click here to read more about viola sizing and to view our viola sizing guide.
5. Ask if the viola comes with after-sales servicing or warranty
String instruments require regular servicing to ensure they remain in good playing condition. They can be quite temperamental, and things like small knocks or bumps, changes in temperature and humidity, or even too much rosin build-up can affect their overall performance.
A professionally trained member of our workshop team will be able to address any issue you have with the sound or playability of your instrument and fix any minor issues before they become bigger problems.
When an instrument is purchased from The Sydney String Centre, regular servicing is free for the time that you are the owner of the instrument (pending our instrument servicing terms & conditions) as we like to know that your instrument is performing at its best at all times.
We recommend that your instrument be serviced 2-3 weeks after your initial purchase, and every 6 months after that. We are also here to support you anytime in between services if you have any concerns with your instrument.
A regular service of a viola that wasn't purchased from us initially will set you back around $120, so when buying your first instrument, always ask whether the price includes free after-sales servicing and support.
Click to read more about what is included in our free servicing.
6. Before renting or purchasing a viola we recommend partnering with a great teacher
Viola teachers are usually able to recommend a specialist string shop where you can find good quality instruments that have been set up professionally. This recommendation is usually guided by personal experience in dealing with the store as well as feedback from parents.
Many teachers come to our store and try every instrument in the beginner range so that they feel comfortable recommending specific brands. If you're unsure about which brand to buy, chances are your teacher has tried them all! So don't hesitate to ask for their advice.
It is important that the teacher is happy with your purchase because they are the ones who have to tune your instrument and listen to you play! Lesson time is precious, and you don't want to spend too much time tuning or dealing with sound issues.
Have further questions? Contact or email us at sales@violins.com.au.