Best Acoustic Violas
This viola includes a lightweight form fitting hard, a Brazilwood bow with unbleached genuine Mongolian horsehair, rosin, and a bridge making this package a great deal for beginners. Includes: lightweight hard case, a Brazilwood bow with unbleached genuine Mongolian horsehair, rosin, and bridge.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Seldom will instrument be shipped with the bridge and strings on. To add more friction, usually a rosin dust is applied to pegs or holes."
"For less than $100, you get a nice looking playable viola with a bow, 2 sets of strings, rosin, and a sturdy case. I'd recommend a set of D'Addario Prelude strings for much better sound and playability."
"I'm a violinist and was interested in playing viola and so I looked to this as an option to have one for my own to play on during the summer, as I am glad I got it for such a price, I am disappointed that the bow bends backwards when tightening to the point where I had to check if I received a baroque bow of some sort."
"Great viola, I really like the look and the sound is great, I just wish it came with a better rossin, mine broke into pieces as soon as I opened it for the first time."
"Our daughter literally cried when she oped the box!"
"Amazing quality and awesome sound!"
"Was nervous buying without seeing it in person."
Viola comes with a Brazil wood bow with ebony frogged and unbleached genuine Mongolian horsehair, a lightweight form fitting hard case with pockets and strap, extra set of strings, quality rosin cake and extra bridge. Size 14" viola made of solid hand-carved spruce top, flamed maple back & sides, beautiful inlaid purfling & finish.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The action (effort needed to push on the strings by the left hand) is slightly higher on the Cecilio compared to the intermediate level viola, but it is definitely playable (for comparison, a cheap guitar with a very high action is almost impossible to play well, even by professionals...this is not the case with the Cecilio viola). If one is expecting an intermediate or professional level grade instrument with this viola, you will be disappointed. Now that I have my intermediate level viola, I hardly play the Cecilio except for social gatherings (I wouldn't want to take my more expensive instrument out into the variable weather)."
"very good , good sound, good quality , came on time , my sister loves it, the only thing be really sure of the size, because i bought one and it was a bit small, then i bough another one bigger."
"nice quality, good sound, beautiful case."
"This viola is beautifully crafted and perfect for beginners."
"look nice good quality for the price."
"First year student."
"The only exception is the bow: the included bow is cheap and wore out (all hairs broke) within a couple of months."
"It fell apart after two months of use."
Viola package includes Cecilio chromatic tuner with metronome, a lightweight form fitting hard shell case with pockets and strap (making it convenient to carry to school or orchestra), a Brazil wood bow with unbleached genuine Mongolian horsehair, quality rosin cake, and a bridge. Includes: Cecilio chromatic tuner, a lightweight hard case, a Brazilwood bow with unbleached genuine Mongolian horsehair, quality rosin cake, and a bridge.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"He has progressed decently as a beginner student and I'm glad we decided to buy instead of renting!"
"Had it tuned and sound is really good for the price of this."
"Nice, complete set, good quality for the price, including the bow."
"Love this instrument."
"Perfect for 10 year old even though teacher recommended one notch smaller."
"Thank you is all I need to say."
"Great student viola package."
"Amazing viola, it took a bit longer Than I thought but I think it has amazing quality for an intermediate student."
Best Electric Violas
4 String Solid-body electric viola with Polar pickup system, dual mode preamp. Solid Maple Body and neck with figured maple top.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"NS Design CR4 Violin and CR4 Viola. I had been reluctant to buy such an expensive electric violin... in a world where for the same money one could get a stellar first rate premium signature edition electric guitar. I heard of people stringing violins for viola tuning (CGDA instead of GDAE) and was fascinated with the idea. I ordered a C string and strung it on the end of my FV3 and ran the other strings over a slot, leaving the E string off when I got to the end. I loved the viola tuning, but couldn't find a C string that sounded quite right with the other strings. Usually one has to toss that the strings that come with these things, But NS Design used what sound like premium steel chrome wound strings. I had complained of the WAV4 being stiff and inflexible... not giving much of a sense for player `feel', but the CR4, at least the Viola (I haven't played the CR4 Violin but imagine it is quite similar in all regards), seemed to have flexibility... that when using some strength and force in modulating the strings, the violin actually bends in a bit... a great perception of playability and control... a rewarding `feel' to the instrument. Well, my Fender FV3 Violin measures from the nut to the bridge for a string length of 12 7/8 inches, while my Viola measures 14 1/4. Anyway, after having played both Viola and Violin, and not to sound condescending, but the Viola seems more fit for men, while the violin seems better suited for the smaller hands of boys and girls. Oh, and as far as trading the Violin's high E String for the Viola's low C String ( violins are tuned to GDAE while violas are tuned down to CGDA ), while occasionally the lilting and ethereal E string has its valued uses, particularly when clustered together with other violins in concert, still in most cases that really piercing high string is used only because it is there, and the results are shrill and often clash with the other instrumentation. Bands are often afraid of including an Electric Violin, and only because they fear those wildly high E Strings stabbing into their brains by way of the ears. The Viola, however, with that C String on the low end, can reach some real bassy lows, and one can still finger far enough down on the high end A string to suggest the musical mood and intensity of Going High without actually going so high as to be positively annoying."