Hi,

I was given a viola many years ago when I was a student. In the hands of a "teacher", it sounds good, but after many years of playing, I still have trouble making it sound consistently good. Occasionally, even open notes sound sour. I`ve tried adjusting bow angle, pressure and proximity to bridge to no avail. I just ordered a Coda Aspire bow and Tartini Silk Rosin in hopes that a bow change would make a difference.

I was wondering if it was worth taking it to a lutherie to have it adjusted or is this just a cheap student viola and I probably would be better served buying a nicer one?

Anyway of telling the quality of my current viola? The are two labels inside the f-holes. The one under the C string says Facobus hand-made, Horsteiner reproduction, Antonius Stradivarius. The other says Scherl & Roth Shop Adjusted, model E29 (16"), 1980. It has a one piece back.

If this turns out to be a cheapo student grade instrument, can you give me some advice for selecting a decent calibre viola appropriate for a "non-professional/non-music major that has played decently at the college level". Is $1500 an appropriate price range? Can you recommend some brands (e.g. do you know anything about the Scott Cao brand @ swstrings.com?

Thanks!

Probably it`s perfectly OK. Have you thought of changing the strings, for example?

As for a new one, I consider Gligas to be unbeatable at anywhere near the price.

Lzi

I have a Samuel Shen 800 viola (16")...it`s great too! It runs (US $$) roughly $1000...although they may be making a series one level up from that soon (1000 series - like they do for their violins)...

...on your existing viola...sorry if I missed it...did you try new strings and having a new bridge cut? Might be worthwhile...

Definitly replace the strings - I highly recommend Thomastik Dominants on Violas for beginner/intermediate musicians - usually about 50-60$ a set. Also, a lot of times you will hit sour notes because the soundpost or bridge is crooked - have a luthier check it out. Get the bow rehaired as well (about 40$) and make sure it`s not cracked. A solid piece back is a very good sign that it`s a decent instrument - that is a rare feature and can either make or break the quality. Sherl and Roth adjusted is typically found on student intstruments, but nonetheless I think you have yourself a decent viola When you do play an open string use lots of pressure on the bow (use your whole arm) and notice: does the whole instrument vibrate? If you can vibrato, does it produce a clear tone, or does it `wolf` on the lower register? Student instruments tend to be very scratchy and not at all forgiving, when you play one you get the feeling that the sound is `stuck` in the instrument. Another good way to tell is look at the back of the fingerboard. . .is the varnish nicely done on the back, or are there straight lines that change to a lighter color immediatly instead of `fading` in and out. Look at the varnish as a whole - does it have it`s own charecteristics or look very plastic? Another good indication of a student grade instrument are four fine tuners instead of just the one on the A string. This is not a solid indication as some violists will set it up that way on purpose, but it is a good generalization.
I too have a Gliga viola - gliga vasile which I was warned against because it is a Romanian instrument (they are know for student grade, not high quality). However it really caught my eye and my ear, and it has been a very very good viola. I paid 2500$ for it and it was appraised at 5000$. So, those are definitly a good investment for intermediats because you get a lot for your money. Though your viola sounds just fine 1500-2500$ is a perfect price range! It`s above a beginner but leaves plenty of room for advancement. Hope all that helps! ;~)
Chris

Yours is not a very good quality one. Strad copies typically aren`t.

You can tell if it`s a good instrument if it has a two-piece back (that`s not ALWAYS true), if it has striping (if your instrument has it, you`ll know), if the finish is nice (not sticky or weird looking). You can also tell by the sound. I`d imagine that if your instrument sounded good to you in the hands of a professional many years ago, you simply weren`t good enough yet to hear the difference between a decent and a truly good instrument. Now you can hear better, and it`s time you got a better instrument.

Go out shopping and see what you can find. Look on the internet for dealers in your area. You`ll want to try several, and take them home for a week or so to really get used to. You can have the strings changed if necessary (I really like Helicore), and you can get a new bow to go with it.

Email me if you have any other questions.

Oh, I just saw one of the other posts -- Yes, Shen instruments are also supposed to be really good, so that`s something to look into. You won`t find any truly good instruments that aren`t handmade, so the prices will be very individual. You`ll find decent instruments starting at $800, and pretty good ones from $1000 - $1500. But, as I`m sure you`ve heard, you get what you pay for.

When I started to play viola, I played on a Scherl & Roth, 16.5". For me, it was fine, but I didn`t really know much because I was a beginner. If you are a beginner, the Scherl and Roth should be fine. Don`t forget size. If you have size issues, that can contribute to your viola psyche.

Find a good instrument shop and bring your instrument. They can tell you if your skill has exceeded the quality of the instrument or what you can do to improve the sound. They can also be very helpful picking out a new instrument if you need one, but be prepared to spend money because most good instruments aren`t cheap. I don`t know where you live, but I went to Robertson`s and Sons in Albuquerque and they really helped me pick out a viola. One of the guys there played the different violas I was looking at and listened to me play them too and gave me feedback on the violas and on which one might be better for me. They also let me borrow instruments and bows for a week at a time to try them out. It took me awhile, but I find the right instrument and bows for me and I am still satisfied a year later. You really need to find a viola that is not just good but also good for you. For example, I needed a smaller viola, so I got one with a wider bottom to give it the sound of a full size.