How to Choose your Correct Size of Instrument
A useful sizing guide for prospective violin, viola, and cello players of all ages.
“HELP! My child wants to play a string instrument. We would like to purchase or rent one from you, but I don’t know the right size.”
“I’ve always wanted to play the cello, but as a short adult I don’t know which model to choose.”
The best way to get the appropriate size of instrument for the budding Janine Jansen or Maxim Vengerov is to follow the recommendation of the violin- or viola teacher.
If you do not have a teacher yet or you are starting with online lessons in the beginning – and you need to get the instrument ahead of the first lesson – then read on!
Being in danger of mentioning the obvious… it does help when you are closely located to a specialist violin shop or violin maker who has the instruments in stock. Because that way you can book an appointment to visit them for a try out of a few instruments for size.
Place the instrument under the aspiring Vanessa Mae’s or Jascha Heifetz’s chin (with a shoulder rest if possible), like they would to play it, then have them fully extend their arm and wrap their hand around the scroll of the instrument (so they are looking at the fingertips of their left hand).
If their fingers wrap around the scroll completely, then they are ready for that size instrument. If not, try a smaller size.
To size a student for a violin / viola / cello from home, all you need is a tape measure. You will need to find out the number of centimeters (or inches if you prefer) from their neck to the middle of the left-hand palm.
To get the best measure, ask your child to stretch their left arm to the side and raise it to be horizontally in line with the shoulder and hold it up whilst you size their arm.
The palm of their hand should face up towards the ceiling.
The hand doesn’t need to be exactly up, so no need to force anything.
Once measured, use the chart below to determine the corresponding size violin / viola / cello.
As a general rule: If you find that your young Nigel Kennedy or Nicola Benedetti is between these clear defined sizes, it is usually recommended to opt for the smaller size first and move up when they have reached the next size milestone in the table below.
HINT: For cello players aiming to be the next Sheku Kanneh-Mason or Sol Gabetta at home, there is one other thing that is important to know. And that is the spreading distance between your index and pinky.
How to find this? With your left hand, make the ‘ROCK-ON’ sign just as in the picture. (Obviously, because cello playing is very COOL!) Stretch your index and pinky apart, but don’t push past the resistance as it must still - and always - be comfortable. Then take this distance measure with a ruler or tape measure. Other measurements for the arm length are listed below, but the finger span is unique to determining the right size of cello for you. And as such it is quite important to be able to play and learn comfortably, so it should be prioritized over arm length and body height. If you measure between sizes, opt for the smaller one for now.
Finger span:
15cm or over (6”+) = 4/4 size
from 14cm (5 and 3/5”) = 7/8 size
from 12.5cm (5”) = 3/4 size
from 10cm (4”) = 1/2 size
from 7.5cm (3”) = 1/4 size
from 5cm (2”) = 1/8 size
Happy to get started?
Do you need any assistance or would like to know what I have in stock?
And before I forget: here is the sizing chart that I promised you.
Violin Sizing Arm Measurements
ARM Measurements in CM and INCH
60cm and over (23” and 5/8th) = 4/4 size
58cm (22” and 7/8th) = 7/8 size
56cm (22” and 1/4) = 3/4 size
52cm (20” and 3/8th) = 1/2 size
47cm (18” and 1/2) = 1/4 size
43cm (16” and 7/8th) = 1/8 size
Viola Sizing Arm Measurements
ARM Measurements in CM and INCH
69cm and over (27” and 1/8th) = 16 and 1/2”
67cm (26” and 3/8th) = 16”
65cm (25” and 5/8th) = 15 and 1/2”
63cm (24” and 7/8th) = 15”
59cm (23” and 1/4) = 14” (= 4/4 violin)
56cm (21” and 7/8th) = 13”
51cm (20” and 1/8th) = 12”
46cm (18” and 1/4) = 11”
Cello Sizing Arm Measurements
ARM Measurements in CM and INCH
61cm and over (24”+) = 4/4 size
58.5cm (23”) = 7/8 size
56cm (22”) = 3/4 size
51cm (20”) = 1/2 size
46cm (18”) = 1/4 size
41cm (16”) = 1/8 size