Good sounding small violas?

[Phia]

Hello!

Does anybody have any recommendations for small violas no more than 15.5" w/ a big sound? Price range up to 20k

It's like finding a needle in a haystack 

Cheers,

Phia

Edited October 28, 2025 by Phia

[deans]

Not a needle in the haystack, but you will have to compromise. A lot of old german instruments (like old m-wald), have a nice sound and can be had in your price range. Same with a lot of older english instruments. However these instruments often dont have a lot of flexibility or power. 

There are many contemporary makers who have figured out how to get a lot more punch, but they also seem to lack flexibilty and can be unpleasant.

What is your main purpose? 

[FiddleDoug]

I don't think that it's possible to really recommend something like that. Maybe some generalizations, but not specifics. Instruments within categories will vary a lot, so you really need to go out and play them. With a 20k budget, you can afford to go to major shops, perhaps in several cities, and play lots of instruments.

[Marty Kasprzyk]

I got into a friendly argument with viola maker Marilyn Wallin.  She claimed small violas sounded better than big ones and I gave all kinds of acoustic reasons why big violas were better.  But she claimed the smaller ones were much less fatiguing to play so players practiced longer and as a result their music sounded better.

[deans]

Thats certainly a valid point, if you are struggling with the size of an instrument you arent going to get a good sound.

I've heard the opposite just as often, particularly a teacher of mine. Lazy people choose smaller instruments because they are easier. Those guys dont practice enough either. 

[Conor Russell]

Lots of English makers produced small violas. They can work very well indeed!

[Dwight Brown]

Where are you located?

 

DLB

[deans]

3 minutes ago, Conor Russell said:

Lots of English makers produced small violas. They can work very well indeed!

One of the nicer sounding 15.5 I knew was actually a George Craske. It wasnt boomer though. 

[Don Noon]

"Good sound" and "big sound" are pretty subjective; so one person's opinion of what sounds good might not sound good to someone else.

Larger plates and larger volumes bring with them resonance ranges that differ from smaller ones.  A <15.5" viola I don't think can sound quite like a >16" viola.  My second violia was 15.2", and although maybe it sounded "good" to some, realistically it sounded more like a violin in many ways.  My current thinking is that 15.75 is about as small as I can build and get a sound that is more solidly in the "viola" sound group... without getting into the Marty K. type designs.

1 hour ago, FiddleDoug said:

Instruments within categories will vary a lot, so you really need to go out and play them.  ... and play lots of instruments.

Yeah.  Play a lot of them, and find what suits your ear the best.

[deans]

Yes, try a lot. And bide your time. Nice sounding smaller violas are often traded among musicians, more so than other instruments.

[Erlkonig]

Try to find yourself a Mark Womack. Chris Jacoby makes a nice small viola based on Mark's model.

[Dwight Brown]

I can reccomend Chris Jacoby.  I have a N. Bergonzi model by him that is very nice.  Robertson and Sons in New Mexico has a good viola selection. Try everything you can as some instruments due to their design will feel smaller or larger to a given player.  Don't concentrate on any one string or volume level.  It is important to have an instrument who's sound holds together at P and PP levels as well as one that plays well at F and FF.

DLB

[Dwight Brown]

You might also try Sean Bishop in London.  He is a very good violist and He has a very good inventory of Violas and viola bows.  I have done business with him and I can recommend him highly.  https://bishopstrings.com/instruments/

DLB

[Stephen Fine]

I think it's tough to find a great 15.5" viola.  I've played exactly 1.  And it cost a small fortune.  But most people don't need a great viola, they just need one that sounds nice.

If you're willing to go in a radical direction, this might be the answer:

https://rivinus-instruments.com

 

[Phia]

I'm located in the Seattle, WA area. I've tried many instruments in this area and had violas shipped. Currently a student, planning to play in college and beyond but not to use viola as means of making a living. 

Usually the violas that project well and have a dark sound are just too big for my stature. There was one from Robertson that played well but that was beyond my price range. 

I know small viola big sound is a tall order, which is why I hopped on here to see if any of you guys knew of something I could look into. Thanks everybody for all the responses- I'll be sure to look into them. 

[Dr. Mark]

10 hours ago, Stephen Fine said:

If you're willing to go in a radical direction, this might be the answer:

https://rivinus-instruments.com

...or talk with Mr. Kasprzyk

[deans]

10 hours ago, Phia said:

Usually the violas that project well and have a dark sound are just too big for my stature.

How much have you vetted this situation. Its very common for somebody to pick up a larger instrument and be overwhelmed at first. But time and a good teacher can often fix this. What size instrument do you have now? Also consider that some larger instruments just feel easier than others, dont stop looking at things a little bigger. Just bumping up to 15 3/4 might open up a couple more doors.

 

[Altgeiger]

2 hours ago, deans said:

Its very common for somebody to pick up a larger instrument and be overwhelmed at first.

This is exactly what I was going to say. I a couple years ago moved from a 16" viola to an 18" one, and it took me a few months to figure out how to play it comfortably. It is necessary to proceed carefully: if you play with the same technique as on a smaller instrument, you can injure yourself. Still, I think it's possible for anyone who has no preexisting injuries or deformities to learn to play an instrument of 15¾" comfortably.

That being said, powerful, good-sounding 15" violas exist, but they're rare, and everyone wants one, so they tend not to be cheap. Good luck.

[Marty Kasprzyk]

5 hours ago, Dr. Mark said:

...or talk with Mr. Kasprzyk

 

Viola players have more injuries than violin players so I've shrunk my last eleven viola's length down to be the same as a violin (~!4 in.). They use standard 330mm violin ADG strings and the special Evah Perazzi violin C string.

I don't make big 15.5 in. violas anymore so I'm sorry I can't help.

 

[Stephen Fine]

7 hours ago, Marty Kasprzyk said:

 

Viola players have more injuries than violin players so I've shrunk my last eleven viola's length down to be the same as a violin (~!4 in.). They use standard 330mm violin ADG strings and the special Evah Perazzi violin C string.

I don't make big 15.5 in. violas anymore so I'm sorry I can't help.

 

Whoa, cool!  This is definitely something Phia should try given the opportunity.

But I also agree that unless you are quite small, there is a history of smaller people playing bigger violas and getting away with it.  Famously, Lillian Fuchs was small and played a big honker.  Karen Tuttle wasn't very tall either and she played the same big da Salo that James Dunham plays now.  Figuring out how to play a viola without injuring yourself is part of the professional training.

[Dr. Mark]

9 hours ago, Marty Kasprzyk said:

I don't make big 15.5 in. violas anymore so I'm sorry I can't help.

Lol "no more than 15.5"' was the criterion.  You're still good.

[Phia]

I currently play a 15.5"

Originally I was trying up to 16 but that ended up giving me wrist problems so I think I'm gonna stay in the lower range.

[Phia]

4 hours ago, Stephen Fine said:

Whoa, cool!  This is definitely something Phia should try given the opportunity.

But I also agree that unless you are quite small, there is a history of smaller people playing bigger violas and getting away with it.  Famously, Lillian Fuchs was small and played a big honker.  Karen Tuttle wasn't very tall either and she played the same big da Salo that James Dunham plays now.  Figuring out how to play a viola without injuring yourself is part of the professional training.

I'll keep that in mind!

[Phia]

11 hours ago, Marty Kasprzyk said:

 

Viola players have more injuries than violin players so I've shrunk my last eleven viola's length down to be the same as a violin (~!4 in.). They use standard 330mm violin ADG strings and the special Evah Perazzi violin C string.

I don't make big 15.5 in. violas anymore so I'm sorry I can't help.

 

Oh wow that's a big shrink. I have really slender hands so I'd look into that

[Marty Kasprzyk]

The first viola i made was a vertical Carleen Hutchins Alto which was about 20 inches long. I loved its deep rich sound but it was much too big to play under the chin.  So for the next twenty years I've been gradually making shorter and shorter deep sounding violas to make them easier to hold and recently ended up with violin sized ones.

The attached photos show this down sizing trend which is similar to everything else here.