What to Look For When Buying/Renting an Instrument

Are you looking to buy or rent an string instrument for your student, but don't feel like you know anything about string instruments? This flyer (link below) created by Shar Music details what you need to look for to ensure you have a quality instrument. http://www.sharmusic.com/profiles/ParentsGuidetoVSO.pdf

What size instrument do I need?

Are you looking to buy or rent an instrument, and want to make sure that it is the right size? Your first and best option is to make sure the person for whom the instrument is being purchased is at the music store so he or she can be measured there. Otherwise, check out these sites to help you figure out what size you need:

*Be sure to read about HOW to measure the student's arm (difference between measuring neck-palm or neck-wrist)*

Violin, Viola, Cello:

http://www.feinviolins.com/infoview.php?ID=115#armlenght

(Check this one out first. Scroll to the bottom of the page, and you'll find what you are looking for.)

Viola:

http://store.musicbasics.com/howtodetrigs1.html

Violin, Viola:

http://www.nashvilleviolins.com/articles/sizes.htm

Cello:

http://www.swstrings.com/education/celloSizing.jsp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpNrw2sh3Z8

http://musiced.about.com/od/lessonsandtips/a/cellosizes.htm

Other helpful websites about instrument maintenance and repair:

http://www.sharmusic.com/Pages/How-To/Instrument-Care-and-Maintenance/