Introduction:
The viola is often famed for its mellow and deep tone, subsequently making it an essential instrument in any orchestra. However, purchasing an appropriate viola instrument for sale is not easy as there are several factors you need to consider, such as the instrument’s external beauty, its sound as well as The quality of its artistry.
All these factors combined consequently affect the price of the viola. Therefore makes The task of finding a high-value viola brand of exceptional quality and affordable quite challenging.
Moreover, viola bows are crucial as these are what you will use to play The viola, and finding proper viola bows for sale is not easy too. Luckily, some have known The dependable viola brands, you can narrow down which bows are of remarkable quality and help you narrow down your search.
Should you buy a viola?
When looking for a viola, The common question that crosses your mind is whether to buy a viola or to rent one. Especially when you factor in The viola instrument price, which can be quite high.
Additionally, you need not only consider The cost you will incur purchasing or renting The viola. But also The costs associated with owning The instrument.
Therefore, after considering these two factors, only then can you decide whether or not you should rent a viola or find viola bows for sale and buy one.
Viola prices for The different levels
Violas are available in many different levels depending on your expertise as a player as well as The learning stage you presently are in. Usually, most students start by first renting a viola before finding viola instruments for sale to make their own.
Fundamentally, there are three categories under which violas fall, and these are;
• Student Violas:
These violas are ideal for if you are a beginner, that is, a young player or student still in The early stages of understanding how to play The viola. At this stage, you mostly focus on tone production, The playing basics, bowing, and fingering, among other techniques.
Therefore, The maple, commonly dyed black to look like ebony is occasionally used for fingerboards and pegs, with these two areas often exposed to further friction.
Violas in this class include Cecilio, Cremona, Stentor, and Merano, The design of these instruments, is intended to keep low costs Whereas still maintaining a consistent tone. The viola instrument price of these violas ranges between $200 to $2,500.
• Intermediate to Advanced violas:
Intermediate violas integrate better craft, and this consequently results in The sound being produced being much better. Furthermore, they feature stronger projections as well as incorporate more dynamics.
Some of The common violas under this category which come together with fine viola bows for sale include Yamaha, Primavera, and DZ Strad, while Eastman Strings is classified as an advanced viola.
Integrated into these violas are fingerboards and pegs which are crafted with ebony plus this instrument is mostly handcrafted. Viola instruments for sale in this category usually range from $500 to $10,000.
• Professional violas:
These violas emanate wide dynamics as well as a rich tone thanks to their pure craftsmanship which incorporates The finest wood quality. Nevertheless, The viola instrument price of these works of art is costly and typically costs anything from $10,000 and above.
What other instruments do you need?
Apart from a viola, there are other additional accessories that you need, and this will subsequently affect the overall price of the viola. Some of these accessories are;
• Viola Bow:
Finding a suitable viola bow to use with your viola bow is critical since it ensures that the sound quality is exceptional.
However, you also need to find viola bows for sale that are affordable and still offer you quality.
• Shoulder Rest:
Whereas this is an optional piece, it is ideal as it adds a layer of comfort and support between your viola and yourself.
• The viola case:
The viola is a very fragile instrument, and considering the viola instrument price often is not cheap, you need to take extreme care of it. Thus a viola case is vital regardless of if you are a student or a professional
• Rosin:
It usually is applied on your viola bow, and it aims to generate friction between your viola and the bow. So, without the rosin, your viola cannot produce any sound.
Factors that affect the price of the viola and bow
Weight and size of the viola
Like any other instrument, there are several factors that affect the price of viola price. Some of these factors are the size and weight of the viola, type of wood used, quantity, overall quality, the instrument’s appearance, as well as the construction method.
Additionally, another critical factor that affects the viola price is the number of violas being made. Usually, the viola makers need to design and assemble this instrument mostly by hand, and this consequently limits them as there is a limited number of violas they are in a position to make.
The viola quality is not always a guarantee since wood imperfections as well as other factors eventually have an impact on the weight, sound, and feel.
Nevertheless, if the master craftsman possesses superb skills and expertise, the subsequent instrument he makes will be of excellent quality. And this consequently raises their reputation further.
Thus, there will be an increased demand for his services. And due to this, he might decide to charge more for any viola instrument he makes. This will eventually have an impact on the viola instrument price.
Overall instrument quality
The price of the viola is affected by its overall instrument quality, and this usually is linked to the instrument’s age.
If the craftsman performs a superb job and everything goes according to plan, the viola will possess all the desirable qualities like the absence of buzzing or wolf tones, have a remarkable response as well as projection, things players value a lot.
Older viola instruments occasionally look terrible since they have scratches, small dings, or wear of varnish.
However, as wood as time passes by tends to settle, and the continued use of the viola results in the older violas frequently having better quality sound in comparison to new violas. Thus, older violas occasionally are preferable to new violas, thereby costing more.
Aesthetic appeal
The visual appeal of the viola eventually affects its price. Whereas the response and sound of the viola is considerably more crucial than the appearance of the viola, some players want to have instruments that are still attractive visually.
So, violas that have wood grain, rare detailing, or color usually cost more since the sellers are to showcase the detailing involved, which is not easy to replicate and takes more time. Subsequently, this causes the price of the viola instrument to increase.
The selected wood and construction method
The precise method of construction, as well as the wood, used affect the weight of the viola. Additionally, weight is affected by size too, and artisans often like to experiment, with which is the best proportion.
A combination of all these factors affects the way that an instrument is balanced; its tone as well as how it resonates.
Typically, the bigger violas generate better results plus possess more preferable projections. And this is vital, especially when you consider that mid-register instruments plus viola sounds get lost when in an ensemble’s overall texture.
Therefore, it is no surprise that professional players opt for well-balanced violas which tend to produce louder sounds despite having to pay more for the viola instrument.
The wood used in the manufacture
The wood used in making the viola consequently affects the price at which the viola instrument will be sold. Often, violas are made from reasonably common wood varieties like spruce and maple.
Nevertheless, an artisan can decide to use practically any wood he deems fit depending on the sound he wants it to produce. It is because the wood density typically influences the darkness or brightness of the viola’s tone as well as its resonance.
Moreover, the use of exotic wood leads to the viola costing more, but its use does not guarantee that the sound quality the viola produces will be excellent.
How to choose the ideal viola?
Quality of Material
The quality of the materials used to make the viola impact both the viola price and sound. Usually, the cheaper woods from China and America produce brighter sounds in comparison to the sweeter and warmer tones of European woods, which are more expensive.
Furthermore, the price of a viola instrument for sale is affected by the “flame” found on the sides, back, and the scroll of the viola. It is because typically a “high” flame content is found desirable for its beauty plus it generally is an indication of better sound quality and higher viola price unlike one with no or little “flame.”
Subsequently, well-made violas can hide the center crinkle on the back thanks to the flame. And this is one of the ways of swiftly detecting quality artistry.
Consult your teacher
The advice professional violists and violin makers give is that as a student, it is prudent to always consult your teacher first before buying a viola.
The reason for this is your teacher understands you better than anyone else would hence enable them to make ideal recommendations due to their bond with your experience.
Test the viola
Whenever you go to a viola shop to buy one, it is essential that your first test it before making any payment.
Consequently, you can tell whether the size of the viola is comfortable for you if its resonance is right as well as whether the projection is far enough. Factors that affect the price of the viola and bow.
Should I Buy or Rent a Viola?
If you are looking to buy a student viola, you most likely will be tempted to rent a viola since you may not have a long-term commitment to play the instrument. Consequently, you do not have to worry about reselling once you stop playing the instrument.
However, viola renting is only a viable and cheaper option for the short-term as you are not expected to pay the instrument’s total cost immediately. Otherwise, buying a viola is the most economical option regardless of the potential risks and issues associated with owning this instrument.
Furthermore, the biggest disparity between purchased and rented violas is that once you buy the instrument, you can always decide to sell and recoup some of your investment. This is especially so if you care for and maintain your viola correctly, ensuring it does not lose much of its initial value.
Depending on the model and make, the price of other violas increases over time, so if you decide to sell them, you can make a slight profit.
Where should you buy a viola?
Buying an extremely expensive viola is not necessary. It is because there are many high-quality instruments within the mid-price range, which can also satisfy your needs perfectly.
Nevertheless, the primary factor you need to consider is always buying your viola from a trustworthy retailer that offers you a refund policy and permits you to test out their instruments.
Moreover, it is vital that you consult your teacher, who consequently will provide you with invaluable advice regarding what you should be looking for in a viola.
There are also other reputable vendors who have viola instruments for sale, and these include luthiers, second-hand retailers as well as eBay and Amazon if the only option you have is the internet.
Conclusion:
The bottom line is, when you are looking for suitable viola to buy, you need first to confirm that The viola instrument for sale as well as The fine viola bows for sale is affordable.
Likewise, you need to verify that The sound it produces is of superb quality, plus it feels comfortable while playing. With this in mind, you will be able to determine which viola instrument for sale will best address your needs.