Violas on the Internet

Violas are available on the Internet in a very wide range of prices and qualities.  Someone who hasn't begun playing yet typically wonders how there could be so much difference, and why the cheapest violas wouldn't be OK, especially for a beginner.  After all, many of the ads specifically say "school approved," "perfect for learning." and "designed for school orchestra."  They seem to have all the features and sometimes even throw in exactly the accessories you need to begin.

Instead of giving our own opinion of these (which might naturally be biased), we've chosen to reprint a letter written by a string teacher.   (While we believe that some reputable violas can now be found on the Internet, we completely understand this teacher's frustrations with inappropriate violas, and indeed have seen many of the instances he describes.)

"To my students and their parents:

No! I Won’t Help You Buy An Inexpensive Instrument Off The Net!

I tried. I really did try, folks.  For a few months, I faithfully explored the possibilities of the Internet, including eBay, for that elusive “good deal.”  I have found nothing I considered of value on the net at any price below $1000!  So, no; I will not look at anything from any Internet source that was not a reputable shop BEFORE the net came about.  Here’s why:

I can walk into a classroom and tell you exactly which instruments are the low cost Internet models.  They are the ones that have very poor design, style, and lines, very poor workmanship, very poor quality and often mismatched strings, a flimsy, inadequate case, and a very poor quality bow as part of the set.  These instruments will be difficult for the student to play and because of that, they will sound terrible.          

My heart sinks every time a child shows up with a cheap Internet instrument.  I know that there is a good chance that that student now will not succeed.  And if (s)he happens to continue to play through the great odds I’ll list below, I know that child will not enjoy it nearly as much as (s)he could with a good quality instrument.  I also know that I am going to spend a lot of my time and often a lot of the parents’ money righting the wrongs of that Internet instrument, often from the moment the instrument arrives at school.

I have not seen one inexpensive Internet instrument arrive in playable condition.  Often these instruments are no more than a case full of parts when they arrive; the bridge, strings, and tailpiece are not in place, the chinrest  may not be mounted, and often the soundpost will not be installed. When a set up is effected, those parts often do not fit well together into a playable instrument.  One cello arrived in pieces, and when I put it together it was obvious why: when set up, the instrument would NOT EVEN FIT IN THE CASE SUCH THAT THE CASE COULD BE CLOSED!  The bridge was way too tall!  Other instruments have had bridges whose feet were improperly fitted to the top of the instrument, had an improper curve such that the strings could not be played individually, were way too thick, held the strings so low that the strings rattled against the fingerboard when played, or allowed the strings to slip right off the side of the bridge.

Soundposts are another nightmare. Often called the heart of the instrument not only for its location within the belly of the instrument but also for the importance it plays in the health of the sound of the instrument, the soundpost must be of dense-grained, aged spruce not only of the proper length but also PERFECTLY mated to both the inside of the top and back of the instrument.  Most I've seen from the net fail on all of the above counts, and all fail on at least some of the above counts.  And an ill-fit post can actually irreparably damage the underside of the top of the instrument.

There is a reason that an instrument can be sold for next to nothing on the net.  All the parts cost next to nothing.  Rather than buying sets of strings in quantity, it seems these unscrupulous dealers buy bulk quantities of individual strings, even if the strings are of vastly differing types.  Cases often are no more than a Styrofoam shell with a cloth cover held together not with real hinges and latches but with nylon zippers; not only is the cost lower here, but Styrofoam and nylon are way cheaper to ship to you than the wood, fiberglass, and metal that form a REAL case. Cello endpins are another problem. Often the socket is not a hardwood like ebony or rosewood, but a very cheap, very soft wood that fails early on.  Likewise, the rod may be metal, but often to save on costs and shipping weight, the rod is too thin to be sturdy and woefully short for anyone older than the sixth grade.  But short, thin rods in soft sockets are cheap to buy and cheap to ship… I see more failure of chinrests than any other item on violins and violas. Rather than using real wood (ebony, rosewood, or boxwood), many places will ship you a plastic or a very soft wood chinrest.  Often the clamps are not attached at the correct angle, and often the shackle bolts are not assembled properly.  So rarely do these chinrests fit the instrument correctly, and most I've seen self-destruct in less than a year. Pegs are often made of inferior wood and do not fit well. And often the hole for the string is not located correctly; the peg will not hold its place, and the string will not stay in tune.

The bows fall into two categories, those that are weak and bent, and those that are very weak and badly bent.  In the profession, these bows are known alternately as tomato stakes or weenie roasters.  Sold as a “wooden bow with genuine horsehair,” these bows do use genuine horsehair, no question about it.  But it is of the poorest quality, very brittle, and not put into the bow securely.  And what about the stick?  Most are “wooden,” true, but the sticks are poor quality wood that is very weak, very crooked, very poorly carved and cambered (curved), and usually filled with knots.  They are usually very hard to rehair well; some shops even refuse to rehair such bows, and others charge more for at least the first rehair in order correct the incomplete factory preparation.  And though they might have a real wire winding, it is generally badly installed and unwinds often in just days. Thumb leathers are frequently a piece of heavy paper glued on with rubber cement.  They detach within a month or two as well.  In this price range, I’d rather see a student get a fiberglass bow with real horsehair.

I’m not making this up, folks; I have seen EVERY ONE OF THESE PROBLEMS!   And these are only the most prevalent problems that I see; there are other problems that may crop up such as warped fingerboards, poorly carved nuts and saddles, gut tailpiece lines, fine tuners, ill-fit end buttons, and so forth. 

Here’s the kicker: as I do not want to see my students saddled with these instruments, I cannot recommend that another of my students purchase an instrument like this from you when you want to sell it.  I do like to keep instruments in circulation, and I do like to see parents recoup some of the cost of a smaller instrument when a child is ready to upgrade.  I do like to help my less experienced (and perhaps less wealthy!) students acquire a used instrument when possible, but I cannot recommend this type of instrument under any circumstances!  I will, in fact, heartily discourage it!

Please patronize your local full-service music stores.  I am familiar with the quality instruments that are in stock there, and I enthusiastically recommend those instruments because they meet the specifications set forth by the Music Educators National Conference, the music teachers’ national professional organization that works to insure a quality musical experience for students, parents, and teachers alike.  I respect these local industry specialists because they know and respect my desire for only the best for my students.  And if for some reason you do have a problem, they’ll be eager to work with both of us to make it right."