Instrument Sizing Guide

Please reference this simple sizing guide prior to renting your instrument.

Knowing what size rental you need ahead of time will save you time and energy!

Although there are many aspects to consider when sizing an instrument, and many opinions, we are doing our best to have a reference of some sort for those of you that find yourself without anyone to help you size. There are many resources on the web with ‘sizing charts’. if your teacher has a suggested video or another chart, go with that!
These guides are pretty accurate for most people and we can always switch sizes if you find it isn’t exactly the right fit. 

Violins and Violas (Shoulder Instruments)

With a yard-stick or a measuring tape, measure the length from the base of the neck to the heel of the palm (just above the wrist) with arm straightened and palm facing up. If your measurement falls between sizes, choose the smaller size.

Cello (or Violoncello)

With left hand open, bring down ring and middle finger to where they are touching your palm. Cross thumb over the ring and middle finger. Think "hook-em-horns" hand shape. With a ruler, measure the comfortable stretching distance between the index finger and the pinky. Other reference criteria are listed here, however, the finger span should be figured more heavily against the other criteria. To measure arm length, measure from the shoulder bone (usually the shirt seam of a fitted shirt) to the tip of the longest finger of a fully extended arm. If your measurement falls between sizes, choose the smaller size.