JAVS Spring 2025

Notice that the string length of the violas measured for this study varies up to 28 mm (or 1.1 inches) in violas of different body sizes and 12 mm (or one-half inch) in violas of the same body length. Overall, there is a tendency for larger violas to have longer string lengths, especially on 16-inch and over violas. However, there is significant variability in string length among instruments of the same body length (size), proving no correlation between the instrument’s body length (size) and the string length. The conclusion is similar when comparing the violas measured myself with some of the finest violas played by famous performers in the following table, as described in an article by Daniel Whitman on The Strad . 5

Body Length in inches

String Length in millimeters

16 3/4

378mm

16 1/2

381mm

16 1/2

386mm

16 1/2

378mm

16 1/2

378 mm

16 3/8

371 mm

16 1/4

378mm

16 1/4

371mm

16

373 mm

16

373 mm

16

376 mm

16

374 mm

16

380 mm

15 3/4

366 mm

15 3/4

370 mm

15 3/4

358 mm

15 3/4

363 mm

15 1/2

362 mm

15 1/2

363 mm

15 3/8

357 mm

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 41, No. 1, Spring 2025

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