How do I know what size strings my viola needs?
This is a common question for players, parents and teachers alike, whether their child is starting out on their first fractional instrument or they are a professional musician who has been playing a full-sized viola for years.
Why the confusion?
Violas have traditionally been measured in Imperial (inches) whereas the string manufacturers almost all measure their strings in Metric (centimetres) or in the Imperial fractional measurement used for violins i.e. ¾ , ½ , ¼ etc. Unfortunately, these multiple methods don’t translate across to violas accurately.
While this can be very confusing when looking to find new strings, there are a few ways to determine which brands and string models are suitable for your viola.
Small sized violas may present additional problems for the player when it comes to identifying suitable strings. The first thing to do if you’re unsure is to measure the body length of your viola. This is done by measuring the length of the back plate, from the side of, but not including, the button, (the little bulge at the top of the back where the neck fits), down to the bottom of the plate (see image).
The main Imperial sizes used for small violas are listed below (along with their equivalent in Metric) and the different strings that will be suitable for that size.
Note that these measurements are not always precise and can vary between different manufacturers, if you are within a few millimetres of one of these sizes, then that is the one to allocate to your instrument.
Fractional Violins Strung as Violas
Some young players who may be using a fractional violin, transition to the viola by adding a viola C string to their violin and removing their E string. This may be a cost effective solution where a fractional viola is not available or a great way for players to try the deeper tone of the viola.
Use the table below to find the corresponding viola string size to match the violin being used.
For violas that fall into the usual ‘Full-Size’ range, that is from 15” up to 16 ¾” back length, all of the popular brands’ normal length strings are suitable with the exception of D’Addario.
The D’Addario standard set will only fit 15” violas comfortably, 15 ½” at a push. For violas larger than 15”, it would be safer to order their long scale strings.
Oversized Violas 16 ¾” +
For violas over 16 ¾”, you should order long scale strings regardless of the brand you choose. Be aware that long scale strings are not always readily available and may be a special order.
Vibrating String Length
Note also that some manufacturers confusingly list the ‘Vibrating String Length’ on their packets. These lengths can be similar to the back length from which the viola gets its size designation, so check carefully which length you need. The vibrating string length is the measurement from the top end of the fingerboard (not including the top nut) up to the middle of the bridge (see image below).
If you have any concerns, bring your viola to a specialist string shop to be measured up and restrung.