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This sizing guide is intended to give you a good idea of what instrument size you or your student should look for. Please consider that this guide is based on our best estimates, but we always recommend that you consult with us, or your teacher before purchasing or renting.
At Fiddlershop we care a lot about how our instruments are set up for them to sound the best. Equally important to the instrument itself, is how your instruments fits you. If you play on the wrong size violin, it might lead to pain, fatigue and injury. It also makes it harder to play. Thus, we have put together this guide for you.
Need Assistance?
Call us at 800-595-0592 or send us an email at support@fiddlershop.com. An expert can answer your questions regarding the instruments and its accessories.
How to measure for a violin:
Extend the arm fully, parallel to the floor. Measure from the neck to the middle of the palm. Watch our demo video for more exact directions. See chart for approximate sizing.
WATCH VIDEOSIZE OF VIOLIN | ARM MEASUREMENT | AGE OF STUDENT |
1/16 | 14" - 15.4" | 3 - 4 YRS |
1/10 | 15.5" - 17" | 4 - 5 YRS |
1/8 | 17.1" - 17.5" | 5 - 6 YRS |
1/4 | 17.6" - 20" | 6 - 7 YRS |
1/2 | 20.1" - 22" | 7 - 8 YRS |
3/4 | 22.1" - 23.5" | 9 - 11 YRS |
4/4 | 23.6"+ | 11 - 13+ YRS |
How to measure for a viola:
Extend the arm fully, parallel to the floor. Measure from the neck to the middle of the palm. Watch our video for more exact directions. See chart for approximate sizing.
WATCH VIDEOSIZE OF VIOLA | ARM MEASUREMENT | AGE OF STUDENT |
12" | 20.5" - 21.9” | 7-9 YRS |
13" | 22” - 23.4” | 9-11 YRS |
14" | 23.5” - 24.9” | 11-14 YRS |
15" | 25" -25.9” | 14+ YRS |
15.5" | 26" - 26.4” | 14+ YRS |
16" | 26.5" - 26.9” | 14+ YRS |
16.5" | 27”+ | 14+ YRS |
How to measure for a cello:
Sit at the end of the chair with your feet flat on the floor. Lean the cello at a 45 degree angle against your body. The top of the cello body, should rest in the center of your chest. The C peg should be slightly behind your left ear. Make sure you can reach both ends of the fingerboard easily. See chart for approximate sizing by age.
SIZE OF CELLO | AGE OF STUDENT |
1/10 | 4 - 5 YRS |
1/8 | 5 - 6 YRS |
1/4 | 6 - 8 YRS |
1/2 | 8 - 10 YRS |
3/4 | 10 - 12 YRS |
4/4 | 12 - 13+ YRS |
How to measure for a double bass:
The 3/4 size double bass is the standard size for adults. 7/8 and 4/4 size basses are made, but less common. As a guideline, when you stand upright next to the bass, the bridge should be approximately at the same height as the large knuckles of your right hand. Most important is that you’re comfortable and can reach the higher registers without difficulty. See chart for approximate sizing by age.
SIZE OF BASS | AGE OF STUDENT |
1/16 | 3 - 4 YRS |
1/10 | 4 - 5 YRS |
1/8 | 5 - 7 YRS |
1/4 | 7 - 9 YRS |
1/2 | 9 - 13 YRS |
3/4 | 13+ YRS |
Fiddlershop Recommendation: Check out the Tower Strings Electric Violin. In contrary to this Cecilio violin, the Tower Strings violin undergo our quality setup process and ship out from our Florida workshop.
Electric Violin Features:
Outfit Includes:
Just like anywhere else online, when you order a Cecilio violin, it ships directly from Cecilio's warehouse. Fiddlershop doesn't do any setup work to them. If you're looking for an entry level electric violin setup by us, check out the Tower Strings Electric Violin.
Cecilio’s instruments can only be sold within the USA.
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I’ve been wanting to play the violin since I was in elementary school and it’s as amazing as I always thought it would be. This product is perfect for me, beautiful sound and gorgeous structure. Thank you! Fiddlershop is my go to for any violin needs
I am very satisfied with this fiddle. I play in a band and as long as I am plugged into the soundboard, and not just into my small amp it has plenty of wallop. The tone is clear, love the "bones" look , the pegs fit really well. The only thing I did was replace the bow. Can't beat it for the price. Delivered well packed and timely.
I own a lot of instruments and have owned quite a few throughout the years my 45-year career and I'm so pleased with this addition to my arsenal haha
I've had my CEVN for about two weeks now and I'm loving it. It's very high quality for such a low price. I'll go over a few aspects of it that I like/dislike and list Pros and Cons below for a quick reference. I chose version two in white, which leaves out the upper left bout. I added a new set of strings and a pedal to the order; but unfortunately the pedal I was wanting was sold out. The Fiddler Shop crew were quick to help me out though and refunded the cost; good customer service as always. The outfit comes with a bow, headphones, AUX cable, 4 fine tuners, and rosin in addition to the violin. To be honest, the headphones are very cheaply made and the bow is not very good; but that's pretty much expected with how much it costs. I use my iphone earbuds and I changed the default strings out with fiddler shop strings as soon as I got it and it sounded a lot better just from that. I tried using the bow it came with for a couple of days but it isn't great; so I'm just keeping it as a spare. The difference in sound between that bow and the fiddler carbon-fiber bow is night and day. I would definitely recommend investing in a decent bow because it has a drastic impact on the sound. I haven't tried out the rosin that comes with it because I use the premium Holstein; so i'm not sure how that compares. The AUX cable works well and if you can spend a little bit extra and get an amp you'll have a lot more fun with it. I got a decent sized bose amp for about $100 at guitar center that has a couple effects and it sounds great. The violin itself showed up in good condition and was setup to play; so really all you would need to do is some tuning. The pegs did tend to slip a little bit, but after I used some peg compound on them and let the strings break in, there weren't any more issues with that. The pre-amp is on the underside of the violin and has jacks for headphones, a mic, and the line out. One minor annoyance with the placement of the box is that it has the cable hanging straight down from the violin and it gets in the way sometimes, or wraps around things if you move around a lot. On the box, there are also two knobs you can adjust to control the volume of the violin and the tone. The volume knob is really handy because you can change it straight from the violin instead of only on the amp. The tone knob doesn't really vary the sound all that much from what i can hear. Even comparing the highest level to the lowest, i was barely able to tell a difference; even through an amp. This violin is pretty quiet if you just play it without turning it on, or if you use headphones. That's a big plus for me because it means I can practice it later into the night without disturbing my roommates. PROS: *Affordable *Looks nice and has a great sound for what it costs *Has a jack for you to use headphones to hear yourself, a jack for a mic, and the line out. *Volume knob on the violin so you have more control over your sound *Isn't too much heavier than an acoustic *Really fun to play and has a distinctly different sound from an acoustic which keeps it interesting. CONS: *Because it's affordable, the headphones and bow are not very good quality. *Pegs were slipping a lot at first *Location of the AUX line out means it can get in the way *Tone knob doesn't seem to have much of an effect If you're curious about electric violins then I would recommend this one so you can get a decent sounding instrument without spending a whole lot of money.
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If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you may return most items within 45 days of delivery (unless otherwise specified) for a refund of the original purchase amount (shipping charges are not refundable). In order to get a full product refund, returned items must be in the original packaging and condition - showing no signs of wear or abuse, and be complete with all included materials such as cases, straps, strings, care kits, and any other materials that originally shipped with the product(s).
We recommend using a reliable carrier and insuring your package when returning your item(s). Fiddlershop is not responsible for shipping damages on returns. We require returns of finer violins ($1000 and up) to ship via FedEx. We can provide a label and deduct the cost from the refund due (The average cost to send a violin in the continental US for us is $25, whereas for a customer walking into a FedEx store, the cost can be over $100).
All returned items are processed on the Friday of the week they arrive. Unless there's a problem with your product, you will be responsible for return shipping costs. If the returned item shows signs of wear or don't meet our return-requirements, it may be refused. We issue refunds only in the same form of payment you used to make your purchase.
***If your instrument included a certificate of authenticity and it is not returned with the instrument, you will be charged a $150 replacement fee.***
If an item arrives broken or with a manufacturer's defect, we will fix, replace or credit you for the item(s) - free of charge. Please call us within 14 days of receiving your item(s) for these claims. If an item breaks/malfunctions within the warranty period, we will also replace/exchange the item at no cost to you! We'll completely cover shipping/handling both ways (excludes international shipments).
We do not give refunds for the following items if opened or used: cleaners, polishes, rosin, strings, polishing cloths and cleaning kits. We may exchange these items for free, however, if applicable. Returned merchandise with damages, broken parts, or that are otherwise considered non-sellable are non-returnable.
Internationally shipped items can only be returned/refunded on a case-by-case basis. If an item is returned and is in resell-able condition, we will refund the cost of the item. Refund of shipping fees is only possible in a situation where we are at fault (e.g. we shipped to an address other than the given address).
If you refuse a delivery, miss your delivery appointment(s), provide an inaccurate/non-deliverable address, it is considered Refusal of Delivery. If an item is refused upon delivery for any reason other than showing obvious signs of damage, you are responsible for both outgoing and return shipping cost.
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