Shopping for Violin Shoulder Rests

Recently I decided to upgrade from my rental violin and purchase an advancing instrument. I had rented my violin for two years, and while it was serviceable, the tone was less than desirable.

Once I had chosen my instrument, I mistakenly thought that the shoulder rest I had been using the last two years would work just as well with the new violin. I was under the impression that violins are basically all the same size! I was mistaken!

My new violin is just slightly smaller than the rental, and so the shoulder rest did not fit on it snugly. A shoulder rest is a necessary component, especially for beginning students like me. (Most professionals tend not to use a shoulder rest, as using one may muffle the sound.) Shoulder rests raise the instrument so that the musician doesn't have to pinch at it with the chin. A shoulder rest is necessary so that neck and shoulder muscles are not overtaxed.

In the last few months, I have tried a few different violin rests, attempting to find one that is comfortable and would fit my instrument. All of the rests I obtained from Shar Music, at www.sharmusic.com.

The first one, which I had originally purchased with the rental, is the Original Kun ($23.99). This rest, unlike others, can be adjusted for height, as well as for width of the instrument. Unfortunately, on my instrument, I couldn't get a perfect snug fit. The pre-drilled holes were either too snug or too loose.

I next tried a Mach One ($22.99), which is a sleek maple shoulder rest. It's touted as an "ergonomic" shoulder rest. The actual wooden part that touches the shoulder is extremely comfortable. However, I still had a hard time adjusting the width to fit my instrument. The feet, which attach themselves to the instrument, are made of plastic instead of rubber, and are extremely slippery. The rest start out nice and comfortable, but after some moments of play, will slip out of place completely.

I also purchased a Bonmusica shoulder rest ($39.99), thinking that if I spent more money, maybe the added expense would be worth it. What I really liked about the Bonmusica is that it raises the violin sufficiently for my comfort. However, I found that the adjustment to the width of my instrument was unwieldy. You have to bend the legs to get it to fit, and doing so was not easy for me.

The final shoulder rest I purchased is called Playonair. This shoulder rest is available for about $20. This shoulder rest, like a balloon, is inflatable, and the width of the rest is elastic. This rest fit my instrument perfectly. I did have some minor problems with it, however. One problem is that it's extremely difficult to open the valve and inflate the rest. The directions state not to use your teeth (or the warrantee is void) but there's no possible way to open it without using your teeth! Once inflated, you have to work fast to close the valve before the air escapes. The other less than desirable thing is that even fully inflated, it's not as high as I would like. I feel as though I am grabbing at the violin with my chin. I'm also not very happy with the way it attaches to the violin. These clips are plastic, and very slippery.

At this point, all of the rests have their good points and bad. Since I'm just a beginner, I am switching between them until I find something that is perfect.