I'd like to know how long a full size is. I just got a new violin (the sound's sooooo brilliant!) and I measured it and it's 580mm. Is that a standard size? It's a Strad model I believe.

That sounds like a 7/8 to me.

Liz

Useful chart Here

But I it is in inches so you will need to convert from cms

7/8th? I've had a look in the inside label (you know that sticker they have in the violin), it says 4/4. However, going by that chart, my violin's like somewhere between a full size and a 7/8th. A 4/4 according to that is 596.9mm whereas a 7/8th is 571.7mm. Going by that, my violin is closer to a 7/8th. Lol, I'm already having some stretching problems on the G string with that. Imagine if I had the 596.9mm one... I think I'll be like, "This is too big!" Then again, there are variations in length but surely the full size doesn't vary that much. Could some pros shed light on this? What's the length of Strads and Guarneris? I've heard Strads are always smaller.

Where did the violin come from? Chinese violins are smaller than European. No need to worry of course since you like it.

Liz

Generally speaking, Strad models tend to be squarer and wider across the shoulders, which can mean they don't always suit small hands. Guarneri instruments tend fit smaller hands better, because they generally have narrower shoulders, but there is very little difference in the length of the body of either model - unless you look at the design of the 'long-pattern' Strad, which have back lengths in excess of 360 mm. Stradivari himself wasn't very happy with this design and only produced these models for a few years. In his so called "golden period" the back lengths of the violins were between 352 and 355 mm. An instrument with a back of 350 mm or more is classed as full-sized.

Any violin with a back length of around 347 mm would be described as 7/8th. Anything between that and 350 mm could be considered a small full-size. The biggest difference between full-sized and 7/8ths usually comes with the string playing length (from nut to bridge). This can be around 6 to 10 mm shorter than that of a full-size instrument (a full-sized violin having a string length of about 328 to 330 mm). Doesn't sound like a huge difference, but for small hands it reduces the stretch considerably!!

Another important factor for the playability of any violin (or viola) is the thickness of the neck. A chunky neck will make your playing feel clumsy and as though you are trying to grip a tree-trunk. Necks can be thinned down, but only by so much because string tensions would warp the instrument.

I've got a full-sized one!

It is a Chinese violin. Maybe that explains it! Yea, the neck is abit wide. My hands are tiny but the stretch to D on the G string is quite ok for me. Haha. Thanks guys!

Yeah, it's funny that even the European ones are different from one another. VN's French one is a 7/8 but it is ever so slightly shorter than her friend's German 3/4.

Looks like there is a huge variation in lengths of full sized violins!