Has anyone got one? I think I would do better with one. I'm ooooooooooold (well, 30), but small... 5'0 with tiny hands (can just stretch an octave on the piano as long as there are no notes in between!!), and I've been playing a full-size violin since I was 15ish. (Haven't grown since then...)

But it just *feels* too big. Or maybe it's just my playing, and I could learn to grow into it and feel comfortable?

How much are 7/8 size violins? I bought a new violin a couple of years ago...treated myself to a semi-decent one (£500) after I'd struggled through to Grade 7 violin at school on a beginners instrument!

Do you think a 7/8 size would be a good investment for me? I'm just about to re-start lessons.

Depends on the brand, I suppose. In the brand I know best, the 7/8 is slightly cheaper than the 4/4

At grade 7 I would think if it feels too big it really is, it's not as if you are a beginner and everything feels strange.

Liz

I have one It's worth nearly £2000
I was put off it at first by the fact that it was 7/8 but i had to ignore that. It sounds *really* good, my teacher was surprised it wasn't more expensive, and said i'd never get anything else that good for that price.
I'm 5ft2 with a tiny frame, didn't really have any problems with 4/4 violins but the 7/8 is nicer and more comfortable to play. I love it, it's perfect for me It's really loud and powerful etc., which i didn't expect from a 7/8.
Why don't you go and try out some 4/4 violins and some 7/8 violins and see if it makes a difference
The length of my violin isn't even half a cm smaller than a 4/4 but it's just generally smaller overall.

With the disclaimer that I am no expert... I have a 4/4 which is actually longer (if memory serves - could be shorter ) than it's supposed to be along the body of the instrument, though in other respects it looks and feels like a "normal" full size fiddle - depending on who made it and how old it is there can be quite a variation in the details of size, wieght, etc, so it might actually be worth trying some fiddles that are 4/4 as they might feel smaller or feel the right size even though they are still 4/4.

I'd imagine this would not be so much the case with modern instruments, or at least they will be quite standard amongst themselves, but might be worth taking into consideration if you're looking at older instruments or at a maker who makes different models but of similar quality in full size (or 7/8)| (I hope that sentence makes some sense...! )

I should think that, with a decent instrument, there's no reason a 7/8 should not be as good as a 4/4 and, from playing different sizes of viola, I can utterly sympathise with the struggle if an instrument is too big.

Worth looking into... I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd be interested to know if you have had any success looking for a 7/8 you liked

Am going to phone our local luthiers tomorrow and see if they have any in - and then I might go have a look

Good luck

How do other people's violins feel if you play them?

All very different! Size is not important to me in many respects (ooeerrr ) as far as the actual stretch on the fingerboard goes, but I have got one or two pupils whose violin feels rather too large bodied and thick-necked for comfort in my teeny weeny paws.

Really being 5ft and able to reach an 8ve on the piano is not a reason in itself to get a smaller violin. For one thing you need to consider the implications on projection of a 7/8 size. I did use a beautiful 7/8 Tononi for a while and despite the exceptional quality of sound, the smaller body meant it was unable to compete in terms of projection with a 4/4. If you primarily play orchestrally or teach, that's fine, and in some ways better, but for anyone with a real interest in chamber or solo playing it's extremely hard to find a 7/8 that will do the job. Despite being the same size as the OP (and having an unusually short little finger), I cope fine on a full size and can reach 10ths easily (11ths with a bit of a stretch). THe only reason is that I warm up thoroughly and do about 30 minutes of stretching and expansion exercises each morning, and have a 90 minute routine that ensures I am playing with maximum LH flexibility and will not damage myself by doing so. I am fortunate to have pretty flexible hands, but really anyone who has the time and patience to learn how to extend their hand shape can get on with a 4/4. It might mean, like in my case, that some unusual fingerings are necessary and perhaps more shifts than bigger people, but like I said if you want to be heard, a 4/4 is almost essential. On the other hand, if you don't have the time to dedicate to practice, or are more interested in being comfortable NOW than improving your flexibility, and play at an amateur level...7/8 is probably fine.

Small full-size violins are the alternative option.

You don't necessarily have to go as big as 358 mm back instrument for it to be a 4/4. There are plenty in the range of 352 - 354 mm range which often allow a smaller hand better access over the shoulder of the instrument.

I think it's quite rude to suggest that it's lazy to get a smaller violin. Everyone is different, you may be fine on a 4/4 but others may not be.
I have a 7/8 violin which my teacher suggested for me because of my size and it sounds just as good as if not better than my friends' 4/4 violins which are all in the same price range (£2000). For me it's a lot more comfortable to play on but that's not me being lazy, i still spend hours playing studies etc. working on flexibility. I had no particular problems with a 4/4, i just liked the violin