It is very important that you buy the right size
stringed instrument. Use this stringed instrument
sizing advice to ensure that you get the correct size
for yourself or the person who you are buying for.

Use a yardstick. Have the child stretch the left arm out straight in front of them, palm up. Place the yardstick against the child's neck, resting on the shoulder and arm, and measure to middle of the palm of the hand. If the child is an in-between size, always choose the smaller size. Too large a violin will handicap the child greatly.

Normally, a 5' tall person is ready to move up to a full size violin,
14" viola, or full size cello.

(Instrument lengths below are approximate and not exact as not all instruments are made to a precise standard "size")

Violin
Arm Length = Fractional Violin __________Violin Body Length
Under 12.5" = 1/64 Size / 1-2 yrs old _____7"
12.5" to 14" = 1/32 Size / 1-2 yrs old _____7-1/2"
14" to 15.5" = 1/16 Size / 1-3 yrs old _____8-1/4"
15.5" to 17" = 1/10 Size / 2-4 yrs old _____9-1/8"
17" to 18.5" = 1/8 Size / 3-5 yrs old ______10-1/8"
18.5" to 20.5" = 1/4 Size / 5-7 yrs old ____11-1/4"
20.5" to 22.25" = 1/2 Size / 7-9 yrs old ___12-1/4"
22.25" to 23.5" = 3/4 Size / 9-11 yrs old __13-1/4"
23.5" and over = 4/4 Size / 11 yrs old up ___14"


Viola
Arm Length = Viola Size
20" to 21.5” = 12" Viola (length of viola body)
21.5" to 23” = 13" Viola
23" to 24.5” = 14" Viola
24.5" to 25.5” = 15" Viola
25.5" to 26.25” = 15.5" Viola
26.25" to 27” = 16" Viola
27" to 28” = 16.5" Viola
28" and over = 17" Viola


Cello Measuring yourself or a child for cello size: "Seat the child (or yourself) so that the knees are bent at a ninety degree angle. The instrument should rest such that the upper rim of the cello body rests on the sternum (breast bone), and the left knee contacts the curve below the lower bout corner. The C string peg (for the thickest string) should be near the left ear, with the neck a few inches away from the shoulder, and the left hand able to reach both ends of the fingerboard with ease."