Sizing

This is to give you a general idea about sizing; do not go buy an instrument based on these ages as your child may be different. Playing on an instrument that is too large can cause pain and damage to growing bodies, so please ensure a qualified teacher sizes your student before purchasing an instrument.

Children 3 years old generally start on a 1/16, grow to a 1/10 within a year, and then are usually on an 1/8th by age 5. By age 6 they are typically on a 1/4 size violin or larger. For this reason it is not generally cost-effective to purchase instruments unless you have a good trade-up program and renting or borrowing is the best approach. (Instruments are considered illiquid and may take a long time to sell, especially if they are good quality.)

Children 6 years old generally start on a 1/4 violin or cello or 11" viola. Within a year or two they tend to grow to a 1/2 size, and then stay on that for 2-3 years until they are roughly 9 or 10. They’ll use a 3/4 instrument from roughly 9-11 and around 12 violin students may be ready for a full size instrument. Cello players may not be ready for a full size until later, and viola students at their full growth vary between using a 15, 16, or possibly even 17" instrument.

You can view a chart also at sharmusic.

Instrument Library

For ages 6+, the PCYO maintains a library of violins, violas, and cellos to loan to our students free of cost. Students in the program contribute to the maintenance of these instruments by participating in regular fundraisers.

For ages 3-6, the PCYO is starting a new instrument library of extra tiny instruments, but may need parents to rent or purchase their own instruments if we do not have what is needed.

Please fill out the instrument request form in Jovial if you would like an instrument. Instruments will be loaned out on a first-come-first-served basis, and if we do not have your instrument, we may need to refer you elsewhere to rent your instrument at your cost.

Instruments not currently loaned to our students may be borrowed by other students in private lessons or classes if sponsored by a teacher and SCO board member. We charge a small maintenance fee (typically $8-$15/month) to students not in our program for violins and also require a damage deposit or tile tracker for cellos.

Parents may also borrow an instrument to play along with their student for a small maintenance fee that supports regularly stringing the instrument and bow maintenance.

Relevant documents:

• Student Instrument Care Handbook And Violin/Viola Loan Policy
• Cellos and Expensive Instrument Loan Policy
• Non-Program Loan Policy (for non-students)

Renting

If families would like to rent from Rick at The Violin Shop, that is a great choice as he will have nice instruments you can rent at very reasonable prices. Rick currently lists on his site violins at $22/mo and requires a 3 month rental fee to get started.

For Sprouts 2026 renting for 3-5 year olds, please don’t give the instruments to your child until the teacher says they’re ready, but you may want to inform Rick sooner you would like to rent starting in roughly February, so he can ensure he has what you need ready.

Rick has limited availability for violins 1/4 and larger and for cellos of all sizes so please contact him well in advance if you plan to rent.

Purchasing New Instruments

In Person

If you are considering purchasing violins, violas, or cellos locally, please contact Rick from the Violin Shop. Beware students grow quickly and renting may be a more cost-effective option. If you buy from Rick, you will be sure to get a quality instrument.

Online

If you are considering purchasing instruments online instead, some reasonable options include Fiddlerman’s OB1 and Shar Music’s Hoffman Amadeus outfits ($300-400). Shar instruments generally should have the bridge adjusted by Rick as they arrive far too high which make the kids fingers hurt, adding ~40-60 to the price. They could also use better strings as the ones that ship with them are poor quality ($30), so I really think the cost of the Fiddlerman and the Shar instruments when you get to playable are probably very similar. Fiddlerman I can’t say for sure how the bridges come but the instruments are considered good quality and the strings are fine for beginners.

Please carefully look at their trade in programs before considering purchase as they are not particularly budget-friendly. Do not consider instruments like Eastar, Cecilio, or Sky from Amazon as these are too poor quality and will drive away the kids from playing.

Purchasing Used Instruments

I prefer to purchase instruments in person. When purchasing used, you have to make sure the instrument, bow, and case are all in good working condition. To verify tone quality, you have to play the instrument to hear how it sounds, so online purchases are always a gamble. I would never buy an instrument over $500 sight unseen.

Purchasing instruments from a reputable luthier like Rick at The Violin Shop or shop such as Metropolitan Music is always best, and having your private teacher along is even better as they can help you find aspects of the instrument that may cause pause for you.

It is possible to purchase used instruments online, but you take the risk with each purchase that the instrument may be one of the previously mentioned poor quality instruments, may be too damaged to use, may require significant repairs, or may have poor tone quality.

For 1/16 size violins this process is more relaxed in some aspects, because the tone on a 1/16 size violin will never be particularly impressive.

When in doubt, ask for help. Your teacher or the registrar may have a line on good quality instruments in your student’s size and price range.