D Z Strad Viola Model 101 with Case and Bow (15.5" - size)

I'd like to preface this review by admitting that I haven't touched a viola in nearly 13 years, since my 10th grade year in high school. I was a teenager and had (and still have) no idea how to judge the quality of an instrument on a professional scale. That being said, this has been such a fun journey. After getting the itch to play again, I decided it would be best to start off with a really cheap instrument. I ordered a $52 dollar viola and thought I would be okay using it to get back in the swing of things. It took me a day to figure out that you truly get what you pay for, and if I was serious about picking this back up as a hobby, I should do it right. I came across this viola that was more than I probably should have been spending considering I feel like an absolute beginner again, but I went for it. This poor instrument has already been through so much. First, it was delivered on a rainy Saturday evening when I wasn't home to grab it before my neighbor moved it. The box was set outside, out of the cover of the porch (not Amazon's fault at all), and by the time I got to it Sunday morning, the cardboard was drenched. This is all to say, the case this viola comes in really does it's job. It protected my instrument well enough against conditions it should not have been subjected to. The interior got wet by the time I got to it, but the instrument itself remained dry, and everything aired out just fine. Second, upon opening the case, I found an absolutely gorgeous instrument. The woodwork is beautiful, and the strings feel high quality. The only downside here is that I was missing three fine tuners. Distressing, but not the end of the world. I reached out directly to the company, DZ Strad, and let them know about the setback. I sent the email on a Sunday, clarified on some details on Monday, and had my tuners by Tuesday. It was a fantastic experience, and I cannot thank the company enough for their quick response and standing behind their product. I finally had time to get the tuners on and get her tuned up today, and the sound quality is beautiful, even if I haven't had the courage to pick up the bow yet. After a half hour of plucking pizzicato through some songs deeply ingrained in my muscle and auditory memory, I am happy to say she's still mostly in tune. If I recall, it takes a while to break in a new instrument. I am so glad I gave this instrument a chance, it has been a great experience so far. Definitely worth the buy if you're on the fence about a quality beginner instrument!

I'm just beginning to learn how to play the viola and I researched violas in a reasonable price range and found this one. I think it is a fantastic choice and the sound is beautiful and I can't wait to really be able to play this to its fullest.

I played violin for about a decade and then gave it up. After several years of not playing, I decided to give viola a try because I love the deeper, richer tone. I don't have another viola to compare this to, so I'm comparing to my violin (which cost around $800 20 years ago). This viola sounds lovely! The tone is wonderful, the strings respond nicely, and it's a beautiful instrument. Easy to tune with the fine tuners, and I appreciate that it came with accessories like rosin and a shoulder rest. My only issues are with the accessories: - The case is a bit too small to easily hold the included shoulder rest - you have to get the shoulder rest in just right to fit - The shoulder rest seems a bit too small for the 16" viola - it doesn't quite get down far enough onto the viola to hold securely. So far, it's only slipped off once, but I haven't played for hours at a time, so I fear it might slip off if I play for longer such as during a concert. Overall, a great instrument, especially for the price! Quick note on the rosin: be sure to scratch it up with sandpaper or a coin, or it won't actually rub off onto your bow.

The instrument produces good sounds. Bow balances pretty good but loses a lot of hair with each use. The viola set arrived with a broken string. I contacted the company over Amazon but never received a response. For that amount of money spend I would expect top costumer service and a viola with working strings. Very disappointing. Customer service receives 0 star rating from me.

I bought it for my granddaughter and she loves it

Compared to violas that cost half as much this one is 10X better. Just as good as the $800 viola we were renting.

So far so good sounds good and loud. I did find out that a string broke but my daughter's music teacher just replaced it.

Bought for our son's junior high orchestra. He loves it and the sound it emits when played.