Editorial Review:

Product Description:
This viola features hand carved solid spruce top, solid maple back sides and neck. This set comes with a light weight carrying case, mongolian horsehair bow, rosin and strap. the tailpiece has 4 fine nickel plated tuners. It is a great value at this price. Also makes a great gift for the beginning student.

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Rating: - A Wonderful Decoration!
This viola functions extremely well as a decoration if you happen to be an old lady who likes to decorate your house with musical instruments.

However, for its intended use, it falls a bit short.

To start, the case is nice and sturdy, and can withstand some weight. When I opened it up, it was missing the tuning forks (sleazy!). Also, the strings that were shipped with this were used (double sleazy!).

Once I started to tune it, two of the used strings immediately snapped. I had to go out and spend $25 on two new strings, and even more if the other two had snapped (did you know a set of viola strings can cost $50?). The bow that came with this viola was twisted and warped, and it was shipped taut (fully tightened), which couldn't have been good. While I'm at the bow, it's worth mentioning that the bow attacher at the bottom of the lid of the case closes too close to the bow, mashing the hair. The viola itself is, well, worth $60, producing a shrill tone. I noticed there was a scratch on the surface of the viola.

Honestly, this viola is so much of a bother, you'd be better off to buy one twice or three times the price, unless for some reason you need a viola immediately.

However, it was not all bad. The viola is playable, if you can get through the debacle that is tuning it for the first couple times, and it is nicely sized (1 in. longer than my previous viola). It provides a loud, however shrill tone. The case is fairly sturdy, with a handy place to put your music.

I firmly believe that these violas are being shipped used, due to the scuff marks and used strings. The bow, case, and rosin are obviously new.