Violin Sizes, Explained
Violin sizes run from 1/16 for small children to 4/4 for adults; pick one by measuring the outstretched arm from the neck to the middle of the palm.
By Andrian ChengContributing writer.
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The short answer
Violins come in fractional sizes so that young players can reach the notes. The common sizes are 1/16, 1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 4/4 (full size), and makers also build a 7/8. The fraction is a name, not a measurement: a 3/4 violin is not three quarters as long as a full-size one.
To choose, measure the player's arm and read the chart below. If the result falls between two sizes, take the smaller one.
How to measure for a violin
Kennedy Violins, a string shop that sizes students, describes this method:
- Have the player stretch the left arm straight out to the side, level with the floor, palm up.
- Measure from the base of the neck to the middle of the palm.
- Match the length to the chart. Between sizes, size down.
If you already have a violin to try, hold it on the left shoulder and reach for the scroll (the curled end). The player should be able to wrap most of the fingers around the scroll with the elbow still slightly bent.
Violin size chart
| Size | Arm length | Typical age |
|---|---|---|
| 1/16 | 14 to 15 in | 3 to 5 |
| 1/10 | 15 to 16 in | 3 to 5 |
| 1/8 | 16 to 18 in | 3 to 5 |
| 1/4 | 18 to 20 in | 4 to 7 |
| 1/2 | 20 to 22 in | 6 to 10 |
| 3/4 | 22 to 23 in | 9 to 11 |
| 4/4 | 23 in and up | 12 and up |
Arm length decides, not age. Children of the same age often need different sizes, and an adult with short arms may play a 3/4 or 7/8.
1/2 vs 3/4 violin
The body of a 1/2 violin is about 310 mm (12.2 in) long, a 3/4 about 335 mm (13.2 in), and a full-size violin about 356 mm (14.0 in), not counting the neck. The longer body spreads the notes farther apart on the fingerboard. On the chart, the 1/2 covers arms from 20 to 22 inches and the 3/4 covers 22 to 23 inches.
When in doubt, the shop's advice is to size down. Its chart notes that the deciding test is whether the player can reach the note played with the fourth (little) finger. If that stretch is a struggle, go down a size.
What size violin do I need as an adult?
The chart puts players 12 and up on a full-size 4/4. If your arm measures 23 inches or more, that is your size. With a shorter arm, measure anyway and follow the chart; a 3/4, or a 7/8 where a shop offers one, can fit better than forcing the stretch.
Growing into a violin
Buying a size up for the player to grow into usually backfires: the sizing chart warns that a larger instrument gets in the way of playing properly. Some string shops, Kennedy Violins among them, rent instruments and offer trade-ups, so a growing player can move to the next size when the arm measurement calls for it.
How we count
The arm lengths and ages come from the Kennedy Violins sizing chart, and the body lengths from the violin reference article. On Wiki Shopping, 52 violins were listed under musical instruments on October 26, 2026, and 41 of them are listed as acoustic violins; size is not grouped yet, so check the listing for the fraction.