20 Best Viola Shoulder Rest (2022 Updated)

I don’t know why this shoulder rest, which is so similar in shape to most of the others I have tried, is the only one that stays in place. I was reluctant to buy a rest that costs considerably more than so many, but after several years’ learning the instrument I can at last concentrate on technique without having to constantly prop up my violin with my arm.

Best purchase I’ve made for my violin in years. I’ve used a collapsible, plastic Kun rest for several years but decided to upgrade with the Bravo model. The difference is night and day. The Bravo is heavier, but the weight sits on your chest minimizing its feel.

The upside is the the Bravo is substantially more stable. it’s firm, strong and the wood with brass provides a look of quality. This is a top-quality item and the seller was unbelievably quick and responsive.

At first I was sckeptial about the shoulder rest because there was no reviews on it. I’ve played violin for more than 10 years and I was in need of a new shoulder rest. I went to the music stores around my area and they were charging about sixty for a shoulder rest worth ten.

Look no further and definitely purchase this rest. It grips so easily and securely. The hands pivot which is a must. For anyone who doesn’t know, the pivot allows placement most comfortable to the user by allowing the user to place it in more than one specific spot where it fits.

It’s well worth the money and the quality of the sponge and abrasiveness to the wood puts gurrilla tape to shame.

I bought this because I saw a video online where this shoulder rest was adjusted to a person’s body with no gaps or pressure points. In addition to being able to adjust the length, angle of the feet and height of the feet which go higher than others I’ve tried, the main bar bends and twists.

It can be made to hook over your shoulder and contour to your chest. It takes a little strength to bend, especially near the ends, but stays in the position you put it. Seems very well made. Good padding too.

It took me and a friend about 45 minutes of experimenting with various degrees of curve and angle and length of feet but that is because there are so many posibilities. It’s worth the effort, feels so much better than other shoulder rests I’ve tried.

This is the first shoulder rest I had ever purchased, and I was expecting there to be some sort of learning curve for attaching and using it. Turns out it took me all of two minutes to figure it out! Good thing, since there are no instructions included, but I later watched some YouTube videos, since I couldn’t believe it was so easy.

The rubber feet stay on well and there’s no movement when you play, but it slides off easily when you put your violin back in the case. I read lots of reviews before I bought this brand and model, and I think I made a good choice.

It’s a few dollars more expensive than some other models, but I think it will last me for years. It is very well-made and comfortable!.

This is the only violin shoulder rest I have found that I can bend and twist to actually fit my body. With a prominent collarbone and with a knot from a previous collarbone break it has previously been impossible to find a should rest that would hold the violin in a stable position.

The Wolf Forte Secondo is not only bendable to fit my form but also comes with extensions that allow me to raise the violin to the perfect height and angle for easy and comforable playability.

I am a beginner violin student and this was the shoulder rest my teacher suggested. Every student should start with a shoulder rest and this one is able to adjust between 3/4 and 4/4 violins. It snaps right onto the instrument and the height is easily adjustable via screws that can be turned by hand.

The only problem was that the feet don’t fold, so fitting it into my case took a fair amount of “fiddling”, but I eventually found a spot where it fit. The foam is soft and durable and the entire product is lightweight enough that I forget I’m using the rest when playing.

Amazing product.

Comfortable simple good once you adjust it. My criticism is adjusting the feet requires screwing the feet into the desired holes. The screw doesn’t go in easily and requires great care to avoid stripping the hole you want.

Once you get the feet positioned where you want them, then it’s good but if you want to reposition, it won’t be a quick change. The padding is thick and I like this shoulder rest. You’ll either really like it or you won’t so for the price, it’s worth a try.

If it’s not what you like, return for a refund. The seller is EXCELLENT.

I love this product. Send me samples. I will try any product your company has. Thanks so much. Just love love love

Durable is an understatement. I’m a broke college student so I don’t have really any expendable cash and music is my costliest hobby. I don’t remember his name, but the employee that helped me with my order convinced me to get this chin rest over music because I mentioned that I was getting bruises from playing the viola.

Despite the price, I’m so glad I went with it. I’ve been using it constantly since and it’s definitely going strong. It’s very comfortable and no more bruises lol. Solid choice!.

Superior padding and shape of the KUN shoulder rest prevents violin from sliding. My original shoulder rest (that was supplied with my violin) was marginally functional, the KUN really worked for me.

Although it may not work for everyone, I believe it is a quality product that is highly adjustable, and I’m keeping this one.

This is very easy to use which is something I look for when suggesting students a shoulder rest. Kun rests always fit snuggly and are consistently a good fit even on multiple models or sizes. I also like the height of these, not too tall while still sitting the viola high enough to prevent a cramped neck.

I would get this for any 15-16. 5 sized viola.

For a 16 inch viola it fits perfectly. I can easily hold the instrument without dropping it and the directions on putting it together were very clear. The shoulder rest is easily adjustable.

I bought this for my grand-daughter. She is learning to play on a 3/4 violin. This rest is sized for a 3/4 – Full violin so it is a little on the large size for a 3/4 violin, BUT, now I will not have to buy a new one once she starts playing a full size violin.

Nice item.

PROS: This item, used in conjunction with the Kreddle Adjustable Chin rest have made it possible to continue playing privately, professionally, and pain free – this IS and will be the ONLY shoulder rest I will use for the rest of my career.

CONS: VERY FEW AND MINOR ISSUES – Must store and transport outside of violin case – I had to create a special case for it. Please add (free) optional longer screws and thicker padding, or extra pads for those of us who need a bit more of an adjustment.

Over time – and if stored in an overly warm place – the glue on the pads looses it’s effectiveness, remedied with double-sided extra sticky tape.

I have a short neck & sloped shoulder and I tried every other shoulder rest out there. This is amazing. Like it was custom made for me. I was able to mold and adjust it exactly to my anatomy. Thank you.

I bought this based on a recommendation in a masterclass, and am happy I did so! Very solid. Holds its position properly. Moulds perfectly to a shoulder. Thanks to its adjustability I’ve said goodbye to adding a sponge to gain enough height for my neck.

I am a 50-yr. pro player who has used almost every style and brand of shoulder rest for my violins over the years. The KUN collapsible is my favorite, and it’s pretty much what I use now exclusively.

I like the fact that the feet fold under, which makes it so much easier to stow away in the case compartments that won’t always be large enough for the old Super Kun (which didn’t collapse). It is also very light, and fairly easy to adjust in several different ways – up, down, or length-ways (length adjustment is less convenient than on Super Kun, because you have to remove one or both feet to make the adjustment here).

I ordered a new one of these after using my older one for over a decade, and that only because the rubber pad had compressed down so much and was getting a little uncomfortable. The newly-designed molded rubber grips that attach to the sides of the violin are much better than the older latex rubber tubes that had a short lifespan and wouldn’t hold that well.

The new grips also will hold better on your violin especially if it should have very shallow edges like some do. I would recommend this model to anyone, pro or student alike. They are tough and not prone to breakage like the cheap imported kinds – – you really get what you pay for with Kun.

Wouldn’t use anything else, and this brand has served me well over the past 20 years or so.

I used a non-adjustable Kun for 10+ years as a kid. Picking up the violin again after many, many years, getting the adjustable version was a no-brainer. Does the job dependably with a minimum of fuss, and no concerns about harming the finish.

I bought a kun brand shoulder rest because the one I had was not doing the job. I have a long neck & the kun goes high enough that I finally found a comfortable position. I also like how the leg pieces can be adjusted in or out with 3 different options.

I would recommend it to any one looking to buy a high quality item. My good friend, a violinist for over 20 years, uses this brand. I am very happy with my purchase & will be using it for many years to come! Thank you!.

These are known to be the best and most adjustable rests and they really are. The range of movement is huge and will fit anyone from Andre the Giant to Thumbelina. The rest is a superb piece of engineering and is worth the highish cost.

It locks into your shoulder allowing you to unchoke the neck of the violin and gain freedom. You will improve dramatically if you are not clamping down on the neck to keep the violin in place.

Recommended this violin rest by my violin teacher due to its versatility. I have found that it makes the violin feel more secure with no tension in my neck and shoulders.

Wish I had bought it years ago! I have a sore shoulder and this really helps. It frees up the left hand and makes playing so much easier.

Such a good product but one fatal flaw. The clips that slide the grippers stick out and get close to the back of the violin. The clips are hard plastic and would create damage if pressed against the violin.

Forget about setting this rest on low height because of these clips. Too bad. It is such a nice rest in terms of everything else.

I am new to playing fiddle, and struggled with awkwardness until receiving this shoulder rest. It is sturdy, super easy to adjust and clip on/release. I was aiming for quality and longevity, and looks like I got it.

What an improvement. Very pleased.

I am extremely happy with this shoulder rest. It’s beautiful and holds my violin steady in place…Definitely great investment.

Fits well, easily adjusted to the shape of your chest. Reasonable price

This plastic rest has very nice legs, so the part that touches your instrument is not an issue. The rest is pretty easy to adjust for width, height, and tilt. Very nice for getting your violin in the best playing position for the individual.

Besides the legs, the rest is actually cheaply made. It is all plastic, foam, and cheap adhesive. The plastic has a sharp corner, and in my case the foam does not give enough space between my body and the sharp plastic edge.

No matter how I adjust it, the rest digs in and leaves red marks. In my opinion, the manufacturer should have rounded off the plastic edge, and/or designed the foam to cover sharp edge. To solve my problem, I have covered the part that digs in with a thick piece of leather.

I will be looking for a new one in the future.

I’ve been using the Kun shoulder rest since the 9th grade, I’m now a junior. It’s comfort ability, height range and angles at which you can manipulate it are unmatched. It is an extremely durable shoulder rest and it holds the instrument firmly to your body allowing a free and loose vibrato form.

This, intern, allows the player to maximize his/her capabilities. This is the best shoulder rest available!.

I ordered this for a student, because it was the least expensive I found online. It appears OK – possibly a bit flimsy in the plastic (the pieces don’t fit quite tightly) and maybe too flexible; I like the metal screw-in parts – some others have plastic and their thread strips more easily than I think this metal will.

“Toes” have good grip on the violin edge. Size: it did JUST fit my student’s 3/4 size (on the smallest setting), so it will grow with him into full size (it fit my full-size on the next setting and has more room to grow so should also fit at least a small viola).

And the padding seems comfortable. We’ll see how it holds up under the use of a 6th grader!.

The picture doesn’t match with the actual product (missing yellow legs, but comes with black), so the appearance is not that great. However, it works as a shoulder rest for my 7 year old boy. Note that it does fall off the violin occasionally, which as per his teacher, happens with his expensive shoulder rest too.

So I am not pointing it out as a negative issue, but a bit of annoying.

This shoulder rest has all the features of the Kun brand, at about half the price. One drawback (this is true of the original Kun as well) is that the adjustable height and tilt functions are if anything too loose.

I am considering using epoxy glue to keep the desired height and tilt permanently in place, once I have determined the best settings for my needs.