Why are violas measured in inches instead of fractions?

Because there is no standard “full size” viola. Violins scale up to a fixed 4/4 and stop. Violas are built in a continuous range of body lengths, and a 15″ and a 16″ are both adult instruments. They simply sound different, the larger being deeper and richer.

So violas are described by actual body length. Ours run from 11″ for young beginners up to 16″.

One thing to know if your violinist has been asked to switch: a 12″ viola is roughly the size of a 1/2 violin, and a 13″ is close to a 3/4, so the physical adjustment is smaller than the different measuring system makes it sound. Bring your child in and we will fit them properly. Viola sizing varies more between makers than violin sizing does, which is one more reason to size the actual instrument rather than the label.