Bon Musica, 4-String Shoulder Rest Violin, Black, 3/4 Size (BHBU0503A571)

THESE SHOULDER RESTS ARE AWESOME!!! Our son's violin was always sliding down onto his chest...not any more! This is comfortable and helps him to hold it up high! AND it makes a difference in how it sounds!!!

I purchased many different brands of shoulder rest and this is the best! This really stays on the shoulder, not sliding.

The "saddle" (top portion in picture as shown) is very stable, but forces the violin or viola to be positioned almost 90 degrees to the frontal position of one's body, which is very uncomfortable for me.

I have used a 4/4 Bon Musica for years, most recently on an oversized (365 mm length of back) violin. I've always felt like the Bon Musica was too big - especially on my smaller 4/4 violin (356 mm length of back, with narrow lower bout.) I constantly worried that, with as low and tight as I had to set all the points of adjustability, one of the rest's many nasty metal protrusions would take a bite out of the varnish, or even the wood.I've recently switched to a 7/8 size (348 mm length of back) and the 4/4 rest wasn't going to work. The 3/4 rest works beautifully. Additionally, I've reduced the worry of damage by removing some of the most egregious metal protrusions (excessive length to the bolts of the feet, excessive height to the round brackets that allow the feet to swivel in the direction of the scroll-to-tailpiece axis.) Bolt cutters and a rasp to smooth it. Love my Bon Musica more than ever now!

I almost gave up and returned the Bon Musica shoulder rest, but spent some more time working with it, the placement on fiddle, and trying it with different chin rests that I have collected, and I finally found a sweet spot that I think is going to work for me. I have a short neck and my head juts forward, instead of being in alignment over my shoulders, so I thought I would not be able to get it to work. But even for my "odd" body type, I eventually found the right combination of adjustments to the shoulder rest, the placement on the fiddle, and the right chin rest - a combination where I felt more relaxed and was able to loosen the grip on my fingering hand and relax my neck muscles more so that my playing immediately improved. Good luck!

I am 5'1" and have used those small 'bump' pads in the past, as well as some shorter foam rests - the Kun one in particular. This is the first shoulder rest I have ever owned that actually WORKED for me. The angle is absolutely perfect and it is so comfortable!

Sound is much better than KUN, but it is not easy to adjust the height and shape to fit right. My son's violin teacher couldn't get ti right either.

Take your time adjusting and tightening the Bonmusica:1. Note that the metal bracket can contact the back bout on the chinrest side if you adjust the Bonmusica close to your violin and then grip it tightly between chin and shoulder. Add some mole-foam to the bracket if you find it necessary to have the height at minimum on that side.2. Also, if you do not tighten the nuts properly, the arched portion can pivot and mar your violin. (The marks I've found on students' instruments were mere dents not affecting the finish.)Study the fit of the Bonmusica with care, and it will be a friend for years!