Palatino Viola 15" With Case & Bow

The Palatino 15" Viola Outfit is a common and budget-friendly choice for beginning and intermediate viola students. Palatino is a brand known for providing accessible string instruments that offer a decent starting point for learning. The "Outfit" means it comes as a complete package, including the instrument, a case, and a bow.

Here's a detailed look at what you can typically expect from a Palatino 15" Viola Outfit:

Instrument (Viola) Features:

• Size: 15 inches: This refers to the length of the viola's back, which is a common and versatile size for adolescent and adult players. Violas come in various sizes (e.g., 12", 13", 14", 15", 15.5", 16", 16.5"), so 15" is a mid-range adult size.

• Top (Soundboard): Typically Solid Spruce. Spruce is the traditional wood for viola tops due to its resonant properties and ability to produce good tone. While "solid" is good, it will be student-grade spruce.

• Back and Sides: Usually Laminated Maple. Laminated (plywood) construction for the back and sides is common at this price point. It makes the instrument more durable, resistant to humidity changes, and significantly more affordable than all-solid wood violas. While it won't offer the same tonal depth and complexity as solid wood, it's perfectly adequate for a beginner.

• Neck: Maple.

• Fingerboard: Ebonized Hardwood (or sometimes actual ebony on slightly higher-tier Palatinos, but ebonized is more common for this outfit). Ebonized wood is hardwood treated to look and feel like ebony. While not true ebony (which is more durable and stable), it serves the purpose for a beginner.

• Pegs: Often Ebony (or Ebonized Hardwood). Quality wooden pegs are important for stable tuning.

• Tailpiece: Metal alloy tailpiece, commonly with four fine tuners. Fine tuners are incredibly helpful for beginners as they allow for precise, easy tuning adjustments, especially for steel-core strings.

• Bridge: Maple. This will be an unfinished bridge that needs to be properly fitted by a luthier for optimal performance.

• Finish: Usually a durable gloss lacquer finish in a traditional brown or reddish-brown varnish.

• Purfling: Typically painted purfling, rather than inlaid, for cost efficiency.

Included Accessories (Outfit Components):

• Case:

  • Most commonly a lightweight, shaped foam or suspension case.

  • It provides good protection against minor impacts and temperature fluctuations, more so than a basic gig bag for a cello.

  • Often features a durable nylon exterior, a plush interior, storage compartments for rosin, shoulder rest, etc., and usually has carrying handles and backpack straps for easy transport.

• Bow:

  • Most commonly a Brazilwood or fiberglass bow. Brazilwood is a decent quality wood for beginner bows, and fiberglass is durable and consistent.

  • It will have genuine horsehair.

  • While perfectly functional for a beginner, it won't have the balance or responsiveness of a professional bow.

Overall Impression and Target Audience:

The Palatino 15" Viola Outfit is specifically aimed at beginning and early intermediate viola students. Its main advantages are:

• Affordability: It provides a complete package (viola, bow, case) at a very accessible price point, making it a low-risk investment for someone just starting out.

• Playability (with proper setup): While not a high-end instrument, a properly set up Palatino can be quite playable for a beginner.

• Durability: The laminated back and sides make it more resilient to environmental changes and minor knocks, which is beneficial for student use.

Important Considerations When Buying:

• Professional Setup is CRUCIAL: This cannot be stressed enough. Beginner violas (especially those purchased new from non-specialized music stores or online) almost always require a professional setup by a luthier. This involves:

  • Bridge Fitting: The bridge often comes unfitted and needs to be precisely cut and placed for optimal string height and tone.

  • Nut Slotting: Adjusting the height and spacing of the nut slots.

  • Peg Lubrication/Fitting: Ensuring pegs turn smoothly and hold tune.

  • Soundpost Adjustment: The soundpost (a small dowel inside the viola) needs to be correctly placed and tensioned for good tone.

  • Without a proper setup, the viola can be extremely difficult and frustrating to play, making it hard for a beginner to progress. Factor this cost into your purchase.

• Strings: The factory strings on beginner violas are often very basic. Upgrading to a decent set of intermediate-level strings (e.g., D'Addario Preludes, Dominant, Jargar) can significantly improve the tone and playability.

• Bow Quality: The included bow will be basic. As a student progresses, they will likely want to upgrade to a better bow that offers more control and better tone production.

• Rosin: You'll need to buy rosin separately for the bow.

In summary, the Palatino 15" Viola Outfit is a very common and sensible starting point for new viola students. It provides the necessary components to begin learning, but buyers should be prepared for the essential step of getting it professionally set up to ensure a positive and encouraging learning experience.