On November 9, 2026, Thomann had 155 violas in stock. The cheapest cost $221, the most expensive $17,752, and the median was $981. That is cheaper than the median violin at Thomann, $1,528, mostly because fewer expensive violas are made.
| Price | Violas |
|---|---|
| Under $300 | 7 |
| $300 to $500 | 26 |
| $500 to $1,000 | 46 |
| $1,000 to $2,000 | 38 |
| $2,000 to $5,000 | 21 |
| $5,000 and more | 17 |
Sizes and what they cost
Violas are measured by body length in inches, and there is no single full size: adults play anything from 15 to 16.5 inches, depending on arm length and hand size. Children start on 12 to 14 inches. A teacher should check the size before you buy.
| Size | Violas | Median | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 inches | 4 | $434 | $356 |
| 13 inches | 8 | $428 | $244 |
| 14 inches | 10 | $490 | $244 |
| 15 inches | 23 | $890 | $278 |
| 15.5 inches | 36 | $1,328 | $221 |
| 16 inches | 40 | $1,384 | $244 |
| 16.5 inches | 27 | $1,021 | $367 |
Small sizes are cheap because they are mostly student outfits. From 15 inches up, the range opens to handmade instruments.
Outfits: under $500
56 of the violas are sold as outfits, with a bow and a case, at a median of $512. The cheapest, Alfred Stingl by Höfner's AS160 at $221, has a solid spruce top and a hard foam case, but it ranks near the bottom of our list.
Gewa Allegro VA1, $355
A 12-inch viola with a solid spruce top and solid maple back and sides, ebony fittings, an Aubert bridge and Thomastik AlphaYue strings. It sits at the top of our viola ranking with the Franz Sandner below. #1 of 94 acoustic violas.
Stentor SR1551 Conservatoire, $477
A 16.5-inch outfit with a solid spruce top, a flamed maple back, ebony fittings, a case and a bow, for under $500. #10 of 94 acoustic violas.
Step-up violas: $800 to $1,800
Yamaha VA7SG, $1,018
A handmade Stradivari-pattern viola with an oil finish, a solid spruce top and maple back, D'Addario Helicore strings and a Wittner tailpiece. The case, bow and rosin are included. #9 of 94 acoustic violas.
Franz Sandner 902, $1,724
All solid wood, made in Germany, with an ebony fingerboard and pegs, Pirastro Tonica strings and spirit varnish. It shares the top of our ranking; the related 902A comes in 15, 16 and 16.5 inches at $1,763. #1 of 94 acoustic violas.
Karl Höfner's H11-VA is a cheaper way into a solid, varnished instrument at $779, without case and bow.
Master violas: $5,000 and up
17 violas cost $5,000 or more. The most expensive is Rainer W. Leonhardt's No. 250, handmade in Mittenwald from wood seasoned for at least 20 years, at $17,752. Scala Vilagio's copies of historic Guarneri and Stradivari violas cost $14,400 to $16,600. At this level you are paying for a maker and a sound, and you should play the instrument before you buy.
Viola or violin?
The viola is tuned a fifth lower, C-G-D-A, reads mostly alto clef and has a darker voice. There are fewer viola players, so good players are in demand in school and community orchestras. Many violinists switch or play both: the fingering is the same, only the clef and the stretches are new.
Where the numbers come from. Every acoustic viola Thomann had in stock on November 9, 2026, from its partner feed. Sizes are read from model names and descriptions; seven violas list none. "Outfit" means a case and bow are listed. Places are from our viola ranking. Prices are Thomann's US prices.
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Denis Kataev runs AudioFu. Every night the site records the prices of more than 38,000 instruments and studio tools at Thomann, and he writes about what those numbers show: what got cheaper, what just arrived, and which discounts are real.
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