Bonmusica 4/4 Violin Shoulder Rest

The Bonmusica shoulder rest represents some very high level thinking, when it comes to properly positioning and placing the instrument. The rest is malleable and can be fitted to just about any physique, bending with little force, but strong enough to hold its shape during normal use. This rest works amazingly well, as its over the shoulder design triangulates the support points on the instrument in a manner unique to the Bonmusica. The instrument's weight is then evenly distributed between the collarbone, the chin rest, and just over the left shoulder. This makes the instrument infinitely easier to support, and frees up left hand movement exponentially. It automatically places the violin in an ideal playing position, so much so that you could hand your instrument to just about anyone and the rest would guide them to a correct, well supported position, with little to no adjusting. My complaints are few. First, the rest has a lot of adjustable parts and is prone to loose nuts and screws. I wouldn't recommend the rest for a small child, as I could easily envision them losing a critical component, making the rest useless at that point. Just make sure you tighten all the screws and nuts periodically. Also, the rest is meant to be flexible and adjustable, and will work best for you if you take the time to find the correct fitment. Do not expect a "rock solid" shoulder rest. Lastly, freedom of motion is limited. You will support the instrument easily, but you will also lose some ability to sway with the instrument, which could be a deal breaker if you move a great deal while playing. Overall, the Bonmusica has been the best rest I've owned, and I've owned them all. Once you use it, it sells itself to your colleagues, that's for sure.

The Bon Musica is such an outstanding shoulder rest and exactly what I've been looking for! It is completely bendable metal and fully adjustable in so many ways to fit the exact contour of your body. And as I just recently found out, it can be run over by a truck, mangled, and still be bent (or rather hammered) back into shape! Amazing! After a long search, the Bon Musica has made my violin extremely comfortable and I no longer have any neck, shoulder, or back strain. This shoulder rest does take a good while to fit, however, because it is designed to be bent and twisted to fit the player exactly. That is why at first, it seems very unnatural, especially the part that hooks over the shoulder. But once fiddling with it enough, it forms a perfect fit! If you are looking for a low profile shoulder rest or are a smaller musician, the Bon Musica probably would not be best for you, as it can only be adjusted so low and also has some weight to it. You will also want to consider the space in your case, as this shoulder rest may not fit very well in small cases. This is how mine happened to drop in a parking lot and get run over. All in all, I love this shoulder rest and will be using it for a very long time!

This is an excellent shoulder rest! It has more adjustments and a greater range of adjustments than other rests. I needed the extra height that i can get with this rest, (not because I have a long neck, but because I am 6 ft 5" tall and my neck is to scale). Also, my violin tended to slide around to the front and down--which changed the angle of the bow to the strings, and led to string crossing problems. As a beginner--I really need a consistent violin position. The way that you can curve the top of the rest to the shape of your shoulder is really helpful! I did find that the very comfortable foam padding on the rest is not as well stuck as it should be . It comes loose and has to be pressed back into position. I can foresee a time when it will loose it's tack and no longer stick. I find that I CAN get this rest into my case. There have been complaints about this. Some people say that it will not fit in most cases. My case is a tapered case--shaped to the instrument--and does not have much room in it at all. With some experimenting and trial and error, I found that I can get it in next to the neck of the instrument. It does touch the neck--and with a more valuable instrument than mine you might want to wrap the rest in your violin cleaning cloth to prevent chafe. I am still fine tuning the rest as I learn more about what position suits me best. I am certain I will get it perfect! .

This is the most comfortable shoulder rest I've ever used. It literally hooks onto my shoulder, providing much more stability. I like the flexibility of the device, which enables an even better fit. I'm still working on the perfect adjustment, and have augmented the piece that rests below the clavicle with a wedge of padded foam. It would be perfect if I could twist the flat bar a little to make it conform perfectly to my anatomy. The shoulder rest stays in place on the violin--a nice firm fit. I find it easier to play my violin using this shoulder rest.