Bonmusica Violin Shoulder Rest
By Bonmusica
VAT removed at checkout for non UK orders
Description
The Bonmusica violin shoulder rest. Pliable metal base allows for a high degree of custom fit.
This rest can be customised to a very high level and is ideal for players who feel their instrument can slip down, especially in the higher playing positions.
The hook can be moved to provide a good anchorage at the prefered playing position. Height and tilt in 2 planes combined with a bendable plate allow an almost infinite range and will enable the vast majority of players to achieve a comfortable playing experience.
Specifications
- Pliable baseplate for custom fit
- Height and tilt adjustable-extra long legs available
- Replacement parts available
- Made in Germany
Product demonstration
Customer reviews:
65
15
3
2
3
Keen Amateur
Bliss from the first moment
Pros: Bliss from the moment I put it on my shoulder - as a long-necked person, I had a lot of trouble finding a good fit, and this is the fifth (and thankfully final) model of shoulder rest I've had. It feels reassuringly stable, absolutely comfortable, and there is a host of adjustments one could make if needed. These things are very subjective, but for me this is in a different league from all the others I tried.
Cons: None
Keen Amateur
Good, but outrageously expensive
Pros: Yes, it is better than other shoulder rests. But taking into account the outrageous price, it is disappointing
Cons: Bonmusica have added an extra zero to the price. The Bonmusica shoulder rest will not fit in any normal violin case
Beginner
Keen Amateur
Beginner
Keen Amateur
Might work for you, but I hate it!
Pros: It's very strong and robust.
Cons: There are so many things I hate about this product, which is why after an hour it went back in the box and packed up ready to return. My main issues with it are: (1) It's so well made, but personally the benefit of the mouldable rest doesn't outweigh how uncomfortable it is having the thing dig into you no matter how I adjusted it. (2) I'm of average male height and had to put the rest on the lowest possible setting, and still I needed to crank my neck on my chin rest, which resulted in instant tension all other my shoulders and neck. My chin rest is a standard flesch chin rest which hasn't been modified to increase its height, and I use a well known generic shoulder rest normally. (3) For me, having the violin in such a rigid position kills all connection I have with the music. You feel like a robot with something clamped to your shoulder.
Keen Amateur
Beginner
Looks good, but looks can fool.
Pros: Nice curvy shape, high friction rubber on the shoulder.
Cons: Seems too small for a 4/4, but this is probably to keep it close to your neck. Otoh, it's only plastic in contact with the violin, not soft rubber, and it can slip off. The feet aren't well enough shaped to fit any violin properly. The adjustability is terrible. It stands too far from the violin, and if you screw it up tight to bring it closer, you grind bits of it together scratching the paint. Perhaps I was supposed to get a spanner set. I am very disappointed.
Keen Amateur
Keen Amateur
Expensive failure. I kick myself for buying it.
1
out of
2
found the following review helpful
Pros: The design idea is good and could result in a good shoulder rest.
Cons: The implementation is very poor. The rest feels like having a jagged unstable Meccano construction digging into your shoulder. Screws and bolts are sticking out. The grippers that are supposed to hold the rest in place are prone to slipping off. This means that the nuts and bolts crash into the instrument - on one occasion taking a chip out of it. The width of the rest is not suitable for a violin that is 205 mm at the widest point of the lower bouts. (My violin is a copy of a "Guarneri" so quite a standard size.) I have abandoned the Bon Musica shoulder rest as a dangerous implementation of a potentially good idea. The manufacturer's literature clearly says that the device is to be bent and shaped to the player's shoulder / chest. Doing this distorts the material in a way such that the original shape of the device cannot be recreated. A refund is only available if the device is returned in its original state - which is impossible to achieve, Catch-22.
Other: This is not a cheap shoulder rest - it is one of the more expensive ones. It seems to be a prototype. It might useful if the makers look at it again.
