KUN BRAVO Shoulder Rest, Wood, for Violin and Viola, KUN
KUN-800
The same shape as the Original, executed in wood and brass. The body is laminated with outer layers of European curly maple and inner layers of beech, hand made in Italy and visually modelled on the back of a violin.
- Laminated body, curly maple outside, beech inside
- End members and nut in brass, seated without play
- Foam padding with a firm grip on the shoulder
Technical data
| Body | Laminated, curly maple outside, beech inside |
| Made in | Italy, hand made |
| Hardware | Brass |
| Sizes | 4/4 violin, viola |
| Collapsible | no |
| Manufacturer no. | KUN-800 / KUN-900 |
Features
- Patented locking device as on the Original
- For 4/4 violin and viola
End members, nut and adjusting screws of the Bravo are made of brass. When adjusting it, leave enough clearance between the mechanism and the back of the instrument, so that the back can vibrate freely. For regular transport in a case, choose the folding version.
Sound and physics
The violin is clamped between shoulder and chin and held almost entirely by this clamping; the left hand gives only slight support. The shoulder rest forms the lower abutment of this clamp on the shoulder.
By lifting the vibrating back away from the body, the rest keeps its radiation backwards and downwards free of damping by the body. Its feet grip the edge of the lower bout; each of these small points of contact acts on the vibration of the back only locally (damping, that is, drawing energy from the vibration), and the more strongly the back vibrates at exactly that spot, the greater the effect.
At the edge the top and back overhang the ribs by around 3 mm, and the back is worked thicker there, around 3.3 mm, than in the adjoining area at 2.5 to 2.8 mm. The width of the rest is governed by the width of the lower bout, and on a 4/4 violin also by a rib height of 30 mm.
Violas are sized by body length in centimetres or inches; adult sizes range from 15.5 to 17 inches.
The dimensions a shoulder rest engages with grow with the body length.
The construction principle of back, ribs and lower bout is the same as on the violin, in larger dimensions. A viola rest therefore needs a wider span than a rest for the violin, and its feet grip taller ribs.
Kun makes its shoulder rests in Canada. Joseph Kun founded the company in Ottawa in 1972, as a violin teacher looking for a solution for pupils who found it hard to hold their instrument steadily.
The principle is the same across the classic models: a body carries end members at both ends with round drums into which the feet are screwed. On the Original, Collapsible, Super and Solo the body is a composite, on the Bravo it is wood. The height comes from how far the feet are screwed in; their screws come in lengths of 15 mm, 22 mm and 33 mm.
A patented locking device on the drums holds the chosen position and keeps the end members clear of the instrument.
The body of the Bravo is made entirely of wood: the outer layers are curly maple, the inner layers beech, glued into a bent laminate and made by hand in Italy. The figure of the outer layers deliberately echoes the back of a fine violin, which is also made of maple.
On the Bravo the end members, nut and adjusting screws are brass; a precision nut secures each end member to the wooden body. Kun recommends keeping the wooden body dry and away from damp surroundings.
Our experience
When a player needs the extra long screw on both sides, we first recommend the Solo, which sits higher from the outset.
When another model suits you better
Players who prefer to play without a shoulder rest and want more hold at the chin are better served by a taller chin rest, on the 4/4 violin for example the Morawetz High with its 25 mm cup height.
Players who want to set every axis of the rest individually will find their partner in the Kun Seven, with three height adapters, a pivoting coupler joint and ratchet width adjustment.
Frequently asked questions
Does a shoulder rest change the sound of the violin?
The rest lifts the vibrating back away from the body and touches the instrument only with its feet at the edge of the lower bout. Each of these points of contact has a local damping effect, the stronger the more the back vibrates at exactly that spot.
How wide does a shoulder rest for a 3/4 violin need to be?
The lower bout of a 3/4 violin is around 195 mm wide. The rest is set so that both feet grip the rib securely at the edge of the lower bout.
What should I look for in a shoulder rest for my viola?
What counts are the lower bout width and rib height of your own instrument; on a viola with a 42 cm body they are 244 mm and 39 mm. If in doubt, measure the lower bout across at its widest point.
Why are there separate shoulder rests for the viola?
Violas are built wider and have taller ribs than violins, so the rest needs a wider span.
Do Kun Original end members fit the Kun Collapsible?
No, Original and Collapsible end members differ in size and cannot be swapped.
Which foot screw do I need for a long neck?
The 33 mm extra long screw is combined with a standard screw on the other side for full size and viola rests. If you need more height on both sides, the taller Solo for violin is the better choice.
These texts hold decades of experience and a great deal of heart. They are protected by copyright, C.A. Götz jr. GmbH. Please ask us before any use. Thank you for your appreciation.
