Wolf Forte Secondo Viola Shoulder Rest

Wolf Forte Secondo Viola Shoulder Rest

I never got along with the Kun style rests-- the curve didn't fit my shoulder and hence was uncomfortable. I've had this one for probably 15-20 years now and it's still going strong and is comfortable. I like a high shoulder rest; it has additional extenders to help with this. Yes, the rubber feet did wear out after no less than ten years, but I asked the violin shop to put new rubber on and they did (I've also heard of people using surgical tubing for a DIY solution). When I recently bought a viola, this is the shoulder rest I decided to buy for it as well.

After being very dissatisfied with the Kun I tried out the Wolf. This was way more comfortable, easy to adjust, and it did not keep slipping off my viola as the Kun did. I'm getting one for my violin too.

This shoulder rest allows the violin to resonate so much better than the other shoulder rests I have tried. Every time I try another shoulder rest, I always go back to the Wolf because my violin sounds "muffled" with the other brands. I had trouble with
the Wolf shoulder rest detaching from the violin when I adjusted it really high by adding the plastic extenders. I needed a solution for my long neck, but to stabilize the shoulder rest, I set the Wolf at its "regular height" and added a taller chin rest to
get the height I needed. The shoulder rest is now stable and doesn't pop off of the violin. NOTE: If the chin puts excess pressure on the chin rest, the Wolf shoulder rest will still detach. I learned to stop using so much pressure and it doesn't come off
anymore. For me, the Wolfe served as a tension detector of sorts.

I like this rest because of the flexibility it provides. Between the extended height adjustment and the bendable frame I think just about anyone could get a comfortable fit. Additionally it's much lighter than the Kun Bravo I have. It's particularly good if you want additional height on the treble side to offer a more horizontal position for the violin. My only concern is the fittings seem a little flimsy and the unit may not last, but so far so good.