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I have always had a fascination (and envy) of viola players, and I think I'm going to make the switch from violin to viola.
I understand violas come in many different sizes/inches, and I was wondering if it mattered what size you use.
The typical 4/4 violin is about 14", so should I get a 14" viola?
I'll be going into college soon, so I'd like to purchase an instrument worthy of a collegiate performance.
Any advice is greatly appreciated!
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I suggest you find out what is the largest size of viola your arm length allows you to play properly. So it depends on your length of arm. The average sized person might look at 16" models. But if you have long arms, there are also violas up to 17", and many sizes in between.
I remember seeing somewhere (but I forget where, this was two or three years ago), some tips about using a tape measure to find the distance from your neck at your shoulder to your wrist at the base of your hand, when your arm is outstretched, and from that measurement there was a tabulation of suggested viola sizes for different lengths.
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It depends a lot on your size but if you plan on playing both instruments you may want to keep it closer to the violin. I like playing on a 15 or 15.5" viola. The biggest sound will come from the biggest violas generally speaking. There are of course exceptions. 
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Gordon Shumway
