Solo Shoulder Rest for Violin 3/4 & 4/4

I had a Kun Collapsible 4/4 shoulder rest for decades which was very comfortable, adjustable, and light. The Kun Solo Shoulder Rest out engineers the Kun Collapsible, wish I’d upgraded earlier. It is more comfortable because it’s built strong by creating an arced triangle structure that rests on the player with inward pointing feet for stability making it stick to the instrument even when not in playing position, it adds surface area to pad area, the pad is also soft but firm and the slotted pattern greatly improves grip, no sliding here. It’s adjustable both when attached and when collapsed for storage, like the Kun Collapsible the feet turn 90 degrees from storage position to playing position but improves hinge mechanism by simplifying it and adding lateral mass so that feet don’t giggle. The inward pointing feet is a genius innovation, it allows rubber feet to grip the instrument firmly but gently and the feet slide on a tabbed track removing the need to add mass by having two removable screws like in the Kun Collapsible or other competing shoulder rests. The feet have a large vertical range to fit people with tall or short neckline. It’s light to the advantage of the player, it’s plastic construction is correct because it doesn’t add unnecessary mass and accomplishes the purpose of allowing the instrument to project without dampening the bottom plate of the violin. Some may not find the plastic construction attractive, but it’s important because violins are wood instruments. Having things like wood or metal as the main construction material for a shoulder rest may look nice but adds risk of damage to the instrument because they’re hard materials. The Kun Solo is carefully designed from the beveled edges, replaceable/extendable rubber feet, and slanted surface that connects feet to shoulder pad. Even the little tabs to slide the feet are rounded and arced as precautionary foresight to allow them to bend in case the player accidentally installs them too close to the instrument so that pressure is applied on them with the bottom plate, which you should be careful not to do as described in instructions (this is something you should not allow to happen on any shoulder rest, for any shoulder rest with feet only the feet should contact the violin and allow the bottom plate to vibrate). In conclusion, this is a professional shoulder rest, yet it’s accessible at it’s price. I am certainly impressed at the attention to detail. It’s like looking at the intricate construction of a violin, but for a shoulder rest, much experience has gone into its design. Good work Kun, keep it up!

I finally found the time and money to give my violin a little of TLC. This Kun Solo is replacing a Kun Bravo I have been using for 9 years. The main reason I am replacing it was due to the foam being compacted. After using the Solo, here are some things I have noticed. It is considerably lighter and the feet point inwards toward the violins center rather than pointing out straight. This makes it much less prone to falling as the pressure you put down helps make the grip tighter. Sound wise, I noticed my instrument opened up considerably and I think it is due to the way it holds onto it as well as the weight. It is super easy to adjust and feels very high quality when folding. The only thing is that the feet do not pivot, but with the increased amount of length control, you should be able to find a good position. $80 vs $30, I actually much prefer the Solo and would highly recommend it for players of all levels and think it out performs most other shoulder rests at all price points.

Very comfortable. At first I didn't think it was quite big enough, but there are locking slider tabs on the inside of the support that allow it to fit any size of violin. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw them and the locking mechanism means that I don't have to worry about it slipping later This slides on and off readily. It was recommended to me by a friend who plays professionally.

I own a Kun Bravo. Happened to break one of the saddles during practice. I purchased this because it would arrive quicker than the replacement part to the bravo would, which it has. Good: the rubber fittings are more stable, with less slippage, than the kun bravo. Wider shoulder piece fits more comfortable for my male body due to it being wider than previous models. Bad: for some reason, which I haven't figured out yet, it not does allow the violin to resonate the way the kun bravo does. Not sure if it's because of its plastic makeup or thr rubber feet, which seem to be less conducive to slippage. If I had to guess, it'd be the plastic. Final results: after 47 years of playing professionally, I would recommend this shoulder rest as a very good second, meaning, if your primary shoulder rest is unavailable, this will get you through the show, even though it doesn't allow the violin body to resonate to the same degree as what I am accustomed to. For $60 less than my primary shoulder rest, it's an amazing tool that will get the job done in a pinch.

Good value for money, satisfied customer.

I had purchased a different shoulder rest with collapsible feet, but that was the kind where the feet rotated and the shoulder rest was always falling off my violin at the worst times. This Kun shoulder rest has collapsible feet but they cannot collapse while it is on the instrument, making it very stable. Once it is removed from the violin, the feet fold in towards each other for easy storage in practically any violin case. The width between the feet is adjustable so it can be used on different sized violins and violas, making it even more versatile. I am so glad I found this shoulder rest because it is comfortable, it is sturdy and it is easily stored when the instrument goes back in the case.

Por fin logré conseguir el reposahombros que mi cuello necesitaba. Como mi cuello es largo me es más difícil obtener una buena estabilidad con cualquier soporte para violín, y definitivamente este logra con creces su objetivo ya que es más ancho y las patas giran solo para poderlas abatir antes de guardarlo. Adicionalmente lo combiné con una horquilla extralarga para el lado inferior (el que va más cercano al pecho) y la combinación fue perfecta. Probé varios ajustes en las lengüetas deslizables y finalmente he dejado cada una en su respectiva ranura de la mitad, quedando con un ajuste perfecto para mi. Ahora toco mi violín con absoluta estabilidad, lo cual me favorece más a la hora de hace vibrato, o subir a tercera posición por ejemplo. El envío del reposahombros demoró un mes y medio, pero valió la pena la espera. Estoy absolutamente satisfecho.

Great update of the Kun classic. Light and comfortable.