Sos Jozsef 1973 Hungarian Master Viola - 4/4 Size - Very Good Condition Used

This beautiful Sos Jozsef Master Viola from 1973 is in very good condition overall with a few minor cosmetic blemishes and general signs of use.

It was built in Dunaújváros Hungary in 1973 by Sós József and has been well maintained over the years, though there are a couple things to note that may be best to upgrade at this point which I will detail below.

From an overall cosmetic perspective, the viola is in great shape for its age.

There are certainly signs of use in the form of wear marks, small dents and scratches, a repaired crack (from the treble side f-hole to the side purfling)and some other general roughness around the edges.

That being said, there are no structural issues at all, the fingerboard is straight, the tuning pegs hold tightly, there are no cracks between the top, back & sides or the neck joint, and the sound post is in place.

The couple of minor issues I mentioned above are that the 1st strings fine-tuner is not original and even though it's newer than the others, I find it very hard to turn.

The tail gut on this is also a metal wire rather than a typical rope or plastic cord, so it looks a little strange as it has some bends in it.

This would be easy to replace, though since the fine tuners would likelt be good to replace anyway, I may suggest getting that all done at once by either just replacing the pieces mentioned or by getting a whole new tail piece with integrated fine tuners.

The case that was included with it has seen some better days as it appears that the plastic piece that holds the right side of the handle in place was broken and glued back together and looks a little strange, though it does seem to hold together fine.

There is some tape on the bottom bow holder, though again this too will still hold a bow securely, it just looks strange.

The strap that normally would hold the lid into an upright position when opened is also missing so the lid flops widely open if it isn't held or propped up against something.

That being said, it will still protect the instrument very well during transport, so there's no actual need to upgrade the case unless these things would bother you.

Lastly the viola does not have a bow included with it.

We have options available if you are interested in purchasing one along with it, and we will offer a 25% discount on any in-stock viola bow along with the purchase of the instrument as well as a viola case, rosin, or a replacement tail piece or set of strings.

This can help you get this instrument all set up while keeping your overall costs low.

Overall this instrument is very beautiful.

The hand crafted nature of the instrument in very evident in the overall fit and finish, while its well aged woods give it a rich resonant tone that even high end new instruments will not be able to match.

*All images are of this specific viola, and if there are other angles you would like to see, or specific questions you have, you can message us. admin@turnerguitar.com