Fiddlerman said
Glad to hear that the pinky feels stronger now.   

I will say though, that today, my teacher had me try a 15.5" viola. Here's what I'll have to say. If they make over-sized violins, that is how big mine would be. If I ever downsize, I think I'll get a 16" or maybe a 16.25" maggini.

Fiddlerman said
So you didn't like playing on his 15.5" viola? Felt too small?  

Well, It did feel a bit too small yes, It almost felt like a violin, maybe because I have long arms. That 15.5" viola (on second though, it might've been a 14" one, or a 14.5" since it was quite smaller than hers, which I suspect to either be 16" or 15.5". Then again, she thought my viola was bigger than 16.5") wasn't hers, I think it might've been her daughter's while she was in middle school. But yeah, it did feel too small. It showed me that I liked the feeling of a large viola. I have learned a trick and that's the thumb should be either across from the 2nd finger or from the 3rd finger a little bit more, compared to the violin. That helps with the 4th finger stretch. Plus, my hand shape naturally puts the thumb there.

Fiddlerman said
So you'll stick to the 16.5"? How about the feel of a 16"?  

I've never held a 16" viola before. Though, one thing interesting, one of my friends who was teaching me while my teacher is on vacation let me hold his viola in order to try out his chin-rest (he recommended I get an SAS one). His viola felt quite small, compared to mine. I was surprised that his was a 16.5" viola as well. As it turns out, mine has a bigger lower-bout compared to his. His is a violin-viola variant. Interestingly, his viola has a longer string-length than mine, by a slight amount. 

Fiddlerman said
Labeled, "Gio Paolo Maggini in Brescia"

Back: Two-piece of medium curl

Top: of medium grain

Scroll: later, plain

Ribs: of irregular curl

Length of back: 41.0 cm

_____________________

Giovanni Paolo Maggini, Brescia, 1600, the 'Dumas Tenor'

Back: Two-piece with the curl slanting down from the center joint; double-purfled

Top: Two-piece, with strong close grain, widening towards the outsides; double-purfled

Ribs: cut on the slab

Varnish: Rich golden brown

Length of back: 42.45 cm

Upper bouts: 20.28 cm

Middle bouts: 13.18 cm

Lower bouts: 24.59 cm

_______________________

Labeled, "Gio. Paolo Maggini in Brescia"

Back: One-piece cut on the slab of irregular curl

Top: of prominent open grain

Scroll: plain, from a later period

Ribs: of wood similar to back

Varnish: Orange-brown

Length of back: 42.6 cm

Upper bouts: 19.6 cm

Middle bouts: 12.88 cm

Lower bouts: 23.97 cm

____________________________

Giovanni Paolo Maggini, Brescia, c. 1610, the 'Steinkraus'

Back: Two-piece of medium curl ascending slightly from the joint, double-purfled

Top: of medium-width grain in the center, broadening towards the flanks, with a separate piece of wood in the center

Scroll: plain

Ribs: of wood similar to back

Varnish: Red-brown

Length of back: 41.2 cm

Upper bouts: 19.3 cm

Middle bouts: 12.8 cm

Lower bouts: 24.36 cm  

What about string length?