Perhaps because I am such a fan of Pirastro, when the KorfkerRest first came out I was very eager to try it. I was just starting a Masters of Music and used it exclusively for over a year in preparation for my first recital. So, between rehearsals and
practice sessions I've had a lot of time to become familiar with the shoulder rest and give it a thorough assessment. The first thing that is truly striking about the product is how light it is. This was Pirastro's raison d'Ítre; since the shoulder rest was
made of light tone wood, the idea is that it would not restrict the vibrations of the instrument. My honest opinion is that it makes little to no difference in that regard. I notice no discernible change from my Bonmusica shoulder rest. My guess is, since
the shoulder rest is in constant contact with your shoulder anyway, the real difference is in where the shoulder rest contacts the instrument. In this regard, the KorfkerRest is not all that different from most other shoulder rests. But even if it had really
improved the tone of my violin, I would still rank it very low. It is one of the most uncomfortable shoulder rests that I have ever used. The first problem is that it is very narrow and has just the bare minimum of padding. I was constantly adjusting my violin
while playing to try and find a somewhat more comfortable position. The padding itself is also prone to wearing off. Within the year I was using it, I had to buy replacement pads (which aren't easy to locate!). Also, I am fairly tall with a long neck. I couldn't
get the shoulder rest high enough to feel totally secure under my chin. This won't be a problem for everyone, but it was certainly a drawback. Adjusting the shoulder rest is needlessly complicated. It is very difficult to explain, but the angle, pitch, and
even the tension is adjusted by loosening two screws on each arm of the shoulder rest. I really struggled to get everything set up even close to what I wanted. And if both arms are not perfectly parallel with one another, the shoulder rest won't stay attached
to your instrument. Another irritating point is that the screws gradually come loose during playing. And because the tension of the shoulder rest against the instrument is also adjusted with these screws, when they begin to loosen, the shoulder rest slips
right off the instrument. After more than a year of use I finally gave up on the KorfkerRest and went right back to the Bonmusica I'd been using since I was in high school. I really wanted to like this shoulder rest. But in the end I cannot recommend it in
the slightest. It is extremely expensive, finicky, and certain details seem not well thought out.