For those who might be interested in an ergonomic design but still want a wood instrument, check out David Rivinus's Instruments. The specific page I linked to is his ergonomic violin, but what he's really made a splash with is his ergonomic violas. My uncle Don Ehrlich earned a fair amount of press a couple of years ago for becoming the first player in a major orchestra (San Francisco Symphony) to play one of Rivinus's violas.

-- Gary