A Buyer's Guide
It’s Easy to Try Something New…
Whether you're a first time player or a seasoned musician, procuring a new instrument can be a daunting prospect. As with everything else, it's our goal to streamline the process and make it as easy and painless as possible. With that in mind, here are some steps to take to help ensure a pleasant buying experience.
1. Once you've done the online comparisons and you would like to stop by the shop to try an instrument or bow, the next step is setting up an appointment.
You don't have to set up an appointment if the shop has walk-in hours, but it is still recommended. It helps us prepare the instruments or bows and ensure they are cleaned, rosined, and tuned as well as guarantee an available space for trials.
Shopping during busy seasons can leave you trying instruments in a cramped poorly lit hallway or a noisy or otherwise distracting environment. It's for your own benefit to set up an appointment.
2. Take It Out On Trial
Take the instrument to your teacher to get another opinion. Involving a well-informed teacher can provide support for your decision and explain why instruments sound different and have their strengths/weaknesses.
3. Know You’re Getting Quality
We back all our instruments and bows with free labor on maintenance for the first year to ensure you sound great from day one.
Set Up a Personalized Appointment Now!
More things to keep in mind while shopping:
Set a budget and don’t go over it unless you have the option to. Purely for fun, if you ever get the chance to try a million dollar Stradivarius or del Gesù, do it and snap a photo if it's okay with the shop owner.
Ask about trade-in and rental credit policies for the instrument (and bow). Many shops will, typically, take your instrument back as a trade-in (minus up-keep/maintenance: a new set of strings, etc. depending on the condition of the instrument), if it will go toward the purchase of a violin the shop owns. Your rental credit could be used towards the purchase of hand-selected step-up instruments. The sticker price might be more expensive at a shop, but usually you’re paying for more well-rounded/attentive care and preventative measures and/or a long term relationship with that shop.
Try to not be swayed by price. Have an upper limit and don’t look at the price tags to avoid comparison based on what you are expecting to sound better due to the high cost. Instrument trials do not cost anything. Limit variables as much as possible: use the same shoulder rest, snippets of music, bow. Take note of different shapes of chin rests or different materials for endpins between each instrument tried. Once you have your favorites narrowed down, take an instrument or bow home for a week to test it out.
Have family or friends listen and judge as outside observers that don’t know the price of what you’re playing and give you feedback. Narrow down instruments two at a time, so you’re not overwhelmed with all of the choices. Include your personal instrument in the running. When playing a more expensive instrument, it might seem easier to play, lighter in the fingers, or sound more bold.
Take it to your teacher. Involve a well-informed teacher to support your decision. They can help explain why instruments sound different and have their strengths/weaknesses. Also, ask your teacher if they get a commission for the sale from the places that you’re looking at instruments. It doesn’t happen often, but I have heard of good sales getting knocked down because the instrument is not from a shop that will give a kick-back commission.
Take care of your investment. Bring it in for yearly check-ups. We’ll help your instrument or bow sounding great for years to come.
Don’t know what to play?
A slow 2-3 octave scale: Start by exploring the range. Listen to how the different strings sound compared to one another.
A fast scale and arpeggio tests the instrument’s response.
Repeat with different instruments. Take note of how each one sounds and feels as you go between them.
These simple exercises help to gauge response, color, ease of left hand, and string crossings.
Other examples of excerpts for violin testing:
Lalo, Symphonie Espagnole m. 37 arpeggio; measures 40-58 for the high end of the G through the change of mood at end of the section.
Bach, d minor Partita No. 2, up to measure 6
Bach, E major Partita No. 3: the fast bariolage for string crossing clarity.
Opening of Massenet’s Meditation: it’s fun to play and has some gorgeous singing lines.
Opening section of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto: this section is often used because it goes through a wide range very quickly. In Violin double-blind tests, it was concluded that new violins are just as good as old ones.
We understand if you feel alone or intimidated in this process. We are here to help however we can. Among our staff are teachers and high-level musicians that can utilize any instrument and bow to demonstrate their capabilities to help you make an informed decision.
Set up an appointment to have a tailored selection chosen just for you!
