SHOP

SALES

From solid student instruments in sizes ranging from 1/8 to 4/4, all the way to professional instruments and collectors’ items, we always have a wide selection of instruments and bows for sale in our workshop.

If you’re trying to find the string instrument that suits you most, we offer support with expert advice. The instrument’s authenticity and state of preservation are not the only criteria: one of the main focuses should naturally be on sound. Our violins, violas, and cellos have timbres ranging from warm and mellow to intensely focused sound; the response can be light and easy, or with good resistance for experienced soloists. Above all, it should be the right instrument for you!

In our workshop you are allowed to try out all instruments and discover their rich variety of timbres. You will be amazed at the differences in terms of articulation, timbre, and quantity of consonants. We can help you pinpoint and evaluate the differences.

ACQUISITION & CONSIGNMENT SALE

If you have an old violin, viola, cello, or bow you would like to sell, feel free to pass by our workshop, and we will take some time with you to examine your instrument. Once we have appraised its condition, and if we like the instrument, we might propose a way to sell the instrument for you.

FINE INSTRUMENTS

In our workshop you will also find a personal selection of old masterpieces.

We usually take up old master violins, violas or cellos on consignment if we like them, to propose them to our customers.

Normally we only include such instruments in our offer when the maker and origin of the instrument can be ascertained beyond a doubt, and when they are in truly good condition.

All these instruments come with a 2-year warranty and guarantee.

As experience has shown, only instruments about which we are entirely, personally convinced end up being those that rapidly find a new owner.

STUDENT INSTRUMENTS

“Did you make all these instruments we see here in the shop?” we are often asked.

Obviously not - for centuries already, lower-priced instruments for beginners have been manufactured, partly made with assistance of machines, partly by use of pre-made violin parts. In each price class we have selected the best available instruments for you to choose from, best in terms of workmanship, durability, and sound.

We closely inspect the workmanship on each instrument, and go over all individual parts to ensure good playability and full sound. Thus, in every beginner’s violin we invest four hours of our workmanship, and at least eight hours in every beginner's cello.

Is all that time invested in handcrafted setup and adjustment worth really the effort? Wouldn’t it just be easier to order and sell student violins online?

Violins are just not an industrial commodity with production series and serial numbers; each instrument is just as unique as the soundwood from which it is made. Thus it is truly worth the effort to go over each student instrument, and to adapt the best possible setup concerning the pegs, the fingerboard, the string position, the bridge and the soundpost.

In terms of sound, each individual instrument requires the hand of a trained violin maker who can judge and optimize its sonority by working over the main sounding parts.

Old student violins, viola and cellos

We always have a selection of older instruments in our shop. Many of them have been played for a century and have thus acquired a beautiful, velvety sound.

All older student instruments have received a thorough checkup, including sound adjustment, before we propose them to our customers.

→ Rental services

Our upgrade guarantee

Any customer who upgrades to a better quality instrument can return his/her previous instrument to us, we will accept it in payment. Provided, naturally, the returned instrument has been well taken care of and is in good condition. Please feel free to contact us, and we'll make an individual proposal.

Instruments to rent

Most student instruments owned by the shop can also be rented out. Feel free to consult us and ask about the conditions.

→ Rental services

BOWS

We have the suitable bow for your violin, viola, or cello in our workshop.

All bow qualities are in stock: bows for students and professionals, bows made of Massaranduba or Pernambuco, mounted with nickel silver or sterling silver, up to real master bows.

The bow should be well-adapted to the instrument, so we recommend that you choose your instrument first, and then the appropriate bow to go along with it.

Normally we stock student bows from the bow makers Georg Werner, Paesold, Knoll, Gewa and Atelier Saldo.

In our assortment of master bows we usually have nice specimens in stock by Klaus Grünke, Gerald Knoll, Dirk Löscher, Bernd & Michael Dölling, Atelier Finkel, W.E. Dörfler, and Mathias Thoma (Paesold). A selection of old master bows is also available on the premises.

We can also gladly organize a selection of samples of new bows made by our bow maker colleagues in the KlangGestalten group. If you would like to try out bows by Noel Burke, Emmanuel Carlier, Niall Flemming, Gerald Knoll, Dirk Löscher, Rüdiger Pfau or Ulf Johannson, you can either visit one of the annual KlangGestalten exhibitions, or you can ask us to bring a selection of their samples from the next exhibition, or have them sent to us.

See: →upcoming exhibitions.

.

RENTAL SERVICES

Since 1995 we have been renting out violins, violas and cellos in all sizes: from 1/16 violins to 4/4 cellos. All instruments are checked and thoroughly gone over before they are rented out; we continually keep them in good condition.

The rental conditions in our contracts are uncomplicated and equipped with a short notice period. Feel free to make an appointment with us, and we will find the most appropriate instrument for you or your child.

We have uploaded all the information about our rental service on the following website:

www.mietgeigen-hamburg.de

→ repairs & services

ACCESSORIES

It’s fascinating to observe the degree to which an appropriate choice of strings and accessories modifies an instrument’s sound and playability - quite regularly we change accessories in our sound adjustment sessions withz great success. (See →sound adjustments)

All these different types of chinrests, tailpieces, strings, endpins, rosins up to wolf note suppressors open up a wide range of possibilities in this area.

Our ample string selection comprises D'Addario, Crown, Jargar, Larsen, Lenzner, Pirastro, Prim, Savarez, Thomastik, Warchal and Westminster strings, from standard Dominant to exotic RONDO, TI or Amo and Vivo strings

Thanks to our international contacts, we keep ourselves up-to-date on the latest developments. We love to try out new, innovative products, and to get them in stock for our customers.

Our lineup of accessories is completed with a good shop selection of stable carrying cases for violin, viola and cello of the brands GEWA, BAM, WINTER, RIBONI, PEDI, and BERGNER.

Fiedler backpack system for cello cases

This backpack system is a real ergonomic and comfortable backpack system for cello cases. We can order it to fit to your cello cases (most fibre-glass cello cases can be equipped) and it can be adjusted to your body size.

We really recommend it.