As with any businesses, from the local grocery, video rental, or hardware store the violin store has to make a profit to be able to stay in business. If you want them to be there to repair your instrument and bow as well as to have a quick place to get your strings changed or pick up that piece of music, you need to be willing to shop there. You might save a few dollars by buying from an online store but the local violin shops will usually stock the type of items that it's customers want and are of good quality. The large internet stores often carry items in all price points even though the quality might be sub standard.  We would never sell a violin outfit that retails for $150.00, the quality is below our standards and below what our customers demand from a quality violin shop. 
    Retail stores, unless they also have a wholesale division, cannot compete dollar for dollar to the wholesale type internet sales warehouses.  These online "stores" create a false sense of what retail prices are by eliminating all those extra services that you should come to expect when purchasing products for yourself.  Retail stores just can't buy the products themselves as inexpensively as the internet stores do because of purchasing restrictions by the importer and licensing restrictions by local jurisdictions. The retail stores also have higher overhead and offer an abundance of additional services.  

   What is the list price and what does it mean? The list price is the dollar amount set by the manufacturer as the "retail" selling price for their product. Sometimes the manufacturer/importer will set low limits on an "advertised price" The discount off of list is related to what you actually pay, but the costs and thus the profits to the store vary from the manufacturer, depending on the end sellers business license.

There are basically 3 ways to purchase strings.

1) Local everything retail music stores - drums, winds, guitars and some violins, usually the large national or regional chain stores. You might pay the most this way, sometimes even the full list price but you will not get knowledgeable bowed instrument staff and will have a limited choice in products. Many will not install strings and even if so may not know the proper way, and yes violin strings are installed differently than guitar strings.  What you will get is the local convenience, this type of store is usually just around the corner. They have especially high overhead, with large inventories of mostly what you don't need.  You will typically pay anywhere from 0-30% of list price. 

2) Violin Specialty retail store. You will get major discounts off of the list price usually from 40-50%. There may only be one or two stores to chose from in your area and you may have to drive a little distance. You will get specialists in the field with a large selection including instruments and bows to try out without having to sift through catalogs. The  bowed instrument store will also provide many services such as: 

      * free string installation with purchase

      * free string recommendation based on your and your instruments specific needs

      * free checkup of your instrument and bow plus emergency repairs.

      * free local teacher recommendations

      * No shipping charges added to your string or accessory purchase

      * 1000's of in stock items you can have in your hand the same day not to mention the ability to compare items side by side, not through an internet site with poor picture quality

      * many stores will have violin makers on staff - this is your best choice in stores

3) Internet Wholesale store - The cheapest way to buy strings with discounts up to 60%, however they cannot offer the added advantages and services of the local store. They have no way of matching your instrument with the proper setup. They also can not install the strings nor check your instrument for possible problems that can cause string breakage or other issues that might be just about to cause other problems. They are also usually located in lower priced areas, certainly not near the large urban artistic community. These "stores" purchase their goods from the same importers that sell to those that the violin shop buys from, going around the retail pricing and licensing rules. This forces the rest of us to lower prices on items like strings, but must make it up in other ways, ways that the internet store doesn't have to do or can even offer. In the end they make more profit per dollar than the specialty store does and you get less in return.

The choice is of course up to you and what your specific needs are. If all you require is to purchase a set of strings of a brand that you already know and that you can install yourself properly  for the cheapest price, and you don't need them for a week, then buy them online if you must. If you value the education, care, knowledge, training and dedication that your local violin shop has to offer, patronize them so that they can remain accessible to you and other local string musicians. We at Lashof Violins do not sell Strings, Accessories or hand made instruments over the internet - please visit your local violin shop. We would never consider going into any store, getting personalized consultation and then shopping on line to save a few bucks. There is only so much the big box stores can offer, certainly not personalized service, proper repair work, or educated consultation. Remember the phone or email order you make to the internet sales store may just be answered by a teenaged non bowed string specialist in a cubical in a warehouse in Indiana. The kid behind the counter at the local everything music store may just sell you an "A" string for a mandolin instead of a violin - they are tuned the same, but are definitely not the same. 

Why buy strings at Lashof Violins?

 When you purchase and have strings installed at Lashof Violins our professionally trained repair technicians will perform a free 10 point inspection and make necessary adjustments as needed. This is a service we are happy to provide just for choosing us!

 ● Check bridge placement

 ● Inspect bridge condition

 ● Check sound post placement

 ● Make sound post adjustments, as needed

 ● Inspect pegs

 ● Clean pegs, as needed

 ● Lubricate pegs, as needed

 ● Inspect and check fine tuner function

 ● Tighten fine tuners, as needed

 ● Lubricate fine tuners, as needed

 Repair personnel will make recommendations for maintenance or repairs if needed. Having performed these adjustments at no charge is not a guarantee as instruments are highly susceptible to weather and humidity changes. Once instruments leave Lashof Violins, we are not responsible for future repairs needed. Actual real repairs fall under our normal warrantee. 

If you have any questions regarding these statements please contact us