StringWizards
Violin Repair School
How we do it: OUR SERVICES
The What // 01
The violin to the lower right is worth $10,000. The one above it is worth $200. The bows respectively are $2000 and $25. Most of the value difference is how the instrument and bow can sound together. As with wine tasting, differences are best appreciated when compared side by side.
In commercial application, the two to the left would be thrown away since the labor costs of repair exceeds value of the instrument. At times instruments like this make their way into the non-profit music world. Instruments donated to a non-profit in disrepair, while it is well meaning, is a recipe for student frustration and personal defeat. Our task at StringWizards is to seek out these instrument, and properly restore them prior to their being given to a needy student.
The Why // 02
In a middle class family, most middle school violins are rented. When they start to crack or rattle, several adults interact to remedy the situation.
In tuition-free setting, the school owns the inventory, and so the school is tasked with maintenance.
Baseball players do not sew their own mitts, and violin teachers do not fix violins, nor would they invest in the specialized tools needed that can run to thousands of dollars.
Baseball practice or violin class is not the time to fix your your equipment because it impacts everyone around you.
The Who // 03
Ignatian students for others. Count me in those numbers too. Class of 1964.
The How // 04
Our actual output is fairly low and limited to basic cleaning and routine repairs and adjustments We are not a substitute for the professional luthiery services when they are needed.