Frequently Asked Questions

Ordering, Shipping, and Returns

• How long will it take to receive my order?

  We ship out orders of in-stock items within 1 business day. Ground shipping to the lower 48 States typically takes 2-6 business days, depending on your distance from our location in North Carolina.

  We also offer optional expedited shipping methods, which provide a guaranteed arrival date. Upgrade to an expedited shipping method at checkout for fast, guaranteed delivery. 

  International orders usually take between 2-5 business days to arrive in country. Local delivery affter customs depends on the last-mile carrier.

• What is your returns policy?

  We have a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after receiving your item to request a return.

  Follow the link to read our full returns policy and read instructions on how to return your items to us.

• Do you ship to my country?

  If you are reading this, the answer is likely YES. We ship to most countries in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania. We are unable to ship to a small handful of countries due to US trade restrictions or a lack of shipping service.

  >> See our International Ordering page for more information

• Can I try before I buy? Do you send instruments out on approval?

  We don't offer a traditional violin shop approval program, however, we are happy to help you narrow your choice down to two instruments and send both. You would pay for both upfront, then return one of them within the terms of our returns policy for a refund of the purchase price (less shipping).

  For help narrowing down your choice to one or two instruments you can contact us by phone, email or social media for personalized advice, or read our helpful buying guide articles. You can even visit our shop to audition our many instrument models in person! We are conveniently located near the Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and East Coast drivers can make their way to us via I-85, I-95 and I-40.

• Are products covered under warranty?

  Many of the instruments and gear products we sell are covered by their manufacturer's warranty, for which you typically must register your product after purchase. Please refer to the description of the product in question or contact us regarding any item's warranty.

• Why doesn't my coupon code work?

  If a discount code you entered did not apply, it may be because one or more of the items in your shopping cart does not qualify for the discount, or because the discount is not compatible with other discounts you may have received.. Please refer to our general product exclusions and specific promotion's exclusions.

  If you've read the promotional exclusions and believe that your order qualifies for a coupon code, please contact us so that we help you get the best possible price or explain why an item may not qualify.

• When will my order ship?

  We strive to ship orders out the same day we receive them. Exceptions are for orders placed through our website over the weekend (which we ship out the following Monday), orders placed after 3pm Eastern time, which may ship out the next business day, and orders for instruments that require significant time to set up. Tracking info will be emailed when the shipment leaves our building.

Instruments & Gear

• Can I use my regular bow? Strings? Rosin? Shoulder Rest?

  Bow, Strings, and Rosin

  Electric instruments use normal strings* under normal tension. Therefore, any traditional horsehair bow and rosin combo will work. That said, there is tremendous variation in bow quality, which will affect your tone and technique greatly. We deal exclusively in synthetic bows, ranging from beginner level fiberglass, to carbon composite, to professional level braided carbon fiber bows.  These bows are highly durable and provide excellent tone production and feel while saving money compared to the expense of comparable quality wood bows.

  *Some magnetic pickups do not work with common violin strings and require steel or other metallic strings with a high-ferrous content. This info is typically listed on the prouduct's page.

  Shoulder Rest

  The vast majority of violins and violas we sell are designed to work with standard shoulder rest models. Notable exceptions are Wood Violins Vipers and NS Design models, both of which come with their own specially designed support systems included. Occasionally we offer an instrument whose design does not accommodate a standard shoulder rest, but in this case it will be noted in the product's description, along with a suggestion for alternatives.

• Do I need an amp? Do I need a preamp?

  For all (non-acoustic) electric instruments you will need an amplifier in order to hear your instrument's tone or to be heard by others at full volume. We recommend acoustic instrument amps, or guitar amps with an acoustic amp model, as these match the impedance of your electic violin's signal. Visit our amps collection for great sounding amps that work well with violins, violas, and cellos.

  >> Read "How To Choose An Amp" in our Research HQ

  If your only intention is so-called "silent practice," then a set of headphones will be sufficient, provided your instrument has a headphone jack. If not, you will need a headphone amplifying device.

  >> Shop practice and headphone amps

  Instruments are either active--with a powered preamp on board--or passive--with no preamp or onboard powered electronics. Neither active nor passive instruments require a preamp if plugging into a purpose-built high-impedance amplifier, however, all instruments--and passive instruments in particular--can benefit greatly in terms of tone and volume production from the addition of a preamp to the signal chain.

  >> Read "Do I Need A Preamp?" in our Research HQ

• Does it come with a bow and case?

  Very few instruments we sell include a bow, and typically any bow included for free with an instrument is of a relatively poor quality. We highly recommend added a bow with your instrument purchase. While you can certainly use any bow you already own, it is ideal to have one bow with each instrument, so that you never find yourself at a gig without one because it's in your other case!

  Many instruments we carry include a hard case or gig bag, and many others don't. This information is typically found in the item's description. The majority of instruments that don't come case included will fit in a standard sized case.

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