~ Comments page ~ Remember that StringWorks originated the idea to post customer comments, as we feel hearing from fellow 'colleagues' is the best and truest testament to the quality of our musical instruments and our commitment to customer service. If you have comments to submit, please use our Contact Form. These comments are quotes from individuals and should not be considered opinions or endorsements of StringWorks or its staff.  Copies of all comments submitted via email are kept on file for archiving and future contact as needed.

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"Our cello arrived about a month ago.  It was a gift for my daughter's tenth birthday.  Because you never know for sure what you are buying off the Internet, I was a bit nervous over what her teacher would think of the instrument. Due to vacations and other delays, my daughter's teacher did not get an opportunity to examine the instrument until last week.  She was so impressed she walked it around to all the high school students in the orchestra and each one took a turn admiring it.  She then said to my daughter, "Whomever bought you this instrument loves you very, very much."  My daughter beamed for two days.  She said the older students take her more seriously now and several have asked her if they could play it.  She said it is not only beautiful, but it sounds lovely too. Clearly she was very impressed.

"I just wanted to let you know we received the Soloist yesterday in fine condition. Thanks for the awesome packing. Lindsey and I are very impressed as first impressions go. Craftsmanship and finish is top quality, and it's a very beautiful instrument. She took it to school today to compare it with her friends $10,000 Eastman. They both played each other and both agreed it compares very well. So far so good. Thanks for all the time you spent on the phone with her, it means a lot." - D.S.

"Wow. Wow. Wow. If there is one word I could use to describe my entire experience with StringWorks, it would be WOW.  First of all, I think you guys should do some customer service training seminars for all other companies out there that deal directly with consumers. I have worked in the customer service industry before and deal with people in the industry all the time and I have experienced NOTHING like the attention and knowledge you share with your customers. I have read all these comments before and there really is nothing like experiencing it first hand. I had the pleasure of talking to Pat and Erik and you can tell they are honest, very knowledgeable people who are just passionately entrenched in the art of the string.  I placed my order on February 9th for what was actually a consignment Michael Todd II Cello, against Erik\'s suggestion to get a (much cheaper) soloist. I have to say, something tells me I should have listened to Erik\'s suggestion for a very, very vain/shallow reason - darker/reddish color tones simply appeal to me more. That being said, I knew I couldn\'t go wrong with either choice. But the opportunity to purchase an extremely well-reputed cello for about a hundred dollars less thank its list price AND get a case and 2 carbon fiber bows was too good to pass up (plus I did want something that would last me through the years). That being said, my MTII is a beauty. Her back is a striking montagnana pattern and her top is tightly grained. And don\'t even bother taking the pictures very seriously because the pictures just don\'t do these fine instruments justice! They are much more beautiful in person. (And please trust whomever you talk to as they will be sure to tell you the perfect instrument for you). Her sound is absolutely beautiful and rich, she\'s very responsive and easy to play. I wasn\'t expecting her sound to be as resonant as it is as Erik mentioned that she has not even had the opportunity to open up yet! I have been holding off purchasing a cello for 4 long years and I couldn\'t believe I got my cello just 3 days after ordering it. 3 Days! Those 3 days were the longest of my life, and I was just giddy with excitement. The cello was very well and carefully packed from the bridge and bows to even the case itself, which was buried in peanuts! I also need to point out that I took advantage of Stringworks\' wonderful purchase plan option, which was kind of tricky as the instrument was actually a consignment item, so it technically isn\'t Stringworks selling the item. Erik and Pat went out of their way to talk to the seller and ask them if a payment plan would work for them and kept me in the loop as to any progress made, as well.  I will certainly recommend you guys to everyone I know who is in the market! The quality of your instruments and the price simply cannot be beat, as is your legendary customer service. I am so glad I got to write this love letter, as Erik said, \"just in time for Valentine\'s Day.\" I\'m a fan! - J.L.

"It's late in coming, but I wanted to write and tell you how happy I have been with my Maestro violin. I bought it back in February and have been loving it since. The entire process was very simple and I even got my 4 fine tuners as requested. I appreciate the wonderful service provided by Eric in answering my questions and for suggesting the ebony fittings, which I agree are a beautiful match against the rich darkness of the wood. I like my Coda Bow and the luxurious case as well. Everything was packaged very well and arrived in perfect condition. I will definitely be coming back to StringWorks in the future if I decide to upgrade to a higher model. I am also pleased to be supporting a great Wisconsin company and can only hope everyone else learns about your quality instruments and customer service!" - N.X.

"Oh Pat, she called me and we talked briefly, she said it was the most special gift she has ever received, she said that she was going to get lessons now...she was moved, she called her mother immediately!!!  And, she loved the card.  Thank you Pat, you made it all possible - I also told her:  "Pat said you would never need another cello if you have the Virtuoso - she said she just burst out crying at work - in front of everyone.  Like I said, you made it all possible.  Thank you" - B.K.

"I ordered the Artist cello about 2 years ago. I love it so much that I told my mom that when I get a new cello, I am going to keep the cello. I think it is one of the best cellos I have ever played in my life so far. Everyone says I have a very beautiful tone on it. I Play in the Naples Philharmonic Youth Symphony Orchestra and everyone loves the cello. I also will be auditioning for the yearly concerto competition with this cello. Thank you String works. This cello is really a winner." - R.W.

"Thanks again for shipping the violin when you did.  I wanted to let you know that we actually received the violin outfit on Christmas Eve.  Our mail room stays open late on the 24th and we picked it up just before they closed.  My wife loves the violin and everything and she had her first post-holiday class last week.  Her teacher likes the violin and agreed it was a very big step up from her first violin (the purple one).  Her teacher said the strings were not the best, but adequate and she LOVES the bow, so you were right (of course) that she'll probably never need to get another bow.  I appreciate Erik's recommendation for the bow upgrade.  She would probably still be considered a beginner, but I could tell the difference in sound quality as soon as she played something on it on Christmas Day. Thank you again for everything from the excellent service to the high quality of the instrument and equipment." - R.J.

"Bravo to you for reducing prices on instrument rental. If the rest of the country would follow suit, we'd whip this economy into shape in no time. But 99 percent of the world is focused on greed, not need.  Congrats for being the elite 1 percent group!" - E.N-M.

"I ordered my Kallo Bartok violin on a Saturday. On Friday it arrived in Wyoming, complete with boxwood fittings and 4 fine tuners! What a beautiful rich sound already. the instrument itself is beautiful, what a pleasure to play... I can barely put it down. I've had it for only 24 hours and it has me under its spell! Thank you for a gorgeous instrument and spectacular service!" - L.A.

"By the way, I read your blog about Passion vs. Profit.  I hope that StringWorks does stay to its "mom and pop" roots instead of the profit route by expanding.  It is the customer service and comments I've read about your company that attracted me to this web site.  Having received my MBA and studied many companies, I've seen too often that companies go for short term profit and expansion at the expense of customer service.  That is why I no longer buy at chain stores like Sam Ash, Guitar Center, etc. for my musical instruments.  Prices may be slightly lower, but their sales staff no NOTHING about instruments.  They work there for the employee discounts, from what I've observed.  I'd rather pay a little more for the individual attention and specialized knowledge.  The enjoyment of a good instrument lasts far longer than the temporary pain in the wallet for such a purchase." - K.N.

"Just thought I would drop you a note to say that my violin came in last Friday, I took it to my 4th lesson Tuesday last, and my instructor was very impressed with it. He has been playing the violin for 24 years and is in college now working on a major in music, and hoping to become a professional soloist.  He said he said on several occasions he had been down to Chicago to play some high end violins at several dealers on Dearborn St. One of the instruments he was able to play was an 18th century violin priced at over $300,000 and came with a bow that cost $12,000. I asked him what he thought I paid for my Marius Gyorke and he estimated $7,000 to $8,000. Needless to say I was very happy to have a second opinion that my novice purchase was not just beautiful, but a good one, a very good one." - G.B

"Said simply, I love the Kallo Bartok and will be keeping it! The sound from the KB is noticeably more complex than that of my Eastman 905. And for now I will be playing both. Don't get me wrong, I believe that the 905 is comparable, but not as pleasing to my ear (especially the lower strings). I find it hard to believe the tonal changes that have taken place after only two weeks. I play for about two hrs. per day and alternate between the two violins. The KB  9 out 10 times is the favorite. As for the future, I will probably sell my 905 and then seek your advice on the selection of a Man Claudiu." - L.B.

"To the good people at StringWorks:  I sent some comments earlier, but I also wanted to say that (compared to my last bow) this Joh. Krausch bow makes transitioning from one string to another, slurring, etc. much easier. I actually don't mind doing scales, now that I have a decent bow. it really DOES make a difference to have a good bow - I can't believe I waited this long.  I enjoy playing so much more now.  Did I mention, I love my new bow? Thank you! Also, and I'm not sure when, I'm interested in MAYBE upgrading my instrument. I'm not sure yet because I really enjoy my Soloist and I can't imagine finding anything else that sounds better." - Y.L.

"Hi, I bought the Maestro cello a couple months ago and I could not be happier with it. The sound is amazing and so is the price. The service I received was fantastic and I hope to do much more business with you in the future." - A.B

"I just received my Maestro Violin with the Coda Bow Conservatory and I must admit I've never been so impressed in my life with a musical instrument package. The case was of superb quality and the violin and bow sound absolutely amazing together. I'm still trying to get over the nice strong tone and accuracy of the violin.  Like so many others, I have been researching a violin purchase for over two months and decided to spend extra to obtain a quality instrument and bow and I have not been let down.  Thank you again for your prompt service and amazing products. I appreciate your willingness to go the extra mile for the customer to provide such excellent products. I will definitely recommend String Works to any colleagues that may be looking for a nice string instrument or bow." - J.A.

"Yesterday I visited StringWorks to test out Kallo Bartok cellos, in hopes I would find my dream instrument. I purchased a CodaBow Classic from the store in January, and have friends who have bought instruments from there over the past year, and we have all been very pleased with their service and the quality of their products. As a cello performance major, I desperately needed to upgrade my instrument, and Erik assured me that the Bartok would suit my needs. After trying the first of the five they had available, my first thoughts were "Maybe these cellos aren't for me". They all sounded nice, but none of them grabbed me from the start. After painstakingly narrowing down to 2 instruments, I finally decided on 1 to take home to try. I have been playing it nonstop since yesterday, even carrying it with me around the house. just so that I could play wherever I went. I just don't want to be without it!  I firmly believe that these instruments have so much character within them, that it can be the only explanation for why I was unsure of them at the start. They have so much power, and when I stare at mine, it appears as if it has a secret. The secret is its amazing sound and personality. It has so much that it seemed to laugh at me when I first played it, as if to say that it was too good for me. Already since yesterday, this beautiful cello has begun to open, and I can't even imagine what it will sound like in only a year. Thank you StringWorks, for this beautiful instrument. I would not part with it for anything. I definitely found my dream cello. " - A.M.

"My apologies for this very late reaction! I have been quite ill and have had some troubles. I want to thank you very very much for the beautiful Soloist! I received it in incredibly perfect condition. It arrived quickly, and I was absolutely amazed how well it was packed and how perfect it had made its journey. It looked and smelled gorgeous. The bridge was up and all the strings on, wonderful!
It is a beautiful cello, and when I played it I was amazed at its sound: creamy, smooth, dark but not dark in the upper registers, just as I hoped.  My cello-teacher had been very curious, and had advised against it from the start. She was totally taken aback, first with its looks (she said it's one of the loveliest celli she has seen, and she has seen some) and after that, with its sound. I had feared she might think it too soft or too dark etc, and was a bit worried about the c-string, but she said: "absolutely not, it has a gorgeous tone, and its easy to play, there must be some minus points somewhere, but I can't find them! There's absolutely nothing wrong with it, on the contrary: you'll never have to replace it, you found your buddy." When I told her how much it had cost, she was even more amazed: said that a similar quality cello here in the Netherlands costs easily two-and-a-half to three times as much.  She doesn't have internet, but took down the StringWorks website anyway, intrigued as she was.  I have had many compliments for my new cello, and I am enjoying getting to know it. I had bought the larsen-soloist G-string some time ago (also from the USA) seeing that Jim, from the StringWorks forum, had replaced his g-string larsen with a larsen-soloist, and even though the difference is minor, it was the right thing to do. In fact my teacher said at first that the g-string had something she couldn't quite place, and asked me to play it again, but after that she said: no, it's fine, nothing wrong with it. Funny that this was the only titbit she had, and I had already bought the other string.  We were also very impressed with the cello-case, it is fantastic.  The coda-classic is also wonderful, and I'm very happy with it, it seems to go well with the Soloist. My cello-teacher had never heard or seen a carbon-fibre bow, and was skeptical, but was impressed with it. It feels very nice and the sound does make a difference on the Soloist, although not so much on her cello.  One question: the registration-form did not come with the bow. Did you register it, or does this still have to happen?  What was also a very nice surprise, was your StringWorks bow!! I couldn't believe the quality of it, when you look at how little it costs. My teacher couldn't believe it. "It's straight too!" she said in awe. It sounds great too.  This all sounds very gushy, but I can't express it any other way. The whole purchase has surpassed my wildest fantasies and I am very grateful! You have a most wonderful business. And in the future I'll come back for the Bartok or the M.C. !  Thank you again, and sorry it took so long for you to hear this.  I hope you all keep well and that you have this success for many more years to come." - C.H.

"I have to admit I was very skeptical, first of all, about buying a new violin.  Second, I was extremely hesitant to buy a violin online, even with a trial period. I read other peoples' testimonials with curiosity, but was somewhat skeptical and dismissive of their comments. I spent a couple of months looking for violin within a very limited budget (under $4000), and I wanted a very high-quality violin with a full yet lyrical sound, as I am an advanced player who has had top-notch professional musicians for instructors. However, after testing a couple dozen violins (which were all more expensive than the Kallo Bartok), I decided to give StringWorks a try. The staff were extremely helpful and patient on the phone, and assured me that they wanted me to find the best violin for my needs right now, whether or not it came from StringWorks. That showed me that the staff is made of wonderful people with a lot of integrity. I decided to give the Kallo Bartok violin a try.  Everything about it was true to the testimonials and the staff's opinions.
The lower strings are full and rich, the upper strings are sweet and lyrical, the harmonics are gorgeous, and the overall sound is open and clear, not muffled or murky. I am very happy with my violin and the service I got from StringWorks, and I too will join the ranks of other happy customers and recommend that even the greatest skeptic ought to give them a try! It's amazing that such a high quality violin cost so little." - S.S.

"Just returned from my cello lesson with Anne Boyd, and heard her new Kallo Bartok. What a beautiful sound!  She is very pleased. Once again, compliments on your excellent business and wonderful instruments.  Guess I started quite a trend. Between Phillip and two of Anne's other students, that makes a total of 3 Soloists and 1 Kallo Bartok. She mentioned yet another student who is saving money to place an order. Pretty soon, Ottawa will not only be the Capital of Canada, but the Stringworks cello capital.  Keep those celli coming!!" - B.M.

"Well, once again I am here to praise StringWorks for their wonderful service. A few months ago, I decided that it was time to invest in a decent viola, and since I had a positive experience with my Soloist violin; I figured that I might as well become a repeat customer. I was set on getting the Michael Todd viola, however, they were out of stock, and they had a Bartok in stock, so I took it, (due to severe anxiety). When it arrived a couple of days later, I just stared at it for about 10 minutes, and then I played Hindemith Der Schwanendreher. You can just imagine my delight when I heard every double and triple stop come out clearly, with such a wonderful sonorous and resonant sound. I am SO happy that I got the Kallo Bartok viola; it is such a rich, warm, brilliant instrument. Again, thank you StringWorks for being a diamond in the rough!!! -X.K.

"Pat, just wanted to update you. Remember us in FL? Bought 2 maestros from you -- 1 violin & 1 viola. Oldest daughter, Caitlyn, stricken with lupus last August. Nearly killed her. 9 days in hospital. Got into skin, joints, kidneys & even brain. Fought back hard! Proud to say off to Univ of S. Calif in August!! Has thing in remission. Maestro is going with her; intends to play in Concert Orchestra & study aerospace. Little Briana & rest of us moving back to Chicagoland. Had enough of crap down here. Briana auditioned for Chicago Youth Orchestra - waiting on word. As with Caitlyn, the Maestro is holding up well. The girls' teacher down here, Sylvia Kim, who really loved YOUR instruments even with her own family making them for years, is off to Curtis School of Music on a full ride. Told ya you make good stuff! Anyhow, thought of you today, & just wanted to give you an update, you touched our lives in a meaningful way & just wanted to touch base. Hope this finds you well & happy!" - K.F.

"I've had my new Kallo Bartok violin for about three weeks now and just couldn't resist the impulse to let you know how much I like it, even though it's very unusual for me to write letters of praise unless I'm VERY pleased. I should have known from the excellent service that Pat and Erik and Edmund gave me over the telephone that I was dealing with a company that truly cared about placing fine instruments into musicians' hands, but still, being the wary sort, I was only convinced to try it out because of the two week trial period.  The first thing I noticed when I took the violin out of the box was how "substantial" it felt, much different from the cheaper and lighter Chinese-made violin I'd been playing. It also looked beautifully antique -- not too much different from my teacher's violin, which was made in the 1800's. I put rosin on the Coda Conservatory bow (also an EXCELLENT product, with superb balance and a lovely feel) and began to play -- what a SWEET sound! I send my heartfelt thanks to Edmund, the violinist there at StringWorks who took note of what I wanted and how I planned to use the violin and chose the instrument out of the shipment of ten that had just arrived. The sound was exactly as I'd wanted, and I couldn't be happier. It was especially important to me that the sound be even across all strings, since I plan to use this as a soloist instrument in the future. Now that I've been playing it for three weeks, the sound has begun to open up even more, resonating better and better all the time. I can only imagine what it'll be like six months from now. Yum. When I took the instrument with me to a lesson yesterday, my teacher was truly impressed. He said it was definitely worth more than I'd paid, and that he was surprised at the quality and richness of sound, then said that this instrument would serve me well for a long time to come. He liked the CodaBow and he really liked the Deluxe case -- he wanted one, since it was so much nicer than what he had!  The best part of having the new equipment is how much better I'm enjoying practice. I can't seem to put that violin down for very long at all! I sound better than I could have believed possible. Having the better bow has made a HUGE difference as well, making me wish I'd invested in a good bow long before now. I think I would have advanced more quickly and enjoyed playing more.
Thanks again for offering such a good product at a reasonable cost. I'm very pleased and plan to recommend your company to my friends." - L.R.

"After two anxious days awaiting delivery, I received the Crescendo Violin. The packaging was perfect, and the instrument -- Oh, My! -- what a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. My wife exclaimed, "Why didn't you rent one for me?" I'm looking forward to my first lessons and the joy of making music on such a fine instrument. I'm confident that my relationship with String Works will be long and fruitful. Special thanks to Eric for providing me with the guidance and expertise I needed to make the right decision at this time of my life." - W.S.

"I bought a Virtuoso Violin about five months ago. And I love it! It has a wonderful sound, a lot better than my other violin. I showed it to my lesson teacher and she can't believe what I paid for it. She is amazed at the quality I received for the price I paid. I am so happy that I stumbled upon this web site!! " - A.O.

"I just bought a Soloist for my daughter, this is my first dealing with StringWorks. And I was pleased with all the help on my selection. On to the Soloist.. The package arrived in pristine shop and packaged very well for transport. When I opened it I was amazed at it's beauty. The website photos do no justice. I gave it to my daughter and she was very impressed and couldn't wait to play it.  Knowing that I had 14 days to decide also was a deciding factor to order from StringWorks.  At my daughters' next lesson her teacher went over it with a "fine tooth comb" and was very impressed. She explained every aspect as she looked over the violin, from the matching grain of the sides to the back, and how they were able to closely match the front with the back then the pegs, strings and bow. She was VERY impressed and wants to know much more about StringWorks. She ended up playing it, giving it a thorough workout for my daughters' entire lesson, so much that we had to make up the time another day. Her teacher is a skilled violinist, being concert mistress for many years and her students travel from all over Northern Ohio to receive lessons, so her assurance on the quality made me very comfortable with my purchase.  Even yesterday during the makeup lesson she repeated again on how much she was impressed.....after she played it again for some time." - W.K.  (taken from the Discussion Forums)

"Your Virtuoso violin is absolutely stunning. For anyone considering the virtuoso I must say that it surprisingly beautiful, like a work of art. I am an adult beginner and everything from the finish to the smell and most importantly the gorgeous warm and resonant voice this instrument produces has made me very happy I purchased from StringWorks. I rarely send comments on products, even when I am happy with them, but people should know what wonderful instruments StringWorks produces. For over two years I browsed the StringWorks site. If you are on the fence like I was, go ahead and make the purchase. I believe you will be quite pleased. " - P.G.

"As the parent of a string player, as one who plays both violin and viola, as a computer science professor, and as a web designer, I was exceedingly impressed with StringWorks web presence. Of all the music store web sites, yours has the best mix of information and seems the most human. Indeed, the discussion board is amazing, reminiscent of the farmers gathering around the stove in the general store, friend talking to friend." - J.W.

"Pat, Erik, the Soloist cello arrived today (a day earlier than promised - Thank You StringWorks; thank you FedEX!). It is absolutely BEAUTIFUL, both visually and in sound. It is an utterly responsive instrument that is going to all me to challenge music that I thought I would have to by-pass. I am completely thrilled with it. I can only say that if this instrument matures the way that the Virtuoso is maturing, it will be a marvelous instrument! I am also more than thrilled with the Krausch Select bows. I knew that the Ivory frog was impressive (from your website photos), but had no idea how beautiful the mother of pearl accents are. They are wonderfully balanced, and seem to be just the perfect weight (83 and 85 g). I really appreciate the effort that all your staff placed in getting my order just right; the neck of the cello is shallow and narrow, just as I asked; and as I said, the bows are perfect. I have rarely been treated with such kindness and respect by the representatives of any company I have ever dealt with.  You are considerate and caring for your customers, and show a great deal of pride in the instrument that you sell. Thank you all again and again, from the very bottom of my heart!! I have, and will continue to recommend your company to every string player who asks about instruments. You are all true jewels! Thank you! " - J.C.

" I ordered my Bartok late Monday afternoon and it arrive Wednesday afternoon. When I opened it up I was so excited, the instrument was beautiful (the case as well). When I began to play I couldn't put it down! I played Rachimaninov's Vocalise and the instrument was so warm, rich and responsive. Erik was so helpful in his advice in helping me to chose the Bartok rather than the Todd and I am more than happy with this violin, I recommend it to anyone who is considering it! Thank-you StringWorks!" - L.G.

"I'm an adult who's been learning to play the violin for a little more than a year. I love it, but it's slow, and one of the hard parts is finding time to practice. So I've been looking for a good, sound violin to keep at my girlfriend's house so I can double my chances of having both time and circumstance to practice. The first few violins I bought (and returned) were disasters: the cheap assembly made violins sound cheap and feel worse, even to my amateur senses. (My 'first' violin is a beautiful and lucky acquisition, French from the '20s, so junky fiddles sound junky next to it.) So then I found you all, and both your philosophy and your violins looked much more hopeful, and the comments from your customers bordered on the psychedelic. So I ordered - on, I think, Monday of this week -- a pre-owned Crescendo that had just come in from someone moving up. It arrived -- flawlessly packed, I must point out -- yesterday, and in 60 seconds, I was, literally, floored. What a fine feeling and sounding violin! I practiced last night on it for about an hour, stopping every once in a while to look it over under a good light. It feels good, sounds lovely, and plays far far better than I do. What an amazing process this was -- there are, as you know, literally 1000s of fiddles out there, and there is no way, really, to tell much without playing. (And price is not an automatic indication: I ordered a $599 violin outfit from a very prominent vendor, and it was not much better than the $125 one I first ordered.) What a tremendous service you are doing for those who buy a violin like this from you, and the lives you must touch by selling such a product, in such a crisp and efficient fashion, must, I believe, make you feel great at the end of the day. This is a marvel. I'd like to say that I'll someday outgrow this violin and trade up, but if you heard me play, you'd know I was lying. I can say that I look forward to playing this violin with as much anticipation as I had last year when I began to fulfill a lifelong dream of learning. Thank you very much for selling me this violin, for shipping it so carefully, and for providing that crystalline moment yesterday afternoon when I first drew bow across string." - M.S.

"I received my Virtuoso violin outfit today, and it is beautiful and the Ultra case is very plush. I love the whole package. The tone of the violin is very rich and pure. Thanks to Erik, who was very helpful and professional. I will be giving you many referrals from Texas. Thanks again for providing such quality instruments and service!!!" - D.M.

"I had the opportunity to visit the StringWorks show this past weekend and play the Man Claudiu cello. In a word, it is fantastic! It is a definite "step up" in the StringWorks line of instruments. I played it for about an hour. I tested it playing 4 octave scales and triads, the Brahms' E Minor cello sonata, the Bach G Major Prelude and Faure's Apres Une Reve. Four octave scales were clear and full all the way to the top. The tone was steady and strong even when pushed in the fourth octaves.  The Brahms demands a cello that can produce a rich lower register sound. (I personally find that producing varying tone colors in the neck positions on the "C" and "G" strings a challenge.) The Man Claudiu did so with ease. Dynamic variations were also easy to achieve. The upper register passages were clear and powerfully projected while maintaining a full tone. Achieving a powerful crescendo in the ascending passages was easy (and fun).  I chose the Faure piece to test the upper registers of the A and D strings. The cello played beautifully above the octave harmonic with a rich sonority - a very warm and full tone. Finally, I played several movements from the G Major Cello suite. I think that the Prelude is a good test of an instrument's openness and resonance. The arpeggios rang out beautifully. The "G" string was a beautiful complement to the upper register melodies. In short, this in an amazing instrument! I have no doubt it will serve the needs of the advanced high school student to that of many professionals. It clearly fills the $5K-$15K "dead zone" with a beautifully playing, looking and sounding instrument." - K.T.

"I played cello in grade and high school and, now, after 45 years of not playing, I'm taking lessons and planning on buying a cello. I searched the net before starting my lessons and almost chose a StringWorks instrument but then decided to take lessons and get some advice from my instructor. Guess what? She has a StringWorks cello!" - K.M.

"I have owned 2 SW violins so far. My first was the Crescendo on which I began to take lessons 2 years ago. About 1 1/2 years ago I upgraded to the Soloist, which is a great instrument. I guess I get antsy every year or two, since I just submitted my order to an MTII! I'm very pleased with the instruments and with the service. I live in Seoul, Korea and there is a very large musical instruments market here with many violins in many shops. I went over there this past weekend to just wander and play violins, just to see what was out there. Well, needless to say, I came home and called SW to order the MTII!! " - M.L. (from the Discussion Forums)

"Thank you very much for getting back with me. I already have my new Artist cello and it's wonderful. My teacher is also very impressed. She had several students with StringWorks instruments. As always it is a pleasure dealing with your company. Erik is always extremely helpful." - J.S.

"I own a Virtuoso violin for about 3 months and I love it. It looks great and sounds sweet. No comparison to my ebay violin. Virtuoso sounds more fuller and richer, not to mention very playable and well setup." - G.V. (taken from the Discussion Forums)

"The MTII cello arrived Friday and it is BEAUTIFUL! I find it's tone equally appealing but I needed to wait for my cello lesson last night to get a more qualified opinion before deciding to keep it.  For weeks my teacher had been telling me that I won't be able to find a decent instrument in my price range, so I held my breath as she started the MTII on a test run. Simple pieces were quickly replaced by much more complex works - up and down the neck.  Stopping now and then ... repeating a phrase or two listening intently - never giving a hint as to how things were going. Finally she stopped and (after checking out the label) announced " this is a VERY GOOD cello and will only improve with time". Huge sigh of relief." - J.P.

"Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that I have shipped my Virtuoso viola back to StringWorks in Appleton, WI (trade-in). I absolutely adore my new MTII viola! Visually it is spectacular, and tonally it is gorgeous.  I love it, my housemate loves it, my teacher loves it...... my neighbors don't though! Thank you again for the beautiful instrument." - T.M.

"I'm still loving my MTII! And it's continuing to save me money! Today when I went to my violin lesson, my teacher actually asked me if she could borrow my violin for a recording that she's doing! So, pretty soon my MTII will be on a semi-professional CD. :-D  The reason I said it's still saving me money is that in exchange for letting her borrow it, she's giving me a month of free lessons, a copy of the CD and a ticket to one of her concerts. :-D  If you want, when I get the CD I'll make one of the tracks into a .mp3 for you so you can hear it.  And who knows, maybe after she plays it this week, she'll end up buying one of her own! (She's in the market for a new violin because her old violin is cracked in two places and pretty crappy in general, (not worth fixing),  hence her borrowing mine.)  Anyway, I just thought you might like to hear that she "changed her tune." (This is the teacher that was against buying a violin "over the internet," and now she's borrowing my violin.. lol.. )" - M.L.

"I am VERY impressed with my MTII (Michael Todd violin)! When I first opened up the case, I was just amazed at how beautiful it was. (Both the case and the violin!) The pictures on the website just do not do it justice! (It even smells great! LOL!)  More importantly, it sounds WONDERFUL! I can't explain the joy that comes from playing a great violin after only ever using a horrible $99 eBay violin! " - M.L. (for complete review of this violin, click HERE)

"(regarding Kallo Bartok violin) For me, this was the perfect violin. I was at a loss in seeking a new instrument at a violin shop without the guidance of an experienced teacher.  Your web site and staff were both very helpful in this search. The KB represents everything that I wanted in a violin. I will certainly enjoy playing this instrument for many years to come. Thanks again." - E.C. (for complete review of this violin, click HERE)

"I am a beginning adult viola student. Today was the first day I took my new StringWorks (Crescendo) rental to my lesson. The instructor was very impressed with look, feel and sound of the viola, and said it was far higher quality than the rentals most students have, and she was definitely shocked to find out how low my rental fee was. Thank you StringWorks!" - S.T.

"The Michael Todd II viola exceeds our expectations. We are thrilled with its beauty and its gorgeous sound. Without exception, it has impressed everyone who has played it or heard it, including several professionals. Our teacher, who is a very busy and respected musician here in Boston, says he would consider having one for himself. Its sound quality surpasses that of much more expensive instruments we tried. The Michael Todd II is the best value we have found anywhere. Many thanks for making it ours at such an affordable price." - M.M.

"I don't know how to start this, but, last Friday around 5:08 pm an UPS truck pulled up to my front door. My heart started to thud because I knew what it was because I had been tracking it every hour of it's trip to little old South Carolina. I hurriedly open up my door to pick up the large package. As I pick it up to carry it inside I'm surprised at the low weight. By then I had rushed the package to the living room of my house and get the scissors out to cut the binds that kept my precious trapped in that box. I begin to scoop the seemingly endless packing peanuts to the side to revel a dark blue Cello case and a draw bag marked, "CodaBow Colours". I pick up the case and the bow and set it on the floor immediately. I open up both to reveal works of art in their own respects. I pick up the bow and I was immediately impressed by the speckled look of the finish on the bow and as I pass it under a lamp it goes from red to green to gold. I'm in awe by the weight of the bow as it is perfect. Next, I open up the case to display what is comparable to the works of the finest painters and the greatest sculptors. I see my new beautiful Soloist cello. The pictures of the website don't do the cello justice for it is beautifully antiqued, and the color is to die for. The quality of the wood used is amazing and is easily noticeable. After sitting there looking at this work of art I decide to pull up a chair and start to play Brandenburg Concerto No. 2. The only thing that can beat the beauty of the Soloist is the brilliant sounds that are produced by this superior instrument. I am in awe over the vast improvements over many of the cellos I have heard (including the $10,000 dollar cello of our principal cellist) and it is the difference between night and day between my trusty old plywood cello that lasted me the many harsh years of middle school and the first part of high school. I am positive this cello will last me throughout college. Thank-you StringWorks for providing me with a cello that has exceeded all expectations. I look forward to showing this to my orchestra conductor and showing it off to all my other cellists. I was definitely weary at first about ordering off the internet, but you put all my fears to rest. Thank-you Erik for all your help and giving me updates about the shipments coming in. I want to thank everyone that set up the cello and made it as beautiful as it is. Thank-you so much StringWorks!" - E.B.

"I ordered my daughter's Artist violin on Monday after talking with Erik.  He very professionally answered all my questions. The violin arrived on Tuesday! We were amazed how beautiful it looks and the tone is wonderful. It's more than we expected! My daughter took it to school today for her orchestra class. All her peers commented on what a beautiful instrument it is and the sound quality. Several of her friends asked where we purchased it from and of coarse she said "StringWorks" Her teacher was shocked we received a quality violin over the internet. Thanks again Erik for your help. When we're ready to trade up, we will visit your store for sure!" - CMT

"...everything about StringWorks has been more than I've expected...a cello worth more in sound and look than I purchased it for (at least worth 3 times as much)...and customer service that was more like dealing with family than a company.  Thanks StringWorks!  You've delivered me the cello of my dreams." - C.B. (for complete review of the Maestro cello, click HERE)

"It's been about a year since you sent the three violins. One 1/2 size and two 4/4. They have been played a great deal nearly every day throughout the year and have been praised by many instructors and professionals alike for their exceptional value. I therefore must thank you, and especially the person(s) who picked and setup these instruments, especially for the 1/2 size. It it quite remarkable considering it's cost. I will certainly recommend StringWorks to others." - A.E.

"I am VERY pleased with my [Michael Todd II] violin.  When I presented it to my instructor she praised the full sound coming without placing a lot of pressure on the bow.   The beauty of the instrument only enhances the pride I have when I show it to my friends and associates.  Please bill my credit card for the balance since  I will be keeping the instrument and accessories.  A big thank you to your sales staff.  When I picked up the violin on 11/7, I had about two weeks experience on the violin.  Although I have played cello for two years this was a different animal completely.  I was treated with the respect many companies have forgotten their customers deserve even when asking "dumb" questions.  I will have no problem recommending your establishment to anyone looking for an instrument. Thanks again for your help, understanding and encouragement." - J.L.

"Just wanted to let you know that the viola arrived safely on Wednesday, November 5th. Terrific shipping time considering it came half way around the world to Cyprus! The customs document was stamped October 29th indicating the day it was mailed. Anyway, it is truly a beautiful looking instrument and my son said he wished he had a camera to get a picture of his teacher's face when she saw it. She was very impressed and commented that it was even nicer than hers. This is only the Artist viola so I can just imagine what the others are like! We are also impressed with the case, bow and entire package. I'm glad I found StringWorks on the internet. Thanks very much for all your help. I'll be sure to pass your card on to any others who are looking for instruments." - T.N.

"So, to put it out where everyone can read it, my new Michael Todd II violin arrived yesterday, inconveniently while I was mowing the yard. Oh, the humanity! So I had to wait two hours or so before finally getting around to opening the box. Chills and suspense... What would it look like? How would it sound? Despite the wonderful experience I had emailing Todd and Erik, I was still, of course, apprehensive..." - D.K. (leaving you in suspense, click HERE  for the complete story!!)

"I received my MTII (Michael Todd) today by Airborne Express -- no problems, it was packed well. I love the violin, the craftsmanship, the set-up and the tone...Very well done!! Thank You." - G.H.

"Thirty-six years after leaving college as a music major (never was able to finish) to serve my country during the Vietnam conflict, my 9 year old granddaughter has started to learn violin. I enjoyed the semester of violin I studied at UW-M, and over the past few years I've been suggesting to my wife that I would like to learn the violin. When my granddaughter showed me her 1/2 size and I put it under my cheek and bowed the strings my mind was made up. I told her that I would get a violin and we would learn together! Sammijo calls me almost every day to report her progress. Now to my reason for writing; I ordered my Crescendo on Sunday, 10/26/03, and took delivery in less than 48 hours. What an exciting event it was to open that box when I got home from work today. The workmanship and beauty of the instrument far surpasses what I expected for this price range. I'm anxious to get started. Thank you for your prompt service." - W.P.

"First off....I am a beginning violinist but have played guitar for 40 years on a daily basis and professionally for most of that time. After deciding to finally focus on violin for the duration I recently purchased a Kallo Bartok from SW...For the price you cannot beat it. It compares to instruments that cost 3 or 4 times as much. My teacher has played violin for over 40 years and is a soloist and awesome player. Just this week I listened to her play the Bartok for over an hour and was blown away with the tone and overall sonic qualities. I believe she was quite impressed with it as well. The Bartoks hold their own with the instruments the pros use plus the service at StringWorks cannot be equaled..My two cents." - R.D. (from the Discussion Board)

I have been negligent in not sending a huge THANK YOU for the 16" viola you handcrafted and I purchased for my son, David, when school started.  It sounds great! And he brings it home and practices almost everyday. I couldn't get him to practice with the 13" viola I rented 5 years ago and now own. My daughter, Danielle, is using the 13" viola - it's her first year of learning an instrument. If she decides to "stick with it", I'll consider buying another one from you. The one you shipped was well made and set up for the price, packed very well for shipping, and sounds wonderful. Thanks again." -E.H.

"I am very impressed with the quality of your instruments and the excellent customer service provided by your people. Edmund and Erik have patiently educated me on what to look for and listen for when choosing an instruments. Even after I chose one, I returned it so Leslie and Edmund could tweak it slightly and replace the ebony for rosewood pieces. The resonance and sound is better than the $4000 violins and equivalent to the $7000 violins I sampled. In addition, the finish of the violin is very well done and definitely enhanced by the rosewood pieces. I have vastly enjoyed this experience of choosing a violin . In fact, I have 3 friends in Rolla who may be looking for instruments and plan to contact your company when they are ready-- violin, viola, and cello." - L.N.

"Thank you all for your thoughtful and insightful comments on purchasing and evaluating a cello. I have used the knowledge gained here and on the ICS discussion boards to become a better informed consumer. As my son said after leaving one violin shop, " Wow dad, you really sounded like you knew what you were talking about!"  My son has been playing the cello for two years in school orchestra and recently started private lessons. He will be playing for at least the next 5 years until he graduates from high school. We wanted an instrument that would carry him through this period without restricting his growth. With these few requirements and our budget in mind, we started to look for an instrument. Talking to Erik on the phone it was decided that a Maestro would be a good choice for us, however my son really wanted a dark brown one, so I decided to order the Soloist with a Krausch bow. After waiting a week for it to be setup, the instrument arrived undamaged at the expected time, and as depicted on the website, it is a beautiful deep brown with a subtle reddish tint. My son really likes the looks and sound of this cello. The next test would be an evaluation by his school and private tutor. I told them we had this out on a trial basis and wanted their expert opinions on the relative value of this potential purchase.  At school, the head of the performing arts department who teaches orchestra, is also a cellist. She inspected and played the Soloist and said that it's a very beautiful instrument, easy to play very resonant and that the sound will improve and mature over time. She said that the pegs, tailpiece, end pin, fine tuners, and strings are of good quality. She did not like the Krausch bow however, she said that it was too floppy for her taste. Other than the bow, she said that it is a very good deal and although she had never heard of StringWorks she will be checking out the site. His private tutor is a cellist with the city symphony. She said it was well setup, played easily, and that there was nothing locally that compares to the Soloist in that price range, and that the closest in tone and playability was a $3,500 instrument (plus tax) that was a little better in her opinion. (She had been checking out instruments for a couple of her other students the week before) She also said that it is a very good instrument for that price. Bottom line is that at this price point, there is nothing we can find locally that compares to the Soloist in looks and sound, even taking into account the cost of shipping. The instrument is not perfect, there are a few cloudy spots in the finish, the fingerboard was inked or stained and not wiped completely clean, and there was a small gouge in the back, (That Erik agreed to discount the price for) but then again we are looking at a $2,000 instrument, not a $24,000 master crafted Italian cello (That was perfectly made and sounded really good). So I think that the Soloist is a great value and we will not be sending it back....." - S.K.

"I bought the Artist cello from StringWorks and got it on Friday. I have to say that it is a beautiful instrument in looks and sound. I must admit that I was nervous to open the box and see the instrument. When I did open it I was relieved to see how pretty it was. Then when I finally got it tuned (which it came almost perfectly in tune) and got enough rosin on the bow and played the first note I was ecstatic. The sound that came from the instrument was exactly what I was looking for. I was a little worried about buying the Artist cello because I kept reading others who were buying the more expensive ones and the great stories they had about them, but I think my Artist cello will keep me happy for a long time. Thanks so much! You have been a great help!" - C.B.

"The comments from this board helped me tremendously when deciding on a cello, so I thought my story might help someone else. I started with a rental (plywood-rental fees totaling $1799 by the end of payment schedule for $599 cello, bag, and $40 bow. Ha!). I immediately knew I needed to return that one, so I ordered from Shar - price for cello only-$895. Long story, BIG mistake. I found StringWorks and thanks to all of the posts here, ordered a Virtuoso. It came and was quite lovely. The workmanship was perfect, the color was rich and warm, and my cello teacher thought I had a great instrument that I would be happy with for a long time. This is when you all got me into trouble. While waiting for my Virtuoso to arrive, I kept reading all of the comments, including those about the Maestro. I blame you all! You were all so happy with your own Maestro, so in my warped little mind, I figured that the difference in price was worth it. Needless to say, I called Erik, who was patient and took a long time answering my questions (and thank you Pat, you were ever so patient, every time I called.). A Maestro was shipped. I checked that tracking number every hour! When it finally arrived, I eagerly opened the box...and hated it on sight. It was orange!  It looked nothing like the picture on the site! As I'm standing in the living room, wailing about the color compared to the Virtuoso (beautiful warm chocolate color), my husband walks through the room and says (pointing to the Maestro), "Pick that one." Yeah, well...what does he know! I called my teacher and set up a time so I could bring both cellos for her to play and evaluate. I was with her for well over an hour. She knew that both cellos were on a trial basis and that I could send either (or both) back, meaning a negative comment would not hurt my feelings. (Obviously...) She started by saying that when I first told her I had ordered a more expensive instrument, she had thought I was nuts since the Virtuoso was a fine instrument and very good quality for the money. But the more she played, the more she was absolutely sold on the Maestro. She thought it was a wonderful instrument - very easy to play, good sound quality, very open, even tone. I would have been very happy with the Virtuoso, but if you can spring for the difference in price, the Maestro is worth it. And, okay, my husband was right (but don't tell anyone!). This is the most beautiful cello. It absolutely glows, the flaming is beautiful, the set up was perfect, and the tactile quality of the wood is unbelievable. I hate to put it away in its case because it feels wonderful to touch (very satiny and rich compared to the others I had tried), and is a joy to look at. This only makes it even more enjoyable to play.  I could not be happier. It's been about two months, and I'm still just absolutely thrilled. It's too bad we can't post pictures. I now know why you all speak so fondly of your instruments. Now, if I could just get you all to stop talking about your Bartoks..." - C.N. (taken from the Discussion Board)

"I received my new Maestro cello on July 14th, and have been playing on it for almost two weeks now. My teacher was immediately impressed with the instrument, but more importantly (in my opinion), I'm extremely impressed. As soon as I opened the case, I fell in love with the cello. It sounds beautiful and looks just as nice. Last weekend, I returned my rental cello to the store. They asked why I was returning the instrument, and wondered if I had stopped playing. I told them that I had purchased a new cello, and naturally, they asked who I got it from. I gladly told them that I got the Maestro from StringWorks, and that I was very pleased with it. Service and help was outstanding as well. All of my questions were answered. In addition, the cello shipped fine. I was a little worried about that, but the instrument was packed well inside of the CHC200 case I ordered (which, by the way, is excellent). Overall, it was a good, easy experience. This Maestro cello will serve me well for a long time. Thanks again!" - J.B.

"My wife and I are string players and orchestra teachers in Marshfield. Recently, we had two students buy instruments from your shop. We were impressed with them and will gladly pass your name, address, Etc. on to other students. We hope to get to Appleton soon and see your inventory for ourselves." - T.M.

"I've been wanting to email you about the Bartok viola! I was expecting the viola to come on Friday, and a what a great surprise when it came on Wednesday!!!! When I finally got it unwrapped (the suspense was too much!!!) the first thing I thought was WOW ITS BEAUTIFUL!!! Unfortunately I was on my way to work, but I had to try it out! I couldn't stop playing ... I was almost 20 minutes late to work because I couldn't put it down!!! I guess what I'm saying is that I LOVE IT! THANK YOU! The sound it has is EXACTLY what I haven't been able to find in any other violas that I have tried in my area. I brought it to my symphony rehearsal and ended up passing it around the entire viola section because they all wanted to try it. I should have trusted you and gotten the bow too, but seeing as I was bow-less, I went out and bought a bow locally (I tried a million and a half before I found one that did justice to the viola). I can't thank you enough, as if it wasn't great already that you were SOOO helpful, but your products are way above standard. You could sell your violas for 3 times as much and people would still jump on them (except I wouldn't be able to afford it :)! so I'm glad your not! ) I did not think that I would find anything that could fill the very large shoes of my old viola, (a huge, deep, 17in German beast of a viola that I had to give back to my high school) and although nothing will ever quite replace it, my new Bartok comes damn close and it will definitely hold a special place in my heart." -L.L.

"After much contemplating, thought, and reading the comments pages and message boards, I finally decided to purchase the Soloist violin. I must say that it is a great instrument, and very powerful. The instrument itself is beautiful, words cannot express the aesthetic pleasure that this instrument has given me. As for the tonal beauty, well let's just say that I am definitely heard in orchestra :) P.S. - And it is pleasurable." - X.K.

"I just want to say thank you to Erik for responding so quickly to my e-mails and for picking me a violin that is perfect for me. It is exactly what I wanted.I have nothing but praise for StringWorks and its staff." - B.R.

"My new Krausch bow is a terrific step up from the bow that accompanied my instrument. My teacher was very impressed and played the bow for quite a long time. For context, we both live in Italy about and hour and a half from Cremona, and my teacher's bow is pretty old and nice. For him to be impressed says quite a lot. For me, the difference has been easier, more responsive playing and a far richer, warmer tone from the instrument. The quality of my StringWorks violin bow makes me I wish I had gotten my violin here, too." - B.B.

"We are thrilled!  Molly loves her instrument...the look, the tone, everything! I am so pleased with your patient customer service...Molly has strong ideas about what she wants but I am completely without expertise on the subject of violins.  And I know when I am being talked-down-to.  You treated me with respect and interest and I am grateful.  Thank you for the prompt delivery and the wonderful condition in which the violin arrived.  Airborne was very courteous and helpful as well...I urge you to stick with them as your careful delivery people. Thank you again for such a positive experience.  It is not every day that we buy a violin!" - L.S.

"I received my Virtuoso (violin) yesterday and it is beautiful. I think it is the most beautiful violin I have seen. It has a warm rich sound, exactly what I was looking for. I love it.  I have named her Yedda which means beautiful voice.  My teacher played her and loved her. She said she had played an $1800.00 violin earlier this week and there was no comparison.  The quality and the sound of my virtuoso was so much better. Thank you StringWorks for such a lovely instrument and for the wonderful service that you provided and thank you Erik for responding to my e-mails so quickly and for helping my husband when he called to order." - B.R. (taken from the Discussion Board)

First of all, my teacher was very disappointed that I was trading my Virtuoso in for "another" cello. She lectured me for I dunno how long about how great my cello was and blah, blah, blah...!  Anyway, I took the Maestro with me today and she was eager to see and hear it.  Another woman was there finishing up her lesson and I brought my cello out, put him on a nearby stand and waited the few minutes or so for her to finish.  When the woman's lesson was over and they both walked out to where I was, it was funny to see them bypass me, walk over to "Himera" - my cello - and oooh & ahhh over him! LOL :)  Then came the question! Where did I get such a fine instrument? the woman asked. So I told her and she swore that I must've paid a fortune for it! Then she "warned" me about buying stringed instruments over the internet! Duh??   My teacher, on the other hand, after hurrying the woman out the door asked if she could play it - completely forgetting the lecture she gave me last Saturday. When she done - (which, by the way, I thought would never happen) - she told me that she'd been playing the cello and violin since she was four years old and "very rarely" does she run into such an instrument like mine. She told me what I already knew - he's not only beautiful to look at, but also incredible to play. She did suggest that I take it to a luthier to change the C and D string which she claimed didn't bring out his sound as well as another type of string would.  So after my lesson I headed off to a nearby luthier and again, when I took Himera out of the case he was admired by everyone at the shop. The luthier changed the two strings for me and only charged me for the strings and not his labor! He told me that it was a pleasure to work on something as beautiful as my boy!!!  I got in the car and as I drove home I was beaming because not only did my teacher say that my Maestro was wonderful but a well known luthier also!  Thank you again Erik and Pat for my beautiful Himera." - F.H.

"My new Krausch bow is a terrific step up from the bow that accompanied my (non-StringWorks) instrument. My teacher was very impressed and played with my bow for quite a long time. For context, we both live in Italy about and hour and a half from Cremona, and my teacher's bow is pretty old and pretty nice. For him to be impressed says quite a lot. For me, the difference has been easier, more responsive playing and a far richer, warmer tone from the instrument. The quality of my StringWorks violin bow makes me I wish I had gotten my violin here, too." - B.B.

"Several weeks ago I decided to finally order a Bartok violin after drooling over them for a long time. When it arrived at my house, I was totally impressed by its appearance. It's an absolutely beautiful instrument! The varnish is almost a gold color, and the boxwood fittings blend with the instrument perfectly. When I first played it, I noticed how balanced the tone was across all 4 strings. It was very pleasant & the violin sounded better than my 75-year-old fiddle that I've been playing for the past 3 years. After playing on the Bartok for a couple of hours every day, I'm noticing that the tone is improving more & more. It's becoming more mellow, yet it's remaining open & resonant. When I was ordering the Bartok, I spoke to Edmund on the phone; he was very helpful & patient in explaining the characteristics of the Bartoks that were in stock & set up. In fact, everybody I've ever talked to at StringWorks has been extremely friendly & helpful to me! Thanks for selling great products, and thanks for your superior customer service!" - B.G.

"I will not be returning my Bartok viola, because I am delighted with it! I took it to a friend who is in the business and he was very impressed by the quality of the antiquing and the workmanship of the instrument. The only negative comment he made was that the viola had an alto voice and he prefers tenor voiced violas. That was no problem for me, since I feel there are places for both. He guessed that I must have paid about $800 for the Krausch Select, and was surprised when I told him that it was less than half that price. The viola is both easy to play and also challenging, so I am enjoying it now but I know that I will continue to enjoy it as I play it more. Now I must confess that I made the original phone call expecting that I would be trudging to the post office to return the viola when its trial period was up. I have been shopping for a very long time, and after playing numerous violas I had no hope that this one would be a "find". It's nice to admit that my original expectations were wrong. It is a "find" of the best kind and I appreciate the service you folks perform. Please keep us all up to date on the poster when it becomes available. Thanks again-" - S.L.

"I wanted to add to all the Bartok chat by posting my own experience. My original intention was to buy the Soloist, but as there was a 2 1/2- 3 month wait, I was a little anxious. I allowed myself to be talked into the Bartok, which was described as "quite possibly the finest Bartok we have had to date...the wonderful sound of this cello, and in particular the tremendous resonance and tone of the lower register." A lot to live up to! Well, I was not disappointed. After comparing my old cello to the Bartok, there was no comparison. The Bartok sounded so much more open and clean. The projection and resonance were fantastic, especially in the lower registers. I was also very pleased with the look of my cello. After craving a dark Soloist, I can't say I was too thrilled with the Bartok pictures on the website. This cello looks nothing like those pictures and the antiquing is quite lovely. I took the cello to my teacher to see what he thought. He had only praise for the Bartok. In fact, he said while my previous cello was a reliable Honda Civic, this cello was a fully-loaded Lexus. Not even in the same class. When we played together, you could really hear the strong voice of the Bartok over his cello. By the time we were done, he said he was jealous. Thanks again StringWorks for all your patience and personal attention. I felt like you really cared for me and my unique situation." - K.W. (taken from the Discussion Board)

"Well the big sneak went off as planned this week. To my new Maestro cello to a couple of violin shops in the DC area. They all were very impressed with my cello especially when I told them what I paid. They were all saying if I had paid under $6 - 7 k I got a steal. It was fun telling them how much I actually paid. My teach loved it said it has a very "sweet" mellow sound that should only get better as it "opens up" (that didn't stop her from yelling at me for being sloppy!). Anyhoo so If your thinking about a StringWorks instrument go ahead its well worth it!" - S.L. (taken from the Discussion Board)

"My teacher told me yesterday at my lesson that the more he listens to my cello and the more he plays it during my lesson, the more HE WANTS TO BUY ONE FOR HIMSELF! He has a cello that was made in 1860 that sounds fantastic but every time he plays mine he always says how it looks MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE and that it plays so well (my maestro, Isabella, was pleased). At my next lesson, I'm giving him your number! "Just talk to Erik, he'll take care of you." - K.G. (taken from the Discussion Board)

"In my last post, I mentioned that my son's teacher was anxiously waiting to hear the $2500 cello one of her students was getting from NY. It was being done by a person whom she considers to be one of the best in the cello world. Well, last lesson I asked her what she thought. She smiled and said that there wasn't much difference between the $2500 cello and my son's Crescendo.  Good job StringWorks!" - L.S.  (taken from the Discussion Board - for the full review, click here)

"I had my first lesson yesterday since my Bartok Montagnana arrived.  I have a very picky teacher, at least on the subject of instruments and their set ups.  I think she had been a bit disappointed in my decision to order through the Internet. In an ideal world, I was supposed to drive up to Seattle and test drive every instrument available in the entire Northwest before letting go of real money.  So, I arrived prepared to be a bit defensive.  Totally unnecessary.  She loved it.  Ultimately she said "she was jealous"." - S.G. (for more on this teacher review, click here)

"Well, I went for my first lesson last night! Boy, does that time fly--can't wait till next week!  My instructor made me feel much more comfortable about learning this instrument at my "advanced" age and seems almost as excited about this challenge as I am!  Anyway--on to his impressions. He had never seen a StringWorks instrument but had heard of them and seemed anxious to get his hands on it to see how it was. He admired my Virtuoso's rosewood fittings and the finish, and when he started to play it the first thing he said was, "well, it's definitely set up right." (It sounded wonderful when he played it, too--unlike my attempted squawks!) He also liked the sound very much.  On to the Krausch bow--as soon as I took it out of the case he said it looked like a "superb" bow, admired the wrapping and the stick, which he said was very balanced, then played the violin with it and concluded that it was a better bow than his. He was quite happy that I hadn't "cut corners" on the bow and gotten a cheaper one. He made reference several times to the fact that this bow was better than his!  He even liked the (Dart-shaped) case!  Finally, he asked me if I would mind telling him what I paid for the violin and bow. I told him and he said that I had gotten a very good deal, that I had an instrument and bow that would take me a long way. He seemed especially surprised that the bow was as inexpensive as it was--said his was much more and he definitely liked this one better.  In conclusion, he was quite impressed with my StringWorks outfit and we're both looking forward to my learning to play! Thank you again, everyone at StringWorks, for providing such great instruments affordably and for the wonderful service." - K.W.

"This past weekend had the opportunity to visit the StringWorks showroom and play the Maestro, Soloist, and Bartok cellos.  I went their firmly resolved that I would only look and not make any purchase decisions that day..." (for the entire story from a letter sent to StringWorks, click here) - K.T.

"I just finished a first lesson with a new adult student. He has rented the Crescendo violin, so I got to look at it for the first time. I am impressed! It is a feast for the eyes as well as for the ears. Not only was the finish beautiful on the instrument, but when I put the bow to the string (and how wonderful to have a "real" bow instead of one of those cheesy fiberglass jobs with a piece of plastic glued on instead of the winding.) I was amazed at how satisfying and well balanced the sound was. The workmanship and setup were as close to perfect as I've ever seen. If this is your student model, your better and best instruments must be awesome! Perhaps this Summer I can come up and tour the factory. I will be glad to recommend your instruments to my students." - W.W.

"We just received the 1/8 size cello from Stringworks. Besides being adorable, it is well made and sounds fantastic for being such a small instrument. It has surpassed our expectations in quality, appearance, and price. Every detail right down to the bag is superb (high quality padded bag, not just a vinyl cello shaped "dust cover" type of bag). Same incredible Stringworks quality for the price, just in a tiny package! The rental program is also simple and competitively priced. No one else, local or internet, had a 1/8 size cello in stock or remotely available that was solid wood and attractively priced. Especially around the holidays. No one but Stringworks. Fortunately, Stringworks happened to have two 1/8 instruments in stock and could have one set up and shipped out just in time. The cello arrived in the cold, driving rain and was rescued by our neighbor who signed for it after two days of missed deliveries and long winded notes to Airborne begging them to keep trying to deliver to a neighbor so we would have it for Christmas. When I finally got it home, it was almost perfectly in tune! Unbelievable. We thought finding this size of instrument would be impossible so we have been putting off our three year old daughter's requests for about a year now (Yes, she started asking for a cello at two years old!). I am SO GLAD we tried Stringworks as a source for this smaller sized instrument. I had purchased a Maestro cello from them in October so I knew the quality of their instruments. Once our daughter started drawing pictures of cellos for Santa Claus, I figured we should get busy with the search! She was convinced that Santa was bringing her one. ("Mom, Santa needs to make it Katie size not Mommy size.") Now how could we let her down? We had to find one! We will probably send a personal thank you with a photo once she opens it on Christmas Day. Hiding it has been an issue because she keeps looking all over the house asking if Santa has left her cello at our house yet. Thank you again for the personalized attention that made it possible to ship this item in time for the holidays. And thank you for making a three year old little girl's dreams come true this Christmas." - K.G.

You know I had no doubts that you were a reputable company, but the big risk was to buy (my Soloist cello) sound unheard.  I felt nervous because I wasn't even sure I knew what you meant when you described "bright", "dark" "open" "clean".   The most astonishing thing is how you managed to get me a perfect match.  Apart from your absolutely wonderful customer service - I've never experienced anything like it in all my life - your ability to match a client with a cello is uncanny. She's so much better than anything I tried out here.  My teacher came and played it and she said exactly what you said about it : open, clean sound, balanced over the strings, easy to play.  She also says it has lots of colors.  She's says it's got a strong voice but not overwhelming  THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!." - K.V. - for a colorful account of this cello 'saga', click here

"I have played the violin for about 19 years and a few years ago I had to sell my Jennifer Becker (violin maker, daughter of legendary violin maker Carl Becker) violin which had a beautiful tone to it.  It crushed me when I lost it.  I've been borrowing a family member's violin since off and on. This Christmas my mother bought a Kallo Bartok violin for me. I am so happy with it. The sound is comparable to the Jennifer Becker violin.  I love this Kallo Bartok violin - I would suggest it to anyone who is looking to start playing again or a more advanced student." - E.M. (excerpted from the Discussion Board)

"I just received the Maestro cello and the CHC200. The cello is outstanding. I was very concerned about whether it would be better than the cello I had as a teenager because I got tired of that one after about six months. There is no comparison. This Maestro plays wonderfully, and it is so much easier to get a rich sound at the beginning of the bow stroke than any other cello under $5,000 I've played. The case is much "cooler" and sturdier than I expected also. I like being able to check the humidity of the air I keep my cello in. I got the cello three days ago, and have probably put in about 15 hours of play so far." - J.R. (taken from the Discussion Board)

"The (Kallo Bartok) cello looks great and it is better looking than what I was expecting. I love the overtones, the resonance and the warmer tones!  So does my teacher!  Speaking of StringWorks......You guys are GOOD!! You've either have good business consultants or it is your general nature which is even better. (I have two degrees in psychology!) Your web site is well organized; it provides a lot of information; and you genuinely care about your customers." - R.K.

"I am exceptionally pleased with your company and service. I think, when I first called, I didn't know all that much about buying instruments. I was a little skeptical about buying over the internet and I was having a hard time believing those prices. Little by little, as I checked out other local and non-local dealers, they confirmed all the information that you had given me about instrument quality. Inadvertently, they sold me on your product.  I couldn't have asked for kinder service and a better instrument. It'll take me a while to tap into it's real power, but I absolutely love my cello.  I appreciate all your help, and I'll break away from my playing long enough to fill out the payment agreement and get that right off to you. I sure thank you." - A.F.

"My Artist cello arrived Thursday Sept. 26th.  It is much nicer than I expected.  The tone is better than the little sound clip on the web page.  And that tone on the web page was the thing that won us over in the first place!  The cello is beautiful and my problem is that I will not put it down so that I can do all the work that I am supposed to be doing.  Thanks!!!  You people are doing a great service to humanity, providing good instruments for people who cannot shell out big bucks." - B.M.

"After searching around for what I hoped to be the best deal I could find on a viola for my son, I came across the StringWorks website. After speaking with many people including my son's instructor, who told me to be "leery of the web", I decided that with the guarantee I would take a chance. Much to my satisfaction the viola seemed to be a very nice instrument but not being very knowledgeable myself I took it to my sons instructor who was more than impressed stating that it, "played extremely easy with an very nice tone" and "was an all around wonderful instrument and a great buy". He was so impressed he mentioned it to his other students that were looking for a nice instrument at a good price and put the link on his website for all the students." - J.I.  (taken from the Discussion Board)

"In case anyone is on the fence about trying out a Bartok violin, definitely take the plunge. On Friday at 4:00 we placed our order and received our package delivery at 8:30 am on Tuesday (great service!) The instrument we received was beautifully antiqued. There weren't really any "dings". Instead, the antiquing was really accomplished in the varnishing technique. Another family member has a cello from the mid 1800s and this violin is actually a miniature version of its appearance! As for the sound....incredible! It has a powerful sweet sound across the registers. The setup is excellent and made the violin instantly easy to play. After about three hours of playing...we were all having fun....the sound became more refined...again, a sweet soprano sound. We had tried out more than a few violins in some of the local shops and none even came close to the tasteful antiquing and the smoothness of sound we were seeking. Many of the ones in the local shops seemed to have a more edgy sound....so make sure you tell StringWorks what you are looking for in tonal qualities when you talk with them. Again, the Bartok played easily both softly and loudly (it was strung with Obligatos which seem like a good match). We could even play right up to the bridge without getting a scratchy or harsh tone...instead...we just achieved more power in the sound.  Sorry for such a long post, but you can't go wrong trying out an instrument from this place. After doing a lot of instrument testing in local shops, we were unable to find any instrument that could match the tone and tasteful antiquing of the Bartok unless we were looking at instruments 4-5x price range......With such great merchandise and helpful people like Erik and Pat and Todd, you can't go wrong!" - M.B. (taken from Discussion Board)

"I just received my Maestro model cello with the 500 model case and CODA Conservatory bow.  Incredible.  For those skeptics out there, you just can't go wrong with StringWorks. The sound out of this instrument is incredible. Even with a heavy rubber mute on, the volume is astounding. My husband even said last night when I was practicing- "Good Lord, is it really supposed to be that loud?" :-) I can get sound out of this instrument that I could never get out of any other instrument at this price range.  And the CODA Conservatory bow and the 500 model case are worth every penny as well. I sound like a completely different player. REALLY. For a year I struggled with a cheapie cello, Herman (Herman Beyer brand). Herman and I didn't practice together, we sparred. It was a fight to see who would get frustrated and give up first. The sound was thin, basic bow, etc. What a difference!" - K.G.

"I am exceptionally pleased with your company and service. I think, when I first called, I didn't know all that much about buying instruments. I was a little skeptical about buying over the internet and I was having a hard time believing those prices. Little by little, as I checked out other local and non-local dealers, they confirmed all the information that you had given me about instrument quality. Inadvertently, they sold me on your product. I couldn't have asked for kinder service and a better instrument. It'll take me a while to tap into it's real power, but I absolutely love my cello. I appreciate all your help, and I'll break away from my playing long enough to fill out the payment agreement and get that right off to you. I sure thank you." - A.F.

"Well, where do I start...I called to order my second violin from StringWorks on Tuesday, October 8 and with the hard work by you all, I could not be happier. I received a call from Airborne this morning at 8am that the violin had arrived. I picked it up during lunch and have only played it about 10 minutes. I could tell just in in plucking the strings, how responsive this violin will obviously will be. Thank you so much for such a great instrument and all of you for your care that you take to make me a satisfied customer. I will be emailing Edmond to let him know about the reactions and response I get with some playing after the weekend. Again, thanks and if I can every be of assistance or reassurance to others thinking about purchasing an instrument, please do not hesitate to contact me." - C.L.

"Well my Kallo Bartok viola arrived last night, and as promised I'm posting my first impressions.  Shipping to the UK was very quick. It was sent on 21st & arrived in the UK on 27th. With regard to the antiquing - I am not a great fan of antiquing so I requested that my viola was lightly antiqued. The antiquing seemed to be done very well, with no "dings & scrapes" as some have mentioned. If you like antiqued instruments, it's superb. If not, I'm not sure that this will change your mind.  However on to more important aspects - the sound. The sound is absolutely superb. It just blew me away, to get such a superb sound from an instrument at this price is unbelievable." - R.B. (taken from Discussion Board)

"I wanted to update you on my visit to your showroom in Appleton. Your prediction (..."each customer we get in the showroom drives away ecstatic at the wonderful instrument they can get from StringWorks" ... ) was right on the mark. Although I was intending to "just look," I drove home with my very own Virtuoso cello.  My Coda Colours bow (which had to be ordered) arrived two days later and I just couldn't believe how fortunate I was to actually own these beauties. Your description of customer service was right also very accurate. Pat and Erik we delightful. In fact we were so pleased with our experience, we returned the next week and took home a Artist violin for our daughter and rented a half-size violin for our son!  Thanks for making such wonderful instruments available" - C.S.

"Oh my goodness, how do I thank you both Pat & Erik for being so wonderful?? I just got my Virtuoso w/ Joh. Krausch bow in and as I'm writing this I still can't believe how beautiful it is even though I'm looking right at it! No picture on the site or even on the Showcase CD can show you the REAL beauty of this instrument. The word 'gorgeous' doesn't seem good enough to use either! I am absolutely in LOVE with this cello and can't wait for my first lesson tomorrow. I was surprised that not only was it beautiful but it's completely set up and ready to be played. Oh my gosh! At this point I can only imagine the sound and if I wasn't writing this I'd be happily playing it! I think I'll name it 'Belle' since she surely *is* a Beauty. Thank you so very, very much Pat for always being so helpful and sweet! And thank you Erik for following up and surprising me by shipping it out before I even expected it, you're wonderful too! I LOVE STRINGWORKS AND EVERYONE THERE!!! :o)" - F.H.

"Hello everyone at StringWorks!  I am a public school music director In Fort Wayne, Indiana (Fort Wayne Community Schools) who just received two of your Crescendo instruments this summer.  I am AMAZED at the tone and projection available in your Crescendo cello.  The bow and case were extremely nice for the price also.  Actually, I feel like we got a steal of a deal at only $925 each.  We would have easily spent double this amount to find a cello of the same quality locally.  EASILY.  Our purchasing department was skeptical when I wanted to order from "stringworks.com" but I was insistent that this was the only source that was acceptable for our new cellos.  I explained more about your company and refused to let our instrument request go to "bid."  Thank goodness I stood my ground!  Did I mention that these instruments are gorgeous?  The news of two new cellos that sound incredible also sparked a fierce competition this summer to see who would return to school in August with the skills to earn these instruments.  The two boys who "won" the use of the instruments are quite protective of them.  Thank you for the wonderful instruments.  I will spread the word to not only parents but also to all of the other music teachers in our district." - K.G.

"I've had my virtuoso violin for almost 2 weeks now and just want to say how much I love it already!  The tone is getting better each time I play it (though not quite as much I would have liked due to burning my hand last week!!) and I absolutely LOVE its appearance - that lovely chocolatey colour looks so rich compared to the orange thing I've been playing up til now - and my teacher described it as "gorgeous" - M.D.

"I like to try new instruments and bows, especially when the results are as positive as they were this morning when I had the opportunity to try one each Artist and Maestro cello from String Works... I've tried French cellos that owners paid $10,000 for that should not play in the same room with either of these low-price instruments.  This is not to act as a guarantee or endorsement of StringWorks cellos, about which there are numberous inquiries here at ICS, but at least I have no doubt one can get a really good instrument from this company at absurdly low prices, all things considered. You can hardly ask for more than that - especially without trying one!" - A.V.

"My Bartok viola arrived today and I am absolutely 100% pleased. It is one of the most visually pleasing instruments I have ever held. The process used to "antique" the instrument was outstanding. It really looks like an old, old and beautiful viola. The quality of tone is also breathtaking.I played it for about 3 hours when it first arrived and couldn't put it down. The instrument has an incredible resonance and projection. It is both brilliant and equally balanced on all strings. The lower register has a deep "throaty" sound like a cello and the upper register absolutely sings. I have shopped around for quite a while and tried many instruments in the $5,000 - $8,000 range. I can honestly say that I prefer this viola to any of those more expensive models. I am so relieved. I was very hesitant to buy anything like this over the internet. I decided to risk it because of the 14 day return policy. I won't need 14 days. In 14 minutes I knew I loved it.  Thanks String Works, for providing such an excellent bargain!" - D.B.

"We have certainly enjoyed the cello and dealing with you all. I was going to write a letter and tell you how unusual it is for a customer of any company to receive an email as FRIENDLY and helpful as the one I received from Erik. If he is an employee, he should be treasured!!!" - M.P.

I ordered my Maestro celli about 2 weeks ago.  I just like to thank you for picking out a lighter coda bow for me at my request and also for answering my questions.  This may be a little self-indulging but i remember asking for a cello with a mature focused somewhat warm sound.  Did you actually go out of your way to play the available celli and pick one that fit those preferences?  I swear, the tone is almost exactly what i wanted from the maestro.  Good job!" - J.H.

"Wow! Six months ago I was dying for a new cello and was desperately looking around. Your company site immediately grabbed my attention and had me hooked. The comments page and your discussion board really gave me the impression that your company was seeking to satisfy each and every individual customer to the fullest. After participating on the board for several months and then finally ordering my cello it was in fact proven true. Thank you Pat and Erik for your sincere, honest, and helpful comments. You guys really made my buying experience over the phone comfortable and easy. I have never been good on the phone but was never hesitant to call with questions. Thank you StringWorks for a beautiful and rich sounding instrument  I believe we are indeed a perfect match. It passed the ultimate test when my university cello professor played it and said he loved it all, the case, instrument, and bow. A second after I took the Maestro out of its case my teacher immediately said that it looked ‘great’. After playing it for at least 5 minutes without a break (apparently he was more impressed by each passing second) he said I did great for my money and that it easily 10x the quality of my last instrument. Thank you again! You guys are indeed running a great company!" - J.H.

"Thank you very much for all your help. String works is an absolutely wonderful company, more manufactures should take notes on your customer service and quality of instruments. Thanks again!" - J.I.

"Hello everybody. I'm sure everyone is getting accustomed to it already, but I'd like to heap some more of my own praise onto the folks at StringWorks.  To start off, I sent out an email on Saturday with five (!) questions that required more than a yes/no answer. First thing Monday morning I had an email reply from Todd with each point thoughtfully responded to. One of my questions was regarding the wait period for a Bartok violin and he informed me that there were a few available now and that I could call to discuss them with him.  I called him up that morning and he described two of them to me. As it turned out, one of them was the violin whose top is pictured in the ultra-image. With that kind of detail, it sure made it easy for me to make the decision. I placed the order and crossed my fingers for a safe and quick delivery.  Well, two days later is today and I received it this morning. Luckily I was home sick <grin> so I was able to get hold of it straight from the mail person. After about an hour or so of letting the violin acclimate to the change in temperature (I do not know if this was necessary, but hey) I began playing and just now, 2 hours later, put it down in order to rest a bit and post this message.  Some of the things that I feel deserve additional mention are:  + Quality and care in packing: they do a thorough and great job in protecting the violin. I suspect it would take a lot of mishandling or a grave error like running over the box in order to damage the violin. Also, the violin came with a nice note, personalized (with Bartok # ... mine is #34!) packing list, and business cards.  + Instrument beauty: While the ultra-image came as close as possible to providing a feel for the instrument without seeing it in person, even it did not do full justice to the real thing. Wow.  + Sound: Well, this topic has been beaten to death in other messages. Let's just say it has a nice tone and leave it at that. :)  In closing (finally!), it feels great to know that there is a group of people out there like the folks at StringWorks committed to quality, both in attention to detail and commitment to the customer. Thanks to everyone at StringWorks! (from Discussion Board)" - F.F.

"Robert's Viola arrived Monday at noon.  Thank you for you prompt and efficient service.  It is a beautiful instrument and the sound is incredible!  I showed it to Robert's instructor when I picked my daughter up from her violin lesson and she was very impressed.  She may be contacting you regarding information on your rental program, and she said she wants one also!" - L.O.

Robert has never sounded better when he plays - he is just thrilled! All the hard work he has done for the past five years truly shows .  He has his finale eighth grade concert on Thursday night and I can't wait to hear him.  I will let you know how it goes. 

"By the way, we went to a concert at the middle school tonight, and I had a chance to speak to another teacher. She was absolutely thrilled with the sound of the new viola! This is the same teacher that was trying to get us to buy a $3900 viola about six months ago. I have not told her the cost yet, but I certainly will." - T.L.

"It's here!! Arrived Thursday as promised! I was afraid to touch it until I met with my instructor this afternoon. She was most impressed with the Cello...I let her read your email and she agreed with your assessment of it (Thank Goodness):) In fact, she has a student now who is interested in one like this and she noted your company name to refer them....here we go!!! We may take Mississippi by storm!!  Just wanted you to know how pleased I am with the cello, your personal interest and service..." - K.H.

"I recently received my new Artist cello and it definitely is more beautiful in person than it appears even on your web site. And the sound is so warm and beautiful - far better than my old instrument. I totally, totally love it and I am very pleased with my purchase." - J.G.

"All I want to say is when I first found this website I thought it was to good to be true, but like most people I was a bit afriad to order a cello off the internet. Anyway when I recieved my crescendo cello I couldn't belive how good it sounded!! thanks!" - A.A.

"Thank you Eric for the beautiful violin and case. The discount was an added pleasure when it arrived. The violin was more beautiful than I had expected and it sounds great. My teacher was also impressed. Thanks Again!" -  S.F

"You should know that I have taken a little flak about buying a stringed instrument over the internet. I can now say with confidence that all the positive comments that I have read about the Maestro cello are true. My teacher played the Maestro for 20 minutes on the stage at our college and you could tell by the look on his face that he was impressed with the instrument. By the end of his 'performance' there was a group of about 15 orchestra members gathered around commenting on the rich tone and big volume. Thanks again. One more satisfied customer!" - K.D.

"I just wanted to write and let you know that I received my Virtuoso violin, Hoffman bow and Oblong case yesterday and they are fabulous! I nearly cried when I opened the box and saw how beautiful the instrument is visually with the fine finish and rosewood fittings. The tone is marvelous! This morning, I took my violin to a friend who has made violins with a local luthier, and he went over it with a fine-toothed comb. He said that the quality and finishing were superb. He was astounded at the price I paid. We spent well over an hour taking turns playing the instrument and enjoying its sound.  I especially want to compliment you on your outstanding customer service. I have been a musician my entire life, and I don't think I've ever had this excellent of a customer service experience in person at a fine music shop, let alone over the phone and via email, as I did with StringWorks.  Todd, thank you for spending the time with me to answer my questions and discuss my concerns about purchasing an instrument online. Erik, thank you for your promptness and efficiency with the slight mix-up in ordering. Mia, thank you for picking out an instrument that is exactly what I wanted and more!  You are a wonderful group of people to work with." - M.M.

"So far I love the Kallo Bartok (violin). I also really am so grateful that you recommended the Coda bow Conservatory. It is amazing. Because of the combination of the two, I sound better then I ever dreamed I could.  I no longer am compensating for my equipment.  My equipment is supporting me.  Do you know that the Kallo Bartok actually vibrates if I am holding it and speaking to anyone in the room?  It is amazing. It speaks easily and is stable into all the high ranges and in all the positions and also sounds great on the G string played all the way into the higher positions." - V.I.

"You guys were very friendly and helped me start renting very easily, and now I am taking lessons and so you guys just made my day and my week. I just wanted to let you guys know that you are the best and keep up the great customer service!" - B.T.

"The Bartok arrived today. I coincidentally had my lesson today but hadn't planned on showing it to my teacher today. After playing it, however, I couldn't resist.  I had a couple of hours to play it before the lesson and was amazed by the sound. I have to say I have fallen in love with it. I have appointments with French luthiers this week to look at some old violins - which I'm still going to keep but I doubt that I will find something that I like better (even paying a lot more money). O.K. now comes the good part...my teacher, a French concert violinist also loved the violin; she said she could play a concert on it!  This is someone who is hard to impress and who doesn't hesitate to give her honest opinion (... of an instrument, my playing or anything else for that matter) and who generally looks down on new violins. She really liked it and played it quite a while, she said it was easy to play and responsi