Identifies as women-owned
Yes
Mount Airy Violins & Bows, LLC in Philadelphia
Categories
Location on the map
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, US
From the business
Service options
Delivery
Yes
In-store pick-up
Yes
In-store shopping
Yes
Health and safety
Appointment required
Yes
Mask required
Yes
Temperature check required
Yes
Staff wear masks
Yes
Staff required to disinfect surfaces between visits
Yes
Safety dividers at checkout
Yes
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible car park
No
Offerings
Repair services
Yes
Service guarantee
Yes
Amenities
Wi-Fi
Yes
Payments
Cheques
Yes
Debit cards
Yes
Phone: +1 215-438-9031
Site: http://www.mountairyviolins.com/
Site: http://www.mountairyviolins.com/
Opening hours
- Monday:Closed
- Tuesday:1–6PM
- Wednesday:Closed
- Thursday:1–6PM
- Friday:1–6PM
- Saturday:11AM–4PM
- Sunday:Closed
Other Violin shop Nearby:
Comments (51)
My violin teacher suggested this shop after I had an unpleasant experience at my local luthier. I was apprehensive about trying out bows since I am not a great player and wasnt sure I would be able to tell them apart. Thuy showed me a selection of bows and gave me helpful feedback on the characteristics that I was rejecting. Efren suggested strings to help tone down my bright violin. He also adjusted my sound post. I appreciated all the Covid protocols and the supportive atmosphere. This will definitely be my local violin shop even though it is an hours drive from my house.
I went to Mt Airy Violins & Bows for a violin trial and I could not have been greeted more kindly and professionally than by Elizabeth and her associates! I felt very welcome and knew this business was a true friend of any violinist, whether a professional or amateur, like me. They gave me a private room and replaced the violins that I was less interested in, with even better instruments. This place deserves your consideration if you are looking to upgrade your instrument. Gary S.
I had a fantastic time shopping for a violin at Mt Airy Violins and Bows yesterday. To start, I felt very safe going into the shop with their Covid protocols. this may just be standard or mandated practice, but it was appreciated nonetheless. The staff is welcoming, knowledgeable, and very accommodating. They struck a perfect balance between giving me time alone with the instruments to form my own opinion, and popping in to give me their thoughts and even play a few instruments for me so I could get a sense for how they sound (when played very well). They facilitated a really special violin-buying experience (as it should be!) and Im grateful. Im going to start playing the hairs off my bow so I have an excuse to return to this wonderful shop.
I have *never* left a review for anything, but I felt compelled to share my positive experience to spread the word about this hidden gem! I am playing a wedding in a week and desperately needed some last minute maintenance and repairs for my violin (i.e. new strings and bow rehair & repair). I was kindly greeted by Efren and Elizabeth who both immediately began inspecting my instrument and asking very nuanced questions that reflected their expertise and deep appreciation for music, and I knew that my violin would be in good hands. They helped guide me to select the right strings that would be best for the tone of my violin, and they were a great resource to answer all of my music-related questions. I also brought my bow with a broken tip, which will only require a few days to repair (I dropped it off right before the weekend), and Elizabeth was very helpful in setting me up with a rental (only $15 for an entire week!) that was similar to my current bow. Finally, a shout out to Thuy for her expertise and for being so accommodating to my schedule! I asked if I could pick up my bow on Wednesday since I will be in the area for another reason on that day, and she generously allowed it even though the shop is closed every Wed.Overall, great local shop with very helpful, kind, and knowledgeable staff. Its important to find places where you trust the people and know you are getting the best care for your instrument, and this is definitely the place!
I had an excellent experience at Mt. Airy Violins. Liz patiently helped my 14 year old daughter pick out an intermediate viola that fit her needs and our budget. In addition, she offered suggestions about economical ways to repair our older viola, proper maintenance of viola and bow, as well as proper packing of instruments for overseas trip. I have had such poor customer experiences at other businesses, I shop almost exclusively online. I tried Mt Airy Violins after it was recommended to me by a String Instructor. The provided knowledgeable and professional staff made the hour drive from Bucks County...worth every minute! I was impressed with the service — and therefore I am writing my first online review to encourage others to try this well run, beautifully maintained establishment.
Mount Airy Violins & Bows is excellent for repairs. They repaired my fathers old cello that he has had since the 1970s - it sounds better than it has in decades. Thomas was very patient and thorough when discussing all the possible options with me. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff all around.
This place is the greatest! I’ve taken both instruments and bows here to have work done and have been very happy with the results. String changes and bow rehairs are also easy, you just make an appointment on their website. They are polite, organized, and give expert advice. Great business!
Liz assisted us in choosing a violin for my daughter. She was excellent! She related well to my daughter and listened well to help her find the violin that she liked best based on her individual preferences. She also stayed on our budget and did not pressure us in any way about one instrument over another. She clearly loves her job and loves string instruments, and that made this a great experience for a first time buyer.
These folks are great! I wont go anywhere else. I rent my daughters violin from them as she grows and they maintain my violin and bow. They are knowledgable, responsive, and kind.
My 100 year old bow developed a warp... and also needed attention because the eyelet had stripped owing to undue pressure on the frog. The repairs required were tremendously anxiety provoking, as the very act of addressing them could cause the bow to crack... Elizabeth possess supreme skill, broad and deep knowledge, and compassion - she understands what it means to leave a beloved instrument in her care. She repaired my bow and its as fabulous as it was before it developed the issues. I recommend her work wholeheartedly, and its nice to know that I have her to care for my bow in the future, should it decide to do something problematic. A big phew, and deep gratitude.
Yet again, I find myself waxing ecstatic over my experiences with The Bow Whisperer aka Elizabeth Shaak at Mount Airy Violins & Bows, LLC. Or is it the Wood Whisperer. In any case. My bow had exploded (well, the tip, anyway) and I was devastated. I could not imagine that it could be repaired - but there is this tricky little technique called the Spline Repair which a very talented bow maker might be able to do, a friend told me. The only person in the Philadelphia area who might even possibly be able to do this (because - violin bow - like milking mice...) would be Elizabeth (this I heard from several people - notable authorities among them). I didnt expect that the bow would be able to be reliably playable after suffering such damage, but I was hopeful that at least I could have it in one piece - for sentimental reasons, if nothing else - and indeed Elizabeth was able to repair it! It looks gorgeous, and while I know I have to replace it for regular use, still, once in awhile, I can rosin it up and allow it to caress the strings for a bit. I could have just let it be dead and sold it for parts. But thing is, even with it at risk of blowing up in my hands again, I think it was the right thing to do, to keep it alive. I have this weird sort of spiritual connection to it. Like it had 100 years of life before it came into my hands, and who am I to just trash it because it breaks.... Ill hang it on a peg in a place of honor. It did good service to me. And Elizabeth brought it back to life.
Due to the coronavirus my experience was from the outside looking in. I can only imagine how great they are under normal circumstances. However, from the first point of contact, which was by phone, it was absolutely amazing. They are very professional, friendly, and reasonable. The atmosphere is clean and beautiful. Theyre taking above and beyond reasonable precautions to protect their customers. I really appreciate all their help in giving me practical suggestions, and tips with my instruments. I highly recommend this place for service, repairs, as well as rentals. Thank you very much!!!
Very professional and kind staff. They make sure I feel welcome and are very careful with my instrument. Highly recommend!!!
Perhaps the best customer service experience Ive ever had. From the initial conversation on the telephone discussing my needs to my appointment in person, Liz was an extremely helpful and knowledgable guide for my first foray into all things violin. She noted my interest in luthiery and offered a nice tour of the workshops and then offered her expertise in which violins would be a good choice for me (a mandolinist). Patient and thorough - and what a lovely store. To those looking, this place deserves your business. Thank you!
These are really nice people and provide a very comfortable experience. We have purchased 2 Cellos here. Mr. Thomas helped my daughter find the right Cello both times. My daughter is clearly a beginner and yet he treated her as if she were an advanced player. He is patient and thoughtful. He followed the same procedure both times we were there which made me feel like they approach every customer the same way.The shop is very beautiful. They have a wonderful selection of instruments. And most important, its not snobby.
Great help with a violin bow rehairing!!
When my son broke his e string on his violin during quarantine, I found Mount Airy Violins to pick up a new string. They were able to string it for me as well (thank goodness!) and do a contactless drop off and pick up. They were so helpful and ended up restringing the whole violin for me. Thank you so much!
I called them late Friday evening in panic because I had an important performance Sunday and nobody else would answer and my instrument had an open seam which really affected sound badly. They picked up the phone quickly, very polite and understanding and organized a rush-repair the very next day. I must say the seam-gluing (by Elizabeth Perry) was done exceptionally well, despite the time constraints and I would definitely recommend this place to anyone in need of any repair.EDIT: Im sorry! I really didnt mean to make the name mistake - havent slept for a large part of the previous 48 hours and hence was pretty bad at basic tasks like this.
Do not come here if you are a person of color. They will talk to you in a very condescending way and/or treat you like youre an annoyance(They also act like you dont know what youre talking about). They are very patronizing in the way they provide customer service. If you dont mind being treated like this and only care about the quality of instrument service, be my guest.
Excellent and friendly service. Quality instruments. Made the process a breeze.
Liz was very patient with my son and made learning about violin care fun for him. Everyone we encountered was friendly and helpful. Highly recommend!
Incredible place. Went there today to rent a cello as a beginner. Everyone was incredibly helpful and patient, made sure I had everything I needed, and guided me in the right direction as a first time player. Highly, highly recommend you stop here.
Everyone was very Patient with me and understand and I had to reschedule my appointment two times and they was always friendly and polite
Excellent shop, with knowledgeable and friendly staff. My daughter - a beginner - had a wonderful experience picking out her first rental viola. Would recommend.
They have great selections of violins and friendly staff in which are very skilled on fixing instruments, would absolutely recommend.
Fantastic establishment! What a pleasure it was to transact with them. Very professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. There was no attempt whatsoever to rush or to oversell us; rather, their concern was finding the right bow for us., which they did. I wish that more businesses operated in this manner. This place is a treasure!
They did a quick violin repair for me while I waited, made helpful suggestions and were very nice. Worth every penny.
Wonderful shop with wonderful people. I live about an hour away from here but my viola and I will definitely be returning for all of our needs :)
While this is a specialty shop for bows (which is serious business for string players) she does other repairs also...very personable, and lovely little shop
Not surprised all reviews are 5s. I went with my daughter and the patience and knowledge shown by the staff was superb. The prices are fair as well.
Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. They helped through the entire process of selecting the right instrument and bow.
Friendly and helpful. Patiently spent hours on a busy Saturday afternoon to help us decide on a new bow and shoulder pad.
Beautiful instrument rented for a very reasomable price. Attentive and accommodating.
Wonderful service! Real expertise.
I bought my cello there, its a really nice cello.
Excellent service and cello! Needed to rent for a week for a concert.
Experts in their field! Great source for rehairs and instruments.
Great customer service and very knowledgeable staff.
The most friendly helpful staff! Lovely!
Excellent service. Always a pleasure
Excellent staff and instruments!
Total reviews rating 4.9
51 Reviews for Mount Airy Violins & Bows, LLC 2023:
Review №1
2021-11-09It was a master class in outstanding customer service. Went to four string stores to purchase a cello. Mount Airy Violin & Bows is the only one that gave me a dedicated person for an entire appointment to help me navigate my way through all the cellos and bows that I could choose from. Efren, you were a delight. Ive never been so happy to give a company lots of my money. Professional, friendly, patient, kind, and with the expertise and technical knowledge to back it all up. And no sales pressure on price point or anything at all. Blown away by this place. Theyll have my business for years to come. I loved the experience and Im so happy with my new cello. A+, 5 stars, standing ovation. I just hope I can play like Efren does one day! No pandemic puppy for me, learned the cello instead!
Review №2
2022-05-23I had high expectations for my appointment after seeing so many good reviews and reading their website, and they met and exceeded those. Gina was beyond helpful, I mentioned playing piano but never touching a string instrument and she made sure I had tape placed specific to what I do not know and what I would be able to figure out based on my prior musical knowledge. I was in and out with my rental violin in hand, paid for, all documentation signed, and all questions answered in maybe 20 minutes. Absolutely no judgement from the staff at a 24 year old male pharmacy student wanting to learn violin for the first time. Definitely go here!
Review №3
2022-06-26What a great place for string players! We did the bow trial for my daughter, and will definitely be going back when we need an upgraded cello for her. They are extremely friendly and professional, and make you feel like you are their most important part of their day. Highly recommended!
Review №4
2022-05-09I had a great experience the other day at Mount Airy Violins and Bows--the staff is incredibly polite, accommodating and knowledgable. They were able to accommodate me for the same day for a bow repair and I anticipated needing to wait the 30-60 min it would take for a repair-while-you-wait situation, but they opted to swap out the bow instead and took the time to look over the violin to provide new strings. All within about 15 min. The store itself has a very soulful atmosphere, as you are in an older home/building surrounded by beautiful instruments, so always a pleasure just stepping in the door.
Review №5
2022-07-16This is a fantastic place. My 10yo daughter has been playing violin for the past 3 years and everyone was great at helping her learn to take care of it. They were especially helpful when she had a huge growth spurt, and prepped her for a full size violin. They are kind and very patient.
Review №6
2022-07-21I was planning on going Philly to have my cello examined by its maker at another violin shop. He suggested I go to Mount Airy to get my cello and violin bows rehaired last week. Im glad I was able to get an appointment. The extra $15/ bow to have them done while I waited was totally worth it since I was traveling from Annapolis, MD. It was about $225 total for the pair and only 1.5hr wait time.Also, their hours say they open at 1:00 (which was the same as my appointment time). I arrived at 12:30, took a chance and called to see if I could drop off early. They said I could bring them in! I dont know if thats common or if I just got really lucky. Haha.Ive already recommend them to other string players in Central and Eastern PA!
Review №7
2022-05-31I have had consistently good experiences at Mount Airy Violins & Bows. Each employee excels in their role, from the business side (thank you Gina) through instrument and bow repairs to advising on a bow purchase. Many thanks to Efren and Adam for their work.
Review №8
2022-01-28I loved my experience choosing my violin at Mount Airy:) Thuy is the staff member who helped me. She is very warm, kind, and full of knowledge. She gave me advice on how to narrow done my choice as well as a list of violin teachers in my area. The place is well decorated with many small cute details. They are also doing a great job with keeping me feel safe during the pandemic— great ventilation, masked staffs, hand sanitizer, private shopping experience. Im very satisfied with my violin and would definitely recommend this place to my friends:)
Review №9
2022-08-14I can’t think of a better business, of any kind, that offers more friendly, welcoming, expert service and advice. The people here clearly love what they do, and enjoy helping others to be successful.
Review №10
2021-12-06Amazing shop! They were so helpful in my search for upgrading my violin and bow. I had several trials and they were great helping me through them. Thuy and Gina were kind and patient and I can credit them with making it easy to end up deciding to buy a lovely instrument! Thanks and I will be back!!