Having played the violin for over 40 years (I was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales under Clarence Raybould and Arthur Davidson), I have owned a considerable number of instruments including some significant Italians. During this time I have had the opportunity to use the services of many dealers and restorers in London and elsewhere.
In December 2013 I had my first set-up on my nineteenth century Italian violin undertaken by Chris King of Cardiff Violins – my experience has been refreshing. When I collected the instrument Chris and his colleagues were keen to further understand my tonal requirements and very precise adjustments were made on the spot. Two days after this, Chris phoned me at home to check that I was pleased with his work. It is now one month on and the instrument has continued to grow in tone and character. I now plan to take some of my other instruments to Cardiff for the same treatment.
In conclusion, I cannot recommend Cardiff Violins highly enough in terms of their passion for their work, their technical expertise and their commitment to the violin as a vehicle for sound production.