Testimonials

I had a wonderful day at Cardiff Violins last week. I had been looking forward to upgrading my cello for several months and was not disappointed when the day arrived.  Cecile, Chris, and Katja seemed as enthusiastic as I was to find the right instrument for me. Katja played thirteen cellos with patience and good humour and guided me through the selection process (my enthusiasm is far greater than my prowess!). She quickly established the sort of sound I was looking for and helped me draw up a shortlist of four or five cellos.  To be honest, they all sounded beautiful when Katja played them but there was one lovely, old French instrument that inspired me from the start. I used some of my inheritance from my parents to pay for it and I think Mum and Dad would have approved.  I am so glad that I chose Cardiff Violins to help me on my quest. They are a great team and their expertise was only matched by their warmth and desire to help me. Thanks, guys.  

The quality of work carried out by Chris King of Cardiff Violins is best exemplified by my experience when leader of the Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera.  During this period I was playing on a long pattern Stradivari of 1693 and had tried many different set-ups from the top luthiers of London and Paris.  After the work carried out by Chris King, the improvement in sound and ease of playing made the instrument a joy to play and, I believe, brought this wonderful instrument the closest to its true potential.

Chris King was first recommended to me by a dealer in London who suggested I was making unnecessary journeys to the capital for work on my violin, when there was an excellent repairer in Cardiff. That was thirty years ago, and since then I have had major work done by him on my 1879 Audinot. He repaired the scroll after an encounter with a frenzied viola player's "down bow" left a nasty crack. He also restored the varnish on the back after the violin had been left in storage in 100 degree heat at Hong Kong airport, melting it and even fusing it into the case. Both repairs were immaculate. Over the years, Chris and Cecile have always made time to remedy any problems I might have, and we are very lucky in Cardiff to have such a wonderful, friendly service close at hand.

Cécile and Chris at Cardiff Violins, I just wanted to say thanks on behalf of my friend Sherlock Holmes for the violin he recently purchased from you. He would thank you himself; only, well Sherlock doesn’t really do that sort of thing.  You were extremely patient with him, much more than he deserved, which I should also thank you for, as a lot of people find him ‘difficult’. Thought you handled the situation very well, especially when he insisted on deducing the history of each instrument he picked up, in addition to identifying the rosin dust from each bow that had previously been used! Anyway, sorry about that, he’s always like it and yes it does get annoying, but at least you don’t have to live with him.

It is rare to find a shop where you feel you can relax and take your time; at Cardiff Violins they respect that choosing the right instrument can be a long process and requires a relaxed environment in which to make these important decisions. The staff are so welcoming, always at hand to help and advise or simply to bring you a fresh cup of tea, and they also know when to allow the customer some privacy in order to get to know their instrument of choice. Having an instrument that you feel proud of and helps you to play at your best is so important and is something that all at Cardiff Violins are fully aware of.

I have bought my wonderful Benoit Rolland and Joseph Arthur Vigneron bows from Cardiff Violins over the years, and I could not thank them enough for the enormous help and kind support they have given me. The bows are perfect for me, and make me enjoy practising and performing even more. My Vimercatti violin was acquired through Cardiff Violins four years ago. I was looking for a violin at the time and was contacted about an Italian violin which had just come in. It was made in the 18th century and has a beautiful rich tone. I am very happy with it and very fortunate to have it in my possession. www.juliahwang.com

The violin case arrived yesterday, and my daughter is very satisfied!!!!!  So thank you for your service. I will always recommend you to my friends! www.gospellights.dk

I'm a GelRest addict! It really helps to get a better purchase on the violin with less effort, thus reducing any excess tension which in turn makes it more relaxing to play! I always buy my GelRests and other violin accessories from Cardiff Violins as they're such good value and  super quick to order from!