Business Details
We have been serving Boston musicians since our founding in 1993. We specialize in providing fine violins, violas, and modern instruments for players of every level. We operate a spacious showroom on Massachusetts Avenue where clients can test instruments at their leisure. We offer expert tonal adjustment, a technique we learned from renowned mentors in the Boston Symphony Orchestra. We balance the soundpost and bridge to produce a big, smooth, sustained sound with a broad tonal palette. We have helped musicians eliminate physical strain caused by poorly setup instruments, reducing tendinitis for several players.
We match each instrument to the individuals playing style, skill level, and longterm musical goals. We maintain the highest professional standards, ensuring transparent evaluations and honest recommendations. We serve students, amateur ensembles, and seasoned professionals worldwide, drawing on experience from Europe and the United States. We are committed to ongoing education and stay current with modern luthiery practices to benefit our clients. We pride ourselves on delivering personalized service that results in superior musicianship and lasting satisfaction.
We match each instrument to the individuals playing style, skill level, and longterm musical goals. We maintain the highest professional standards, ensuring transparent evaluations and honest recommendations. We serve students, amateur ensembles, and seasoned professionals worldwide, drawing on experience from Europe and the United States. We are committed to ongoing education and stay current with modern luthiery practices to benefit our clients. We pride ourselves on delivering personalized service that results in superior musicianship and lasting satisfaction.
Highlights and features
- We have over 30 years of violin expertise.
- Our tonal adjustment technique balances sound-post and bridge.
- We match each instrument to the musicians specific needs.
- Our adjustments have reduced tendinitis for several players.
- We serve students, amateurs, and professional musicians worldwide.
Services
Instrument Sales
We offer a curated selection of fine violins, violas, and modern instruments for students, amateurs, and professionals. Each instrument is displayed in our Boston showroom where clients can test play at their leisure. Our knowledgeable staff guides buyers to the model that best fits their playing style and budget.
Tonal Adjustment
We specialize in precise tonal adjustment, balancing the soundpost and bridge to enhance resonance. Using intonation as the primary metric, we achieve a smooth, sustained sound with a broad tonal palette. Clients report reduced physical strain and a more singing voice after our expert setup.
Instrument Consultation
We assess each musicians skill level, playing style, and artistic goals to recommend the ideal instrument. Our process considers subtle criteria such as playability, tonal balance, and longterm development. This personalized matching helps students and professionals achieve superior musicianship quickly.
Instrument Evaluation
We conduct comprehensive evaluations to identify any structural or acoustic issues that may affect performance. Our assessment includes checking the bridge, fingerboard, soundpost, and overall integrity for optimal function. Findings are presented transparently, allowing owners to make informed repair decisions and preserve the instruments voice.
Reviews (5)
Daniel Fuentes
Mar 31, 2022
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I'm not usted to do this but I think this can be helpful to others. Around a month ago, I was visiting Boston with my wife. We are both profesional cellists. I needed to change the endpin from my cello and I searched on Google the nearest luthier from where I was staying. Since it was a simple job to be done as he said by the phone, I went to New England Violins. This Paul started to work on my cello and we were very surprised in how he did his work because he treated my cello very careless.
The tailpiece and strings were hanging from the cello as he moved, they kept banging everything the touch. I asked him to please stop, but he didnt hear me since he was on the phone the entire time he was working on the cello. At this point I had to grab the cello from his hands and paid for his awful job and we left. I dont like my instrument to be banged around. I do not recomend this place at all.
Be careful. Later I checked there were a los of places much better than this one and they knew this awful luthier. I Added a photo of the transaction so the awful luthier does not try to lie about this.
The tailpiece and strings were hanging from the cello as he moved, they kept banging everything the touch. I asked him to please stop, but he didnt hear me since he was on the phone the entire time he was working on the cello. At this point I had to grab the cello from his hands and paid for his awful job and we left. I dont like my instrument to be banged around. I do not recomend this place at all.
Be careful. Later I checked there were a los of places much better than this one and they knew this awful luthier. I Added a photo of the transaction so the awful luthier does not try to lie about this.
George Monaco
Feb 11, 2022
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My daughter needed a shoulder rest for her viola. The owner, Paul, was very courteous and knowledgeable. He helped my daughter pick the best shoulder rest for her.
Kelly Frazier
Aug 18, 2021
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Paul is knowledgeable and engaging, he helped me find just the right 7/8 cello to fit my small hands! He set me up with a very fine instrument at a fair price and made sure I was happy with the set up before I left. His shop outshines others in the area.
Virginia Hutton
Mar 31, 2021
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I went to New England Violins to inquire about selling a violin. The owner could not have been nicer, more quick to respond, and above all, totally honest. He gave me a great price and I learned a lot about violins from our chat. I could not recommend more.
Victoriola Bob The Fifth
Mar 07, 2018
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I originally came in just to buy a viola mute. Instead, I was treated to a 45 minute adventure in improving my technique, and got to see and try a large exhibit of violas of wildly different shapes and sizes, led by Paul himself. I've been playing for about 4 years, and he fixed my posture and shifting in approximately 15 minutes. I left the store with the mute, a shoulder rest, and a wealth of new knowledge on everything relating to violas. Paul is an amazing and friendly person, and this store is hands-down the best store on string instruments that I've had the pleasure of experiencing.
