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“Your violin
is in very appreciative hands. I'm sorry I haven't sent a note sooner
to say how pleased I am with the violin. I am enjoying it more and
more every day. Simon James from the Seattle Symphony
played it and spoke favorably about it!
You may also
be pleased to know that after I left your shop calling it my own, we went
to the other shop to return the other bows, and they had two instruments
ready for me to try at three times the price. I thought I still had bought the best
instrument.”
-from a teacher and symphony member
“I am very
impressed with the level of service and knowledge you provided during my
undertaking of looking for a new violin.
During my visit to your shop, you were very friendly and patient. Furthermore, you went the extra mile by
giving interesting insight into the history and care of the violin. Overall, a wonderful experience and I
look forward to doing business with you in the future!”
-from a classical violinist
“I have been very pleased with the
quality of service you have given me and my students.
Most recently, you patiently walked a
family through a violin purchase, helping them make a difficult
decision. Earlier you restored the
camber on my bow, bringing it back to its original playing capability, and
gave me thorough and prompt appraisals of my instruments for insurance. I trust your professionalism, and regard
you as a very honest and capable technician”
--from a classical string teacher
“You rebuilt the bow for my violin built
in 1902 by my grandfather for his daughter, my mother. You thought it was a
good bow, and proved it by rebuilding it. You were right. I wouldn’t have trusted just any
repairman with it. I have enjoyed visiting with you, picking your brains
for expertise on stringed instruments. You’re a good man and a good
craftsman.”
--from a fiddle/mandolin player,
age 75
“Just wanted to thank you for your fine
work on my violin! It sounds terrific! The harmonics ring! You’ve worked
miracles on it! I was just about ready to trade it in.”
--from a classical violinist
“I have found your work to be
excellent. You have been honest with
us in terms of what amount of repair our instruments truly need.”
--from a Public School Fine Arts
Administrator
“We purchased two violins and two bows.
All have been of excellent quality.
He pays meticulous attention to setting
up each violin properly, and thoroughly
backs up the work he does. He also pays close attention to the
quality of the violins he selects to restore, and prices them fairly.
Besides restoring high quality instruments and bows, He has a love of the
instruments, and takes great pleasure in seeing them placed in the hands of
deserving students and professionals. We have always recommended him to our
friends.”
--from the parents of two violin students
“Hi! Thank you so very much for both
selling that nice old violin and for the education about violins! It was an
absolute delight to work with you and now I feel I have a luthier that I
can count on for repairs as well. It was an all around pleasant and
profitable experience and for that I thank you very much. I hope to do
business with you again in the not too distant future.”
--from a partner in a violin
consignment sale
“When you made changes/repairs or
adjustments to my instrument or bow I could always hear and feel
the improvement. You have made the single most significant contribution to
my enjoyment of and quality of my violin and fiddle playing”
--from
a classical violinist
“I had a chance to finally play the
violin and it sounds great! Specifically it seems to have more resonance and
sounds a bit louder. The tone seems to ring, as if you opened up something
inside of it! The pegs are working much easier and the G is much easier to
adjust. Thanks for your magic touch!”
--from a classical violinist
“Repair work has been high quality.
We’ve appreciated the fairness with pricing as well”
--from a music store owner
“He’s been a true trooper & help to
musicians in our community. He’s been a big help in the
repair/refurbishment of two string instruments I inherited—a violin and
viola. Both will soon be active as loan instruments to the Symphony.”
--from
a local Symphony Board Member
“I just wanted to tell you how glad I am
with what you did to my violin. I just played Mendelssohn’s concerto with a
piano player on a Knabe Grand. My Rocca soared better than any Strad,
Guarneri, or Amati. I was just delighted. Thanks so much for your wonderful
shop.”
--from
a teacher and performer
“He treats each instrument that comes
into his shop as his own and gives each the individual care it deserves.
You can trust him to be careful with your prized instruments. You will get
more than your money’s worth in any repair work done. And to top it all
off, he’s a nice guy and easy to work with.”
--from
a violin owner
“You carved a new bridge and soundpost
for my 1890’s cello.
The improvement in sound has been
phenomenal! I found your work of the highest quality, and the prices
reasonable. You have done work beyond my expectations.”
--from a cello performer and
teacher
“Your violin #12 came yesterday. It is
just what I wanted and expected—I love the tone and lively action. My
conductor at symphony will be pleased.”
--from
a soloist and orchestral player
“I purchased a Stradivarius copy from
you in April ’97. You were very helpful in making adjustments over the
following period of time to adapt the violin to my particular needs. I
found you to be knowledgeable about the instrument and meticulous in your
work.”
--from a classical violinist and
fiddler
“I am writing to express my satisfaction
with the excellent string instrument repair work you have done for our
Public Schools. Your shop is over 150 miles away, but the quality of your
work leads us to do business with you in spite of the distance. You attend
to details, point out, and correct problems that could lead to more costly
repairs if left unattended. I can recommend you without reservation.”
--from a Music Supervisor, Public
Schools
“I sincerely appreciate the work you
have done. You really did a fine
job. I will recommend you at every
opportunity.”
--from a fiddler/violinist
“Your work is most professional and your
stand behind your repairs. Several years ago, I was able to purchase one
the fine instruments that you had restored. It’s a terrific instrument. You
were even able to provide a history of the instrument—interesting. Since my
purchase, I have assisted students in getting their instruments. You have
been fair and equally accommodating. It is a pleasure to work with you. You
are knowledgeable and excited about your work.”
--from a string teacher (Public Schools & private lessons)
“We had a cherished family violin
restored at his shop last year. The
work was far beyond our expectations.
He analyzed the instrument’s problems and knew how to correct them.”
--from a classical string teacher
“He knows and loves his instruments, and
as a result provides very personal and high quality service to his
customers.”
--from a classical violinist
“You take a sincere interest in your
customers and your service is outstanding.”
--from an award-winning fiddler
“Hey there-
I'm a 21 year old college student and I've decided to learn the
fiddle. I got one today! It
seems very nice, has a very nice tone to it, and I got a great deal on it. I'm already having a blast with it.”
“If you don't
mind me asking, where did you find it?”
“I got it from
a shop called Kenmore Violins. The guy in there was
SUPER nice and helpful. I've been
playing it a LOT the past few days. I've been
trying to get vibrato down too, but that is very tricky. But it sounds fantastic!!!!!”
--excerpts from thread posted on www.fiddleforum.com
“Jeff at Kenmore Violins is a wonderful and friendly
resource who’s a wealth of information and is generous with advice and has
quite reasonable rates. I’m not sure what it is about the violin guys, but
they are the most helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable music-related
business people I’ve ever run across.”
--posted on www.fiddleforum.com
“The recent work you completely on my
violin has made it sound twice as resonant and rich as before! Thank you
for the careful job at such a reasonable rate”
--from
a violinist/fiddler
“Thank
you for fixing my cello so quickly.
Now I can play in my recital.
Thank you so much for making this possible.” --from a young player
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