What do you do with a Tonareli Violin Case?

One of our customers brought her pink Tonareli violin case in today and we were very impressed with how she customized it!

The case now matches her "Pirate" violin, shown below...

When is it time for a tune-up?

While instrument maintenance is a subject that we have discussed in the past, it's never too soon for a reminder...

Here at A. Cavallo Violins, we really care about keeping your instruments in the best condition. Players performing on their instruments every day often do not notice incremental changes in adjustment and condition. Therefore it is always wise to have your instrument looked at by someone on the outside.

Here are a few checkpoints:

1. What it the health of your strings? Some strings go dead before going false, and you may have not noticed it over the course of weeks or months. (We sell strings at the same price as all major on-line sellers, and never charge for installation).

A Badly Managed Bridge!!

2. Is your bridge properly placed and straight? Keeping your bridge straight is a skill all advanced players should know. The multiple pounds of downward pressure or a bridge will warp it if it is not maintained.

3. Does your instrument have any openings or cracks? Sometimes even a very small open seam that is hard to see can significantly affect your tone. The smaller the opening, the less cost of repair!

4. Are the fittings in good shape? Fingerboards recurrently need re-shaping, tailpieces can be cracked and the improper length or weight, tailguts can be in danger of breaking, and peg shafts can become warped or out of round. All of these things can severely impact your playing, and are often easy and inexpensive to fix.

We must see each instrument before estimating cost and time necessary to complete each repair. Unfortunately it is impossible to estimate from a telephone call or pictures.

We pride ourselves at having trustworthy repair and restoration staff that includes Mark Womack, Dirk Henry, Cesario Amesquita, and Dane Anderson doing work for us. Many adjustments and repairs can be done by the next day because of our resources.

As always, we recommend a humidifier for your case and never ever leaving your instrument in a cold or hot car.

A (slightly belated) Thanksgiving Post

Happy Holidays!

We're thankful for new creations by living makers...

We are consistently impressed by the quality and beauty, both in sound and appearance, of instruments by living makers such as Christopher Jacoby (above) and Dirk Henry (below).

These instruments are in high demand. For instance, we bought a beautiful violin by Christopher Ulbricht at VSA a few weeks ago and it is already sold!

Two of our recent arrivals in the shop are new violins, both by young American makers. Christopher Jacoby lives and works in Salt Lake City, while Dirk Henry works in our very own Omaha shop. It is our desire to encourage and promote the standard of violin making worldwide and these two instruments are excellent examples of the marvelous and beautiful work being done by living makers.

Both of these stunning instruments are currently in our Omaha shop and available for purchase. If you would like more information, please give us a call, toll-free, at 1-877-838-6222 or send us an email at acvsales@gmail.com

Top 5 reasons why we love instruments by living makers:

5. They are a great investment

4. They can be repaired and adjusted by the maker

3. They are more stable and less likely to have damage

2. Instruments are of exceptional quality for the price

1. If it is well-cared for, an instrument by a living maker will last a life-time and beyond

Tons of Terrific Tonewood

Beautiful Backs from Bosnia

We recently received a shipment of gorgeous Bosnian maple tonewood. It is very light and strong with a beautiful flame. The one-piece violin backs are particularly spectacular. These pieces will go quickly, so contact us immediately if you are interested.

Additionally, we have over 100 Sitka, Engelmann, and Italian spruce violin tops available. Contact us to learn more:

acvsales@gmail.com or call toll-free 877-838-6222

Fit(tings) for a Maker

Our "Maker's Level" premium fittings made from Sri Lankan ebony and Indian rosewood have been hand-polished to a beautiful finish. The fittings are currently available in outfits for violin only. We will have "Maker's Level" fittings available for sale at our Violin Society of America booth.

Speaking of VSA...

Will you be in the Baltimore area between November 3-5, 2011? Stop by our booth at the Violin Society of America Convention in Timonium, MD. While you're there you can see our beautiful tonewood and Maker's Level fittings and learn more about the Art of Sound 2012 Violin Making Competition and Exhibition. We look forward to seeing you at VSA, or in our Omaha or Philadelphia shops.

See more pictures and read the entire post here.

Sincerely,

Alex and Mark

The Art of Sound 2012

The Art of Sound International Violin Making Competition

This March a new violin making competition will be held in Omaha, Nebraska. Judges for the competition are John Waddle, Amos Hargrave, and Stephanie Voss. Application forms and guidelines are available now. Only fifty violins will be accepted for the first competition. Admissions will be on a rolling, first come first served, basis. Only full time established professional makers will be accepted.

Significant dates to note:

November 15, 2011 Application deadline

January 10, 2012 Acceptance deadline

March 1, 2012 Instruments must arrive in Omaha

March 29, 2012 Judging begins

March 31, 2012 Awards dinner

April 14, 2012 End of "The Art of Sound" Exhibition

Call us any time for details and for an application. Forward this notice to your friends!

Local: 402.827.9270, Toll-free: 1.877.838.6222

View the application form here

Philadelphia!

Philadelphia is open for business!

Good news from the East Coast:
Our Philadelphia store is now open!

Our Location:

831 West Lancaster Ave

Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

(610) 646-7400



A new location is a great challenge for us. We are doing it for you! We examined our past customers, and realized that we have over 1,500 customers already in the Philadelphia area and many makers and dealers with easy driving distance. Our new location should make it much easier for those of you on the east coast to have a chance to take advantage of our great selection of new makers' instruments that is unrivaled.

We believe that we have found violins, violas, cellos and basses that have the maximum investment value for you, and intend to give you the finest customer service experience possible with our warranties, fine repairs, generous trade-in program and unrivaled rental program.

We look forward to seeing you at our new Bryn Mawr location, in Omaha, or at the VSA meeting in November!

Sincerely,

Alex