We pay top dollar for most stringed instruments. Although we’re mostly interested in antique Italian and French instruments, we’ll take a look at anything. If you live nearby and can bring your instrument to the shop, a decision can usually be made within 15 minutes and payment is immediate. If we decide not to buy your instrument, we’ll be happy to direct you to someone else who might want to buy it.
Don’t be concerned if the instrument isn’t strung up or is damaged. Oftentimes these are insignificant expenses compared to the value of the actual instrument. The same goes for bows. If there is no hair or the mechanical parts aren’t working properly, chances are it won’t strongly impact our offer.
For those of you who live in the area, please call to schedule an appointment for an in-house appraisal. If you live too far away to visit our shop in person, you can email us pictures of your instrument. Send us a message through our contact form. We can still determine the value as well as spare you the time, effort, and expense involved in traveling to our location. It’s easy to ship instruments to us. Call us for packing and shipping information or email us directly at info@zaretandsonsviolins.com .
For more expensive instruments, a percentage of its value may be used to determine an appraisal fee. Please call for details.