Services
My commitment to you: Personal, professional and timely service.
In contrast to larger shops with repair departments, I perform all the work on your instrument. Therefore, you are assured that your instrument or bow gets the expert attention that you deserve. I deeply value the personal relationship I develop with you and your instrument. I keep a detailed history of your instrument, which saves time and money in needless troubleshooting and repairs in the future. I make a special effort to communicate with my clients and to be mindful of performance schedules. To be sure you are not without an instrument, I always have “loaner” instruments and bows available if a lengthy repair is necessary.
My full-service shop offers:
- Instrument and Bow Sales
- Custom Instrument Commissions
- Rental
- Repair / Restoration
- Set-Up and Tone Adjustment
- Bow Rehair
- Insurance Appraisals
- Accessories for Violin-Family Instruments
I see customers by appointment in order to make the best use of everyone’s time.
Instrument and Bow sales
I am very selective in the instruments and bows I choose to represent. My inventory for the student and professional is always changing, so please contact me and come in for a personal consultation and I will ensure that you find what you are looking for. All instruments and bows are held to the same standards of condition and setup, regardless of value.
I offer my own handcrafted concert violins, violas and cellos directly to players. Click here to see examples of my work.
You will also find my instruments in shops in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Greenville, Raleigh. Please call me to find a shop near you.
Commissions
The advantage of commissioning an instrument from me is that the you can choose the wood, and customize certain aspects of the instrument. When you purchase one of my instruments, you are guaranteed excellence in quality, and consistency in playability and overall performance. However, every handmade instrument, like every player, has a particular personality and character of its own. Therefore, commissions are not binding. I want everyone who owns Swanson instrument to be fully satisfied.
Please call or e-mail for details, pricing and waiting times.
Repair / Restoration
Whether your instrument needs major restoration, has an old neglected crack, is making a new mysterious noise, or if it just doesn’t play or sound the way it used to, I have years of troubleshooting experience and offer creative solutions to solve problems you may encounter.
Setup and Sound Adjustment
All of the changeable parts on the violin are referred to as the “setup”. This includes the fingerboard, nut, pegs, tailpiece, saddle, sound post, bridge and strings. The care and crafting of these elements is critical to the playability and performance of the instrument. The proper adjustment of these parts is as important to the sound of your instrument as the construction of the box itself.
Violins, violas and cellos are dynamic instruments and are constantly changing due to variations in temperature and humidity. String tension and vibration coupled with expansion and contraction of wood create the need for periodic adjustment. To ensure that your instrument leaves my shop performing to its potential, I use specific, time-tested setup measurements and standards which I have learned from years of experience.
Bow Rehair
I use only the best hair available when I re-hair your bow. All the hanks are carefully hand sorted to assure evenness in color, texture, strength and overall performance.