This place is the greatest! I’ve taken both instruments and bows here to have work done and have been very happy with the results. String changes and bow rehairs are also easy, you just make an appointment on their website. They are polite, organized, and give expert advice. Great business!

I went to Mt Airy Violins & Bows for a violin trial and I could not have been greeted more kindly and professionally than by Elizabeth and her associates! I felt very welcome and knew this business was a true friend of any violinist, whether a professional or amateur, like me. They gave me a private room and replaced the violins that I was less interested in, with even better instruments. This place deserves your consideration if you are looking to upgrade your instrument. Gary S.

Yet again, I find myself waxing ecstatic over my experiences with The Bow Whisperer aka Elizabeth Shaak at Mount Airy Violins & Bows, LLC. Or is it the Wood Whisperer. In any case. My bow had exploded (well, the tip, anyway) and I was devastated. I could not imagine that it could be repaired - but there is this tricky little technique called the Spline Repair which a very talented bow maker might be able to do, a friend told me. The only person in the Philadelphia area who might even possibly be able to do this (because - violin bow - like milking mice...) would be Elizabeth (this I heard from several people - notable authorities among them). I didnt expect that the bow would be able to be reliably playable after suffering such damage, but I was hopeful that at least I could have it in one piece - for sentimental reasons, if nothing else - and indeed Elizabeth was able to repair it! It looks gorgeous, and while I know I have to replace it for regular use, still, once in awhile, I can rosin it up and allow it to caress the strings for a bit. I could have just let it be dead and sold it for parts. But thing is, even with it at risk of blowing up in my hands again, I think it was the right thing to do, to keep it alive. I have this weird sort of spiritual connection to it. Like it had 100 years of life before it came into my hands, and who am I to just trash it because it breaks.... Ill hang it on a peg in a place of honor. It did good service to me. And Elizabeth brought it back to life.

I had a fantastic time shopping for a violin at Mt Airy Violins and Bows yesterday. To start, I felt very safe going into the shop with their Covid protocols. this may just be standard or mandated practice, but it was appreciated nonetheless. The staff is welcoming, knowledgeable, and very accommodating. They struck a perfect balance between giving me time alone with the instruments to form my own opinion, and popping in to give me their thoughts and even play a few instruments for me so I could get a sense for how they sound (when played very well). They facilitated a really special violin-buying experience (as it should be!) and Im grateful. Im going to start playing the hairs off my bow so I have an excuse to return to this wonderful shop.

I have *never* left a review for anything, but I felt compelled to share my positive experience to spread the word about this hidden gem! I am playing a wedding in a week and desperately needed some last minute maintenance and repairs for my violin (i.e. new strings and bow rehair & repair). I was kindly greeted by Efren and Elizabeth who both immediately began inspecting my instrument and asking very nuanced questions that reflected their expertise and deep appreciation for music, and I knew that my violin would be in good hands. They helped guide me to select the right strings that would be best for the tone of my violin, and they were a great resource to answer all of my music-related questions. I also brought my bow with a broken tip, which will only require a few days to repair (I dropped it off right before the weekend), and Elizabeth was very helpful in setting me up with a rental (only $15 for an entire week!) that was similar to my current bow. Finally, a shout out to Thuy for her expertise and for being so accommodating to my schedule! I asked if I could pick up my bow on Wednesday since I will be in the area for another reason on that day, and she generously allowed it even though the shop is closed every Wed.Overall, great local shop with very helpful, kind, and knowledgeable staff. Its important to find places where you trust the people and know you are getting the best care for your instrument, and this is definitely the place!

Mount Airy Violins & Bows is excellent for repairs. They repaired my fathers old cello that he has had since the 1970s - it sounds better than it has in decades. Thomas was very patient and thorough when discussing all the possible options with me. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff all around.

Do not come here if you are a person of color. They will talk to you in a very condescending way and/or treat you like youre an annoyance(They also act like you dont know what youre talking about). They are very patronizing in the way they provide customer service. If you dont mind being treated like this and only care about the quality of instrument service, be my guest.

Due to the coronavirus my experience was from the outside looking in. I can only imagine how great they are under normal circumstances. However, from the first point of contact, which was by phone, it was absolutely amazing. They are very professional, friendly, and reasonable. The atmosphere is clean and beautiful. Theyre taking above and beyond reasonable precautions to protect their customers. I really appreciate all their help in giving me practical suggestions, and tips with my instruments. I highly recommend this place for service, repairs, as well as rentals. Thank you very much!!!

My 100 year old bow developed a warp... and also needed attention because the eyelet had stripped owing to undue pressure on the frog. The repairs required were tremendously anxiety provoking, as the very act of addressing them could cause the bow to crack... Elizabeth possess supreme skill, broad and deep knowledge, and compassion - she understands what it means to leave a beloved instrument in her care. She repaired my bow and its as fabulous as it was before it developed the issues. I recommend her work wholeheartedly, and its nice to know that I have her to care for my bow in the future, should it decide to do something problematic. A big phew, and deep gratitude.

I had an excellent experience at Mt. Airy Violins. Liz patiently helped my 14 year old daughter pick out an intermediate viola that fit her needs and our budget. In addition, she offered suggestions about economical ways to repair our older viola, proper maintenance of viola and bow, as well as proper packing of instruments for overseas trip. I have had such poor customer experiences at other businesses, I shop almost exclusively online. I tried Mt Airy Violins after it was recommended to me by a String Instructor. The provided knowledgeable and professional staff made the hour drive from Bucks County...worth every minute! I was impressed with the service — and therefore I am writing my first online review to encourage others to try this well run, beautifully maintained establishment.

They did a quick violin repair for me while I waited, made helpful suggestions and were very nice. Worth every penny.

Liz assisted us in choosing a violin for my daughter. She was excellent! She related well to my daughter and listened well to help her find the violin that she liked best based on her individual preferences. She also stayed on our budget and did not pressure us in any way about one instrument over another. She clearly loves her job and loves string instruments, and that made this a great experience for a first time buyer.

When my son broke his e string on his violin during quarantine, I found Mount Airy Violins to pick up a new string. They were able to string it for me as well (thank goodness!) and do a contactless drop off and pick up. They were so helpful and ended up restringing the whole violin for me. Thank you so much!

Incredible place. Went there today to rent a cello as a beginner. Everyone was incredibly helpful and patient, made sure I had everything I needed, and guided me in the right direction as a first time player. Highly, highly recommend you stop here.

Liz was very patient with my son and made learning about violin care fun for him. Everyone we encountered was friendly and helpful. Highly recommend!

I called them late Friday evening in panic because I had an important performance Sunday and nobody else would answer and my instrument had an open seam which really affected sound badly. They picked up the phone quickly, very polite and understanding and organized a rush-repair the very next day. I must say the seam-gluing (by Elizabeth Perry) was done exceptionally well, despite the time constraints and I would definitely recommend this place to anyone in need of any repair.EDIT: Im sorry! I really didnt mean to make the name mistake - havent slept for a large part of the previous 48 hours and hence was pretty bad at basic tasks like this.

These are really nice people and provide a very comfortable experience. We have purchased 2 Cellos here. Mr. Thomas helped my daughter find the right Cello both times. My daughter is clearly a beginner and yet he treated her as if she were an advanced player. He is patient and thoughtful. He followed the same procedure both times we were there which made me feel like they approach every customer the same way.The shop is very beautiful. They have a wonderful selection of instruments. And most important, its not snobby.

Fantastic establishment! What a pleasure it was to transact with them. Very professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. There was no attempt whatsoever to rush or to oversell us; rather, their concern was finding the right bow for us., which they did. I wish that more businesses operated in this manner. This place is a treasure!

Not surprised all reviews are 5s. I went with my daughter and the patience and knowledge shown by the staff was superb. The prices are fair as well.

Excellent shop, with knowledgeable and friendly staff. My daughter - a beginner - had a wonderful experience picking out her first rental viola. Would recommend.

Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. They helped through the entire process of selecting the right instrument and bow.

Wonderful shop with wonderful people. I live about an hour away from here but my viola and I will definitely be returning for all of our needs :)

Great customer service and very knowledgeable staff.

Perhaps the best customer service experience Ive ever had. From the initial conversation on the telephone discussing my needs to my appointment in person, Liz was an extremely helpful and knowledgable guide for my first foray into all things violin. She noted my interest in luthiery and offered a nice tour of the workshops and then offered her expertise in which violins would be a good choice for me (a mandolinist). Patient and thorough - and what a lovely store. To those looking, this place deserves your business. Thank you!

Friendly and helpful. Patiently spent hours on a busy Saturday afternoon to help us decide on a new bow and shoulder pad.

They have great selections of violins and friendly staff in which are very skilled on fixing instruments, would absolutely recommend.

Beautiful instrument rented for a very reasomable price. Attentive and accommodating.

Experts in their field! Great source for rehairs and instruments.

While this is a specialty shop for bows (which is serious business for string players) she does other repairs also...very personable, and lovely little shop

The most friendly helpful staff! Lovely!

Excellent service. Always a pleasure

Excellent service and cello! Needed to rent for a week for a concert.

I bought my cello there, its a really nice cello.

Excellent staff and instruments!