Why Buy from Us?

  • Are you a beginner who wants to rent a quality instrument that is properly set up?
  • Do you have a talented child or student who desperately needs a top grade instrument in a fractional size?
  • Are you an advanced student or professional player looking for a beautifully handcrafted instrument set up to sound its absolute best, and play and feel like it should?
  • And are you keen to try out the latest innovations in stringed instrument accessories?

Virtuoso Strings specialises in offering a stunning variety of fine stringed instruments and accessories at prices unmatched around New Zealand.

We encourage all string players to make an appointment to visit our showroom and try out a range of different instruments and bows in a relaxed and friendly environment. At Virtuoso Strings you will get a huge amount of personalised care and attention to help you select the instrument best suited to your budget and playing style. We really know the products we sell, since we use them ourselves, as do the students we teach and our own five children! But we won’t put you under pressure or give you the ‘sales talk’ as we believe each instrument speaks for itself!

Don't want to commit a lot of cash before you are convinced you have chosen the right instrument? Or maybe you can't decide between two instruments and want to play both of them over an extended period of time.  For a $40 trial fee per instrument and a $20 trial fee per bow, advanced students and professional players are welcome to take up to two instruments and three bows home on trial for up to ten days. Trial fees for instruments or bows purchased within 10 days are refunded.

And there are no worries for out-of-town players. If you are a professional player or a student whose teacher is known to us, we are happy to send you (the professional player) or the teacher an instrument or bow to evaluate for the usual trial fee. If you decide not to buy the instrument then simply courier it back within ten days. Purchase the instrument or bow within 10 days and get your trial fee refunded. An additional instrument or bow may be trialed if you pay the additional courier fees.

In fact we like to make sure there is absolutely no risk at all purchasing from Virtuoso Strings! It's simple. Any instrument purchased may be returned within 10 days for a full refund,  provided it is returned in new condition. See our Returns Policy.

Online orders are dispatched via Courier Post around 1pm each day. So if, for example, you order a violin in the morning, you should generally expect to receive it the next day. Now that's great service! Shipping is free within New Zealand for all orders over $100. Orders totalling $100 or less ship for a flat fee of $10.

We operate an extremely generous trade-in policy to make it affordable for students to upgrade their instruments over time. Look after your violin, viola or cello, and you can trade it in for up to 75% of the purchase price. We offer up to 70% of the purchase price when you trade in a package that includes violin and bow, and up to 60% trade-in for bows.

If you are a beginner and want a hassle free alternative to purchasing an instrument then start by renting a quality instrument that won't make the teacher's heart sink. The first two months rental may even be put towards the purchase price of a new instrument. Monthly rental rates are $34 for violins, $42 for violas and $60 for cellos.

Most of the violins, violas, cellos and double basses we sell are handcrafted in Chinese workshops, then shipped to Wellington where they undergo a comprehensive setup by professional  luthiers or string specialists with decades of experience. Any teacher will agree that it is almost impossible to learn and perform on a poorly set up instrument. For this reason we are incredibly discerning in who we choose to set up our instruments, and employ only leaders in the field of stringed instrument restoration. We also use only the finest quality parts eg. authentic Wittner tailpieces from Germany and European-made strings. We don't take shortcuts so you won't be disappointed by cheap imitation parts or 'shipping' strings! You can rest assured that the instrument you purchase has been set up by a skilled expert to optimise its tone and playability. In other words it will sound as good as humanly possible, and it will feel 'right' to play. Aspects we routinely address in our extensive setup process include the following:

  • A new soundpost, tailor made and fitted
  • A new high grade bridge, tailor made and fitted
  • The fitting of the pegs
  • The smoothing of the fingerboard
  • A new top quality tailpiece and tail nylon
  • The adjustment of the topnut and string heights
  • New strings to match the inherent characteristics of the instrument

We also simplify your decision-making by offering only the finest quality accessories - products that we personally believe in and are proud to recommend. And if you are trying to find the best strings for your instrument, you will find our upfront, honest appraisal of different brands invaluable.

Looking for even more good reasons to buy from Virtuoso Strings? Then check out what our satisfied customers say on the Testimonials page.