String Instrument Store in Philadelphia
Fegley Instruments & Bows in Reading, PA, specializes in hand making and restoring violins, violas, cellos and guitars, as well as in violin setup and soundpost adjustment. Whether you are a student, a professional musician or a collector, our string instrument store in the Philadelphia area can help you find an instrument that has the projection, playability and sound quality that will enable you to make beautiful music.
New handmade and vintage violins, violas, cellos and bows
We offer a fine selection of new handmade stringed instruments and bows in a wide range of prices. Our master luthier, and Fegley’s owner, Joe McDevitt, was traditionally trained at the prestigious North Bennet Street School in Boston, and worked closely with both Marco Coppiardi, a master violin maker from Cremona, Italy, and Hans J. Nebel, a world-renowned violin restorer. Joe is passionate about his art/craft and committed to matching you with a fine instrument and/or bow that is tailored to your needs.
When choosing a stringed instrument, we recommend that you bring along your own bow, one you’re already comfortable using. To assess the instrument’s full range, come prepared with a challenging piece of music. Test the instrument, listening for balance, projection and power. Repeat the piece on each instrument to note the strengths and weaknesses of each one.
It may help to bring along someone who can play the instruments while you listen. Always listen for buzzes and other acoustical signals of a poorly constructed or damaged instrument. They may be able to be fixed. Keep an open mind about price and origin; you may find that you prefer the cheaper cello if you give it a chance.
Selecting your ideal bow may be harder than finding the perfect instrument. Make sure the bows you try are in ready-to-play condition. Listen very carefully for the sound the bow produces from the frog to the tip. Make sure it feels comfortable in your hand and easy for you to use.
It’s important to choose a bow that is suitable for you, regardless of price, origin or someone else’s opinion.
Restoration and repair of old and new violins, violas, cellos, guitars and bows
Humidity and temperature cause stress on neglected instruments as time goes on. There may also be holes, cracks or damage to the finish. We will walk you through the repair or restoration process whether the your cherished instrument or bow needs reshaping, seam repairs, neck resetting, puncture and crack repair, pegbox repair, bridge replacement, soundpost patching, fingerboard planning, varnish restoration, or any number of other repairs.
Fegley Instruments & Bows will carefully restore the original craftsmanship and musical tone to return violins, violas, cellos, guitars and bows to peak performance and beauty. We guarantee our craftsmanship and will ensure that your instrument sounds as good as it possibly can.
Our string instrument store in Philadelphia offers an extensive and continually expanding collection of fine instruments and bows for everyone from professional orchestral musicians, to jazz, rock, country and world music artists, as well as students and amateurs in Reading, Allentown, New York and elsewhere in the area. We also offer violin setup, soundpost adjustment and bow rehairing. Visit us today to experience our expert craftsmanship and service.