Hosmer Violins: Home

Hosmer Violins is proud to serve the musical community of Central New York and beyond. Since 1970 we have been the place to go for the student, amateur, and professional string musician.

Our specialty is the sale of violins, violas, cellos, and their related bows, as well as strings, cases, and accessories. We are in constant contact with the finest workshops throughout the world to bring you the best value in instruments and bows.

All of the instruments we sell, no matter how inexpensive, are set up and adjusted in this shop to be at peak tonal, cosmetic, and physical functionality. Matching the right instrument to the player and instructing that player in its care and maintenance is our comittment. As long as you own your instrument we will be available for any care or adjustment concerns.

Professional repair and restoration go hand in hand with the sale of fine instruments, because you can’t have one without the other. With our many years of experience, you may be assured that your cherished instrument or bow will be in good hands. And, of course, the new and vintage instruments and bows we offer for sale benefit as well.

We hope you will visit us soon.

Please visit the INSTRUMENTS link for any special offers. The Vintage Instruments area now contains an up to date listing of our better instruments.

Check out the new photo story on soundpost patches. Follow this link.

NOVEMBER 2011

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah

Last May I wrote about the great increase in the quality of entry-level instruments in the last fifty years (the entry is at the bottom of this page). It's not surprising that that same great leap forward has also encompassed higher level instruments. The question that everyone asks is "how much do you have to spend to get a significantly better sounding and better looking instrument beyond the average $450 entry-level violin?" The answer starts at about $800. Sure, there are instruments between these two prices, but in the student violin field you usually have to double the price to see a marked improvement in sound and appearance. For example, an $800 violin is significantly better than one for $400; a $1500 instrument outclasses one for $800, etc. Ramping up the price also puts us in the class of instruments that begin to look really nice. Flamed maple becomes the norm; although having nothing to do with quality of sound, it has much to do with one's perception of the violin as a work of art. There is more attention to details like the shape of the corners and the carving of the scroll, and the application of the varnish is more artistically accomplished, and often tastefully antiqued.

With that in mind I have been actively engaging my suppliers for violins, violas, and cellos that are the next level and beyond from our basic instruments. The results now line the walls of the showroom. Rather than providing long-winded, glowing descriptions of each instrument (which should always be taken with a grain of salt), I have simply listed them in the column below. Each instrument is the best I can find for the price, and they are all set up in this shop. Please come in and give them a try.

VIOLINS/VIOLAS

Jian Ming Li $ 600.00

Samuel Shen Mod. SV300 $ 800.00

Tian Li $ 800.00

Xuechang Sun/C. Wynn $ 800.00/$1000.00

Snow Mod. 200 (Hu Xueping) $ 850.00

Sheng Liu Mod. 6 $ 800.00

Caprice (Yanbing Chen) $1000.00

Paolo Lorenzo (Deng Yan Shan) $1000.00/$1200.00

Peter Kaufman (Deng Yan Shan) $1200.00/$1500.00

He Guang Hong $1200.00/$1500.00

Hua Chang Jun $1200.00

Zhong Long Sheng $1200.00/$1500.00

Xiao Xiang $1500.00/$1800.00

C.L. Wynn mod. 420 Special $1500.00

Antonio Fiorini (China) $1500.00/$1800.00

Hans Werner (European Wood) $1800.00

Camillo Callegari (Guang Hong) $1800.00/$2200.00

Calin Wultur Antique Mod. 7 $2000.00

CELLOS

Tanglewood Strings $1500.00

Hua Chang Jun $2200.00

Zhong Long Sheng (Moretti) $3000.00

Xuechang Sun/C. Wynn $4000.00

HOURS: TUESDAY TO FRIDAY 11-5 SATURDAY 11-4 (SATURDAYS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY FROM JUNE 25 TO AFTER LABOR DAY)

If you have been renting, perhaps this is the time to buy your first instrument. Before you take advantage of any incentives from your rental company, be sure to explore the large selection of instruments at Hosmer Violins. Our entry level instruments are the best available, and we keep the prices on our more advanced instruments very reasonable. Of course, our price includes our own meticulous setup and adjustment, which is especially important with less expensive instruments because they are never set up properly at the factory or at the distributor. With our variable climate, even the best setup needs tweaking (seam openings, neck angle changes, sound post adjustment, etc.), and we cover these adjustments free of charge for the first three years of ownership, after which time most new instruments have become more stable. With this in mind, a free tubular humidifier is included with all instruments.

We are dedicated to providing you with quality. Whether it's instruments, bows, cases, accessories, or repairs, we offer you the best in professional service.

MAY 2011

It's spring, and the snow has just gone--it reminds me of the '50's. I'm thankful it's not the '50's when it comes to the quality of student violins, violas, and cellos. In those days the term "lead sled" not only referred to the cars of the era, but also to the violins. Entry level instruments were overbuilt for durability, and sound was the loser. It's different today. The better Chinese workshops have rewritten the rules for the construction of student instruments, and the Europeans have grudgingly emerged from their 50 year stupor and followed suit.

Now the beginner can enjoy great sound even in a 1/4 sized violin. The makers are taking the quality of small instruments far more seriously than before. Today's instruments are lighter in weight, and more care is exercised in the angle and size of the neck, the placement of the "f" holes, and the overall dimensions of the instruments. Durable finishes have been developed that don't scratch easily but still enhance the sound. It's interesting to note that you can buy a very high quality entry level violin outfit today for less than $600. In the '50's far inferior instruments cost $300, which, adjusted for inflation, would today be over $1500.

At Hosmer Violins we are committed to providing you with the finest instruments available. All instruments sold by us are set up and adjusted in our shop for optimum playability. Please visit and read the section on "Setup" and you will have an idea what goes into that process. Our entry level instruments are from the shops of Eastman Strings, Deng Yan Shan, and Xuechang Sun.

We are particularly picky about the quality of not only our instruments, but also about the bows and cases that accompany them. Our fiberglass and carbon fiber bows come from Glasser, and we feature cases from Bobelock and Concord. The new "Cocoon" cases have taken the technology from the luggage industry and applied it to a durable yet very affordable lightweight cello case that sells for a mere $225.

More advanced new instruments come from many shops in China, Romania, and Germany. New Pernambuco bows come almost exclusively from a small number of shops in Brazil. In all cases we are able to choose from the best the world has to offer. Strings and accessories are a very important part of any violin shop, and we have a large selection. A collection of over 150 vintage instruments keeps us busy, and as we restore, set up, and offer them for sale their photos and descriptions will appear on the website.

We are constantly honing our repair and restoration skills. Constant contact with our colleagues around the world keeps us up to date on new techniques and materials, providing the string playing community with services usually found only in large violin shops in major cities.

Stated above are the reasons why it makes little sense to purchase instruments and bows from the internet or from shops hundreds of miles away. We stand behind what we sell and what we do, backed up by expertise based on a lifetime of work and study.

Last November we began our 40th year serving the musical community of Central New York and beyond. It’s a pleasure to meet the children and, in a few cases, the grandchildren of our first customers of so long ago.