I decided to upgrade the NS Wav violin I bought from EVS a few years back. (Mostly for the same reason everybody who moves on from the NS Wav does so: because its shoulder rest system just basically doesn't work.) I ordered a 3Dvarius online, but I didn't like the tone so I sent it back, which all went fine. But that led me to realize that the only practical way to pick out an instrument I liked was to go to the shop in person. That's a bit of a production since it's in North Carolina and I'm in California, but hey, that's why they have airplanes. So I went, and I spent pretty much an entire day playing every 4-string they carry. (Sadly, I'm too set in my ways to handle 5-strings.) They were incredibly welcoming and helpful and knowledgeable and informative, and if they were annoyed by my playing the same thing over and over at fairly high volume, they didn't show it. I eventually picked out a Cantini Canaletto (see pic), which they customized with Wittner geared pegs in time for me to catch my flight home. This was an altogether satisfying experience. I have nothing but good things to say about EVS, and I highly recommend them to anyone who's looking for an electric violin. read more

Electric Violin Shop - Me with the new fiddle. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

What can I say? I purchased a 3dvarius new violin for $2300 and it arrived with prior damage on it. The area by the nut had been clearly repaired with some kind of putty. There is a long scratch on the back that was coloured in with a wood pencil. And, worst of all--the chinrest's metal prong was dislodged on one side and the metal prongs scratched and bent, making it impossible to even place it on my shoulder to try the violin, since the chinrest is only attached on one side, and the other side is out of whack and it's all wobbly. So disappointing. I call the shop and they tell me it's shipping damage and can I wait for them to contact Fed Ex to get a claim filed and they'll call France to see if the damage can be repaired. Hello? You shipped me a used and repaired and damaged violin, that I cannot play. How about, we're very sorry. Here's your prepaid shipping label to ship it back, and refund my $2300. I bought a Yamaha violin from them a couple years back and everything went great. The case I purchased for it is difficult to open and close so that was not great but it's a pretty purple. I use it for a violin that mostly stays home, not the electric. What has happened to our beloved EVS? I'd hesitate to purchase here now. When I asked them: what happened, they said, well yes, we know about the scratch on the back of the violin and we know that we used epoxy on the nut area to get rid of a buzz, but we figured if you liked the violin, we could always offer you 5% off if you noticed the damage. Huh? This one is going back and I hope I get my $2300 back or I'm going to be very upset. Update: I did get my $2300 back on my credit card after I shipped it back with a prepaid Fed Ex label they sent me after much going back and forth. I hope this company is able to maintain it's self. I did like my first purchase (the Yamaha violin, which I still play on regularly). read more

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I ordered my 6 string Viper a few years ago from the Electric Violin Shop. I love it! But importantly, the Electric Violin Shop is my go to source for violin strings etc. even though they are across the country. I just ordered strings and they not only arrived earlier than expected, they included a kind handwritten note of thanks that simply made my day. read more

Electric Violin Shop - My Viper Violin from the Electric Violin Shop. Love you guys! - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Wonderful experience. Ordered my EU Bass Monday morning, had it Tuesday morning. Before I ordered it, I had some questions and the staff was super helpful, knowledgeable, and prompt in replying to my E-Mails. The Bass came very safely packaged and in pristine condition, along with a warm, handwritten note from the staff. I can't recommend them enough. read more

Bought Bose L1 model 2 with B2 base and tonematch audio engine on Amazon from a store called "The Electric shop". I went onto their website and saw all the pictures of their staff and read the story about the owner Blaise and his passion for music. I read their policys and all the different conditions and reviews. I felt comfortable enough based on what I read about Blaise and his team and the company "The Electric Violin shop " and we had been looking at this exact model for our son for awhile, we bought it for him and celebrated with him that we could afford his system and take his music to the next level. When we typed in our credit card information it came to $2,178 including free shipping new. I did my research I looked at all the reviews I read all the pictures and photos and stories of the owner and how we got started and why and I saw the smiling faces of all of his employees. and I purchased. When I called up there I talked to a woman named Susie Sneeringer. She's very short and kept interrupting me rushing me. she told me tough luck that they made a mistake and if they put it on the line and that they don't have to honor it. and I told her the story about how my son was a musician and how he was chosen to travel Europe with his group was only one of the few people in the state choosing to do so and how were a very limited income family with six children and a single-income she seem to get really irritated and said,"ya we all have families too and are not going to do anything for you". I asked to talk to Susie's manager and she told me that she doesn't have a boss after pressing her on the issue she tell me that she reports directly to the owner and that his name is Blaise. But that he doesn't talk to any person and I can't contact him and that it won't matter anyways because he just sold the business and he's only there for one more week so he wasn't going to do anything for me. I was nervous about purchasing online until I read the owner's story and then I thought of how he put all the smiling faces of his people on the website to hopefully instill confidence that he was different and that his business meant something and that maybe they went a little above and beyond in the form of customer service which really is the difference-maker these days. And how after reading all that seeing all those things I made the decision only to find after I typed in my credit card number that the shopping cart was empty. I was directed to call the electric violin shop from customer service on Amazon. and that's how I got her. Susie kept on interrupting me and when I would ask her why she was doing that she even got more irritated sounding and then finally she said to me that she has paying customers in front of her and it is not going to talk to me anymore. When I asked her who I could talk to she slammed the phone down on me and actually hung up. I couldn't believe it never been talked to like that I've seen that type of thing in the movies but never actually experienced it so we will explain it to our son that the system that we give thanks for after talking about and purchasing it is not coming after all but long after the pain and frustration and disappointment is gone we will remember Susie Sneeringer, and the electric violin shop. and we will hope that this review find its way it makes a difference too many many people that before they purchase they look past the smiley faces in the stories on the website and get a real feeling of what they're about to do and the people there actually about to do it with. today I felt it was personal and I genuinely hope that whoever says he is comes through to the new owners that her true colors shining through to them and that they see through the facade. it's easy to be cool and treat people good when everything's going well but the real test of a company out of a person and definitely a store manager if that's what she is is when something isn't difficult and it's frustrating and maybe a little stressful or tense and there's a difficult problem to try to facilitate or explain with patients... That's the test. Today Susie and the electric violin shop completely failed. and before purchasing from this company please let these words from Susie resonate with you because they're great words and they came from her mouth and she owns them. " yeah yeah yeah we got kids to anyways. .....I don't have a boss... I am the boss... okay fine I do but he selling the company in one week so he's not going to do anything for you either and I've got paying customers here that are actually buying things and I'm not going to talk to you anymore......." Click... (Dial tone.) read more

These guys know their stuff. Great selection and great service. They go the extra mile for their customers, for sure.

I love this shop and its staff. They are THE place to go and THE people to talk to about electric violins, violas, and cellos. Fantastic customer service, wide product and application knowledge, and extensive inventory. I live 150 miles away from this place and it's been well worth the trip the handful of times I've had a chance to stop into this store. They are also very prompt and helpful over the phone and via email. read more

Left work early on Friday and drove all the way up to visit the shop in person. Pulled in at 5:20 PM and they were already closed. Website says they close at 6:00 PM. Call you before you make the trip to see if they will be open. read more

I went to hear an electric violin. Sounded great. I wanted to find a new lighter bow for my acoustic violin and did not know what to look for. They were so patient and informative or really made me glad that I stopped in. A lovely young lady played a number of bows until I found the one I wanted. In today's world of online stores with no service, having a wonderful store with knowledgable staff and caring folks makes you feel you have made the correct purchase. In the end their price for an excellent violin bow was below the Amazon price so it was. Win Win. Great place for violins. Check them out! read more

Tried to place an order. I find out later it was rejected. Seems they were out of stock but expect some at the end of the week. Web site still shows in stock. This would have been my first purchase. Guess I see how business is run. Seems if they expect stock by the end of the week they would have just made this known and then delayed the order. Who knows. Hopefully the in person experience is better as the online one is lacking Update... I have been in contact with this company. They have apologized that things didn't work out. Like I said, the in store experience may be totally different. This is based solely on the online experience. If you have limited or no availability or your online system doesn't represent real time inventory then you should work on a call system only. It is very aggravating to place an order to only find that the order isn't going thru and that they no longer have stock. Then to call in. So what's the point of an online ordering system. Several hours after I had the issue they changed their online site to reflect stock. I'm sorry but in today's online environment when something shows in stock and I am allowed to order then it should be in stock. Otherwise work simply on a phone in system. From their reviews and their responses I can say this is only for my online experience. I have change the star rating simply from their communications and they do not deserve the low star rating based on my single experience. Hopefully I can update it when I am able to actually deal with them. read more