Fabulous shop with lots of violins, violas and bows. Jade is super helpful. You can take items home on trial so you don't ever get buyers remorse! Prices are very reasonable. Jade never rushes you. One of the best things about Jade is that he doesn't try to upsell!. I gave him my price range and we went home with three bows ranging from $200 to over $1000. We ended up buying the least expensive since my daughter loved it. My favorite shop for string instruments in San Diego. Highly recommend!!! read more

ABOUT JADE SCHULZ (Directions at the bottom) Jade knows his violins, violas, cellos, and the bows for all of them. He also knows all the different makers, their qualities and their characteristics that help identify instruments or bows as valuable (or not). Mr. Schulz provides a friendly, familiar, knowledgeable, expertise-imparting experience. He's kinda like the Keymaker in the Matrix, or Chief Librarian Jacosta Nu of Star Wars/Clone Wars lore. He REALLY knows his stuff. While the shop looks humble, do not confuse this place to be just a violin rental place with cheap instruments for rent and no serious inventory for sale. JJS Violins is the destination in San Diego for high-end violins. You can find medium or student or rental tier instruments, but this is a high-end violin shop. PURCHASES If you're in need of a purchase, or even if you're not in need of a purchase, Jade will typically allow you to play through all of his inventory that you might be interested in. There are about 15 violins in the $3,500-$22,000 range on the far right hand wall. Below those instruments are a map dresser full of bows. At the top are the cheapest carbon fiber/composite bows, below that are some cheaper wood bows, then below that a couple trays of super nice bows. Below that are viola bows, then cello bows. On the wall sharing the door are violas and cellos. Price tags vary, but you can get a basic rental instrument to a serious student instrument to a top tier instrument into whichever price tag you want to get to. Jade can access whatever tier of instrument you need. There are loaner instruments that can be purchased for around $750. You'll be allowed to take home any bow or instrument that you want to try out for about a week or so, which is super nice if you're looking to make a purchase, or just get to know the different options. If you're there to play through the inventory, plan to spend an afternoon there. There's a little machine/woodshop in the other room where you can play through all the instruments and bows to your heart's content while Jade works with the other customers. I have been able to play through all the high end inventory and all of the bows and was able to form an opinion of the best instruments and bows within about a 3-hour period. This is with my asking Jade every now and then about the value of an instrument/bow, or where it was made and by who. If it's been a while since you've played your instruments, an afternoon at Jade Schulz Violins will actually help you get your feel back and you will feel re-energized to play again, even if you only ever had a beginner-tier student violin. When you play some of the higher tier stuff you'll say to yourself, wow, I'm pretty good. LOL. As others mentioned, Jade is a friendly and knowledgeable salesperson but also a learned historian and instrument & bow expert. Jade cares that the musician walks away with the right instrument/bow combination. The quality and value of the instruments is high, but if you are ready to go, resourced enough, and know exactly what you want, Jade will help you make sure you walk away with your dream setup. If you're a parent, I have seen Jade fit teachers who came with their students, or parents that came with their students with a great first-time cello or violin purchase with case. The price was always right. RENTALS If you're there to rent, be prepared to spend half an hour to an hour there. There's fitments involved, and sometimes people will be there before you. It's busiest on Saturdays. Going at opening may have a line, but you might need all that time if you arrived after others. It's $35/month for a student violin with bow, case, resin, and strings. I think it's $40/month for a viola, something more for a cello. REPAIRS & UPGRADES Jade can repair or upgrade just about anything. Simple stuff like sound posts, varnish fixes, cracked instruments, cleanings, string changes, Wittner peg upgrades, bridge setup, pickup installs, replacement bits and pieces for your instrument or bows, bow rehairs, Jade can do it. He also has some epic grade cello rosin that works for all instrument types and plays nice and loud and grippy. Try it, you'll be amazed. DIRECTIONS TO THE SHOP You bomb down Torrey Pines Rd past Prospect St, and hang a right on Herschel towards the ocean (North) until you see what looks like a parking lot for the Chase on 7777 Girard. Remember that lot cuz you'll probably need it later. You can't enter there because you can only enter from the alley. Hang a left on Silverado, then take the first alley on the left. Park at the Chase parking lot on your left, or 10 yards down, park on the Ace parking on your left for money, or go 1 yard past that to the house that says Violins on it, and pull in behind Jade's Hyundai Kona mini-crossover. Services: Purchase/Sell/Consign Find out about the instrument you have Repairs/Upgrades Rentals Appraisals/Letters Insurance for instruments connection read more

They did a wonderful job restoring my grandmothers violin. I highly recommend them. The staff is very helpful and responsive to texts and it was easy to work with them. read more

Jade is the best, and also the only, high end instrument dealer in San Diego. His shop is small, but the quality of the pieces is outstanding. The quality is comparable to what you'll find in LA at Metzler Violins or other famous shops, though inventory is much smaller. TLDR, if you're in the market for a higher end instrument or bow in San Diego, Jade is a must-visit. This year, I was looking for an advanced student/low-end professional viola. I came to Jade after finding basically nothing in San Diego. Over the course of an hour Jade handed me around 10 different instruments to try, not mentioning prices and simply patiently listening and responding to my feedback. I ended up home trialing a beautiful modern viola made by V. Logashov. I then took this instrument during the trial period to LA to try against shops with larger inventories. It held up extremely well, and was the best for the price. It was comparable to violas costing 2-3x as much, which was very surprising to me. I ended up returning to Jade and purchasing it. Jade is an astute businessman with a laid-back attitude. He is always willing to make a deal. He ended up installing Wittner pegs (geared pegs) on the viola for free, and also threw in a free violin/viola dual case with the purchase. I enjoyed working with Jade so much that I returned to try out his viola bows. I tried a few other local places in San Diego, and again liked Jade's selections the best. I ended up purchasing a lovely gold-mounted viola bow with ivory frog for a reasonable price, and Jade even appraised my wife's violin for free as well. read more

Jade J. Schulz Violins - Viola, V. Logashov, Kansas City 2023 Bow stamped F. V. Henderson, gold mounted with ivory frog - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - La Jolla, California

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I visited Jade J. Schulz recently because I needed a repair done on my violin. I was able to meet the team while in there and everyone was friendly and knowledgeable. They were able to inspect and do the repairs right then and there the staff were friendly talking about the history of the shop, family and sharing some new musical pieces and genres with me. It was a great experience and now I have a new found network here in San Diego with people I can trust with repairs and other needs for my stringed instruments. read more

I am very pleased and thankful that Jade was knowledgable and skilled in knowing exactly what could be done to repair my fingerboard and button on my nearly 200 year old violin. It is back to the condition I wanted it in and his repairs did not change the warmth of the sound. I would highly recommend Mr. Schulz violin maker/repair! read more

I enjoyed stopping in the shop run by Jade and his team. Very nice people. I had 2 violins (+110 years old) set up properly and 1 bow rehaired. Jade will work with you to understand what needs to be done and what is critical if you're on a budget. Violin repair work isn't cheap but I don't think Jade's prices for work are out of line with anyone else. I found it very easy to communicate via text to check on progress. He has a lot going on so it's evident that he is a "go to" place for violin work. Lot of instruments and bows to choose from if you're shopping. read more

After looking for and buying a cello from Jade, I only have the absolute best things to say about him and his shop. I got to trial a range of cellos and he even made adjustments to them to maximize ease of playability and sound quality. This shop was one of the best shopping experiences I've had maybe ever, and I was never pressured or rushed at all. Definitely a shop with a lot of integrity and passion. At the end of the day I settled on an old German cello at a very fair price and I couldn't be happier. Literally could not recommend this place more! read more

I cannot express how grateful I am to have discovered Jade's shop in my search for a new violin. Not only is he friendly, easygoing, and funny, but he's very knowledgeable and a talented craftsman. Stepping into his shop and really taking in the meaning behind his work was breathtaking. There's just something more personal and earnest when you know these instruments have been handled and care for by someone who loves what they do for a living. He allowed me to take home 2 violins for a "trial period" to see which one I liked more, which was really helpful in my decision making! He doesn't put pressure on you, and he gives you honest advice. I know he takes pride and joy in this trade and wants the best for those who come to him, whether or not they end up purchasing from the shop. He has numerousss quality pieces, both old and new, and hopefully in the future I'll be coming back to get something with a rich history! I'm in love with some of the century-old instruments. He also let me name the model of the violin he sold me which I thought was pretty fun LOL. It's the "Komorebi," a word depicting the dappling light that filters through the trees in the forest. Anyways, highly recommend! Paying this place a visit is definitely worthwhile read more

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Last week I got Wittner tuning pegs for my violin from Jade J. Schulz Violins in La Jolla. I've always had trouble tuning my D and G strings because these strings didn't have fine tuners. Now that I'm playing in the Palomar Symphony Orchestra, it's important my strings are tuned properly to concert A. When I noticed my son's violin teacher fine-tuning his violin with ease, using his pegs alone, he told me they were Wittner tuning pegs and recommended jjsviolins in La Jolla. Tuning is so much easier now. Jade did a wonderful job not only installing the new pegs, but repairing cracks and openings in my violin I didn't notice before. My violin now has a richer sound with more resonance. I was impressed with how Jade was able to identify my violin (pre-war Lowendall, made in Markneukirchen, Czechoslovakia). I also bought a new violin case from him since I needed one and he had a couple in stock. It's just Jade and his son working in his small shop, so if you have a question and don't get a text reply, try email. If you want to stop by the shop, follow the website's directions (www.jjsviolins.com) and send him a text beforehand. Waze navigated me to the street (Herschel Ave), then I had to switch to Apple Maps and found the shop tucked in a little alley. (Oh, Yelp wants me to include the "value"). The cost was $260 for installing the Wittner peg set (my violin didn't need the "fiber peg bushing," saving me $70). I paid another $85 for repairs unrelated to the tuning pegs, and $258.60 including tax for the violin case. Highly recommend! 1/24/2024 read more

Jade J. Schulz Violins - Jade J. Schulz Violins, La Jolla CA - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Upon entering this neatly tucked away shop I was greeted by a lovely, friendly doggy who brought me a toy to throw. Bliss. Inside I found a very cosy space with beautiful violins displayed on the walls and nice people at work. Jade knew his business and had a lot of interesting things to say about my violin. He had some excellent suggestions, we came to a mutually satisfactory agreement, and I left his shop with a happy feeling of a good deal made. I would highly recommend Jade J. Schulz Violins for all your violin inquiries. I feel quite fortunate I found Jade. read more

I'm a very senior citizen who went to renew my acquaintance with the violin. Jade 1st asked my price range and then played 3 in varying price ranges for me. I made my choice of instrument and bow. I indicated the violin would probably not be out of my house so I preferred a lower quality case. He located an adequate one for me which had cost him nothing, so he passed it on at the same $0 price. Needless to say I was and am very pleased with the service. I expect to return in the very near future, even though I live more than 30 traffic filled miles away. I must add - while I was waiting he completed a string installation on a cello brought in by a lady who had apparently received it when a relative passed. It hadn't been played in many years and was in need of some minor repairs which he fully explained to her with suggestions but no pressure to have him make the repairs immediately. He also located an inexpensive case for her and information about finding a local teacher. No doubt another pleased customer. read more

Walked in for a quick bridge shave and he did it on the spot. Chatted with him and played with his dog while waiting. I'm really happy with what he did to my bridge! My strings were killing me before. He even gave me recommendations on where to buy strings & such online. Jade is super skilled and friendly--I'll definitely be returning if I need a repair in the future. I'd suggest checking out his website for how to contact him or to get detailed directions on how to navigate to his shop & parking lot. read more

Amazing! Brought my son's future violin in for repair and Jade was very kind, gracious, and knowledgeable. I will definitely be back to upgrade my son's violin, and I highly recommend him for instruments and for all of your string repair needs. read more

Servicing violins is an art and Jade Shultz has it all. My violin is a 1930 Berger, and every time it comes from service with Jade it sings like bird, I cannot put it down. read more

I was in sudden need of a little work needed done on my cello and called Jade anxiously explaining the situation. Jade was very welcoming and was able to work on my cello on the same day. What separates Jade from other shops is that he is very meticulous in his work and makes sure that the instrument is in it's the best playing condition. This shop boasts an extensive collection of both contemporary and vintage violins, violas, cellos, and bows. Whether you're looking for a student violin or a rare, one-of-a-kind piece, Jade Schulz Violins has something to offer every musician. read more

This is THE guy. Brought in a 1907 violin with a snapped bridge which I needed for a flight in 3 days, and he delivered in a timely manner. Not only did he carve me a new bridge, but he also identified that it was at a lower than normal height and was able to perfectly raise the fingerboard to match the correct bridge height. The improvements have allowed the violin to be much more responsive to input from the bow, and even rings for longer. If you're looking for a luthier in San Diego, this should be your go-to place. read more

Jade is a professional. I had many questions and he helped me out with all of them. If you have an instrument you care about, bring it here. read more

Jade J. Schulz Violins - Before - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - La Jolla, California

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Jade's atelier is cozy and welcoming, tucked away on a La Jolla alleyway while also accessible via Herschel Ave. Jade's demeanor is welcoming and professional. I was lucky enough to meet his son, friend Brent, and dog Cooper while I was there. Jade is kindhearted and knowledgeable, willing to share his expertise as much or as little according to the interest of his customers. I really enjoyed my visit and learned so much about my cello and cellos in general in the short time I was there. And he worked magic with my cello, interpreting the description about what was bothering me about its sound so that after he finished with it the sound improved dramatically, much better than I had hoped! I ended up purchasing a bow from him as well. I would recommend Jade as a luthier and source for string musicians' needs. read more

A True Gem - Helping Musicians south of the Border: Jade was instrumental (!) is helping me purchase a beautiful cello for a young talented boy and friend living in La Paz Mexico. I found Jade thru online recommendations and called him in advance to see if he could help. My friends were planning to drive up from La Paz (750 miles on highway 1), and planned to get their Visas so they could enjoy a holiday in Southern CA. They also wanted a referral on where to get a nicer cello for their son. I decided to purchase a cello for them as a gift, but needed help making this happen. Jade was enthusiastic about the situation, described how he would set up the cello for this young man, and was poised to help when and if they could make it across the border. This all happened last minute, thru limited communications (texting) and with language barriers. In a nutshell, Jade sent them home with a beautiful cello, case and bow. The family was ecstatic. They drove 750 miles south to La Paz, in time to 'introduce' the cello to his orchestra rehearsal. We've already received feedback that this is the "nicest cello he could ever have". I am very thankful that Jade could make this happen. Mucho Gracias!! read more

Jade takes such good care for his customers. Although I came in to repair two bows, he highly suggested that one of them is not worth repairing due to its decline in quality. Instead, he lended me another bow for free trial and see if I liked it before purchasing. When pickup was ready after one of the bows was repaired, he applied rosin on my bow. He also tuned the pegs and readjusted my bridge free of charge. I will definitely come back again for future repairs. Thank you Jade!! read more

Jade is fantastic! We purchased my daughter's first beginning violin from his shop. The instrument was reasonably priced and served her needs for 3 years. When I suggested we wanted to purchase a more high-end violin, he cautioned us to wait until she was developmental ready. And we did. When she was ready to size up to an adult-sized violin, Jade helped us pick the perfect instrument. He walked us through the pricing and the construction so we could understand what we were buying. He let my daughter play several different instruments before making a decision. When we brought in a violin for repair, he gave us a loaner so she could continue to play and practice uninterrupted. When my daughter was ready for a new bow, Jade sent home a couple with us so she could try them out. Jade is the consummate professional and advocates for the musician's needs. read more

This review is left 2+ years after my violin was set up incredibly well by Jade. I showed up with my eBay bought semi cheap violin that didn't have a sound post, strings, nor a good bridge. Maybe he wasn't too busy that day, but Jade set up my violin while I was waiting in his shop. He asked me how I played and adjusted the bridge to fit my playing style. That's amazing! I still get compliments on the sound of my violin and I am still very happy with the work he did on it. I definitely plan to go back if I need adjustments or repairs done to the instrument in the future, or if I find myself having some extra cash, I would definitely check out his violins. He has some really nice ones displayed on the wall of the shop, which, by the way wasn't easy to find, but well worth the search. Thank you, Jade! read more

I don't know what Jade did to the cello I tried, but it is AMAZING! It plays so nice and easy, sounds great. He is so friendly and easy going; made me feel welcomed and comfortable. If you are looking for any string instruments for purchase or repair, it will worth your time to come and visit Jade's. read more

Nothing but a great experience. Brought my late grandfather's hundred year old fiddle to be repaired/brought back to playing condition. The workshop is great. Humble, dimly lit, covered with violins, tools and the like. Jade gave me an estimate/recommendation based on what he would do if he was going to sell it, and then discussed the options/costs. My goal was for it to be strong and playable, but not be cleaned/refinished at all. That's exactly what I got. Job really well done. He walked me through everything when I went to pick it back up, also. You can tell he's passionate about his work. Not to mention he stayed in touch via email/phone while he was working on it, which was awesome (I was super indecisive between a flat or rounded bridge so i kept hassling him). I don't write many reviews, only when I really want give a thanks for a great experience. Thanks Jade! read more

Went to him to get my violin fitted. Super personable guy, has been in the area for a long time, and has a treasure trove of experience. Would definitely go back to him for future work! read more

How do I say this? A need arises for repair to my daughter's bow and we find our way to Mr. Schulz's little shop. There we meet a guy who's exceedingly personable and who appears to take a genuine interest in each of the people lining up to see him, explaining options and simply interacting in a relaxed manner. I come back later to find the job done, and done very well. A year passes and an occasion arises to visit Mr. Schulz again. And it's another very positive experience. Now, you may need to coordinate with him, e.g., via text, before traveling there. Otherwise, if he has errands to run or other things going on, you may find the door locked. That, I think, is a very small price to pay for the privilege of engaging a true craftsman and experiencing for a few minutes the kind of transaction earlier generations must have enjoyed. By the way, I am envious of Mr. Schulz. Since I can't do what he does, I wish him all the success in the world. read more

This is a great violin shop! Jade is perfect and gave me great customer service. I'm always finding a great cello to rent here. I recommend the shop to all my Southern California cellist friends! Stop by. You'll be able to find great selections on Bows, violins, and cellos. read more

Jade did a great job with my violin bow rehair. His shop is in a fabulous area known for upscale tastes, yet he remains very personable in relating to customers from diverse skill levels. He is a wealth of knowledge on various violin topics and is committed to building up the next generation of classical musicians. Glad to have met this great resource! read more

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A fantastic shop with the highest quality wares. Come in and you shall not be disappointed. Jade and his assistant are just about the two coolest luthiers I've ever met! read more

Jade J. Schulz Violins - Trying out an 18th century English violin...with a $20000 bow - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - La Jolla, California

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very interesting shop. A little hard to find at first, but well worth the time. Jade is very good.. He did a bow re-hair for two of my bows. I am very happy with his work and would trust him with other work. read more

Finally, I've found a high quality violin maker & violin repair person in San Diego. We moved from the Midwest over 20 years ago and up until recently, I've been taking my violin back to the Midwest to get repaired. Now, I don't need to do that any more. I recently took an old violin to Jade to get restored. Within a week or two, I got my violin back and it could not be any better. Jade is a fantastic person & craftsman. He was also trained back in the Midwest nearby where we used to live. I highly recommend Jade for any type of violin repair or restoration that you might need. San Diego is lucky to have him. read more

We had a long list of music stores in the area, and none could find us a 3/4 cello. Jade, on the other hand went to the trouble to purchase a cello for us to rent. He went over and above what I expected, and he offered us a military discount. We used to drive over to La Jolla from the Mission Valley area for his great business! read more

I've been going to see Jade for several years now and he is the consummate professional. In most cases, he'll lower a bridge or attend to a ding right then & there. Recently he rehaired 3 of my bows and the repair looks and feels perfect. His fees are extremely reasonable and the workmanship is top notch. I would gladly recommend him to every single violin player in San Diego. Jade, where have you been all my life?! read more

I needed to rent a violin for my daughter. Jade J. Schultz Violins was recommended by the our violin teacher and I can see why. His service and professionalism are terrific and he texts! I'm so appreciative of a business who works with the customers preferred method of communication. His prices are fair and he rents quality violins. He even provided some helpful tips for my daughter as she learns to play violin. Highly recommended. read more

This place is amazing! Took a cheap violin to get setup and now it sounds like a whole new upgraded violin!! Jade gives the best service! His shop is a bit farther away from me than other violin shops but it is totally worth the drive! Also, dont pay for parking like I did... There is FREE PARKING next to his shop. read more

Our family has patronized several violin shops and dealers over the last decade+ in San Diego. Jade is just what you would want in a business owner that deals with musicians both young and old: professional, honest, approachable, supportive, knowledgeable, charming and down to earth. read more

We would like to highly recommend Jade's violin shop to everyone in San Diego area. We are very satisfied with his service and professionalism. He is honest and comfortable to work with. We would definitely come back for other needs in the future. read more

So professional, passionate about his craft, knowledgable about the instruments, and most of all, so reasonable for exquisite work. If I had a Strad, this is where I would take it! read more

Jade is professional , gave us great discount and gave some tips on how to properly stand and hold a violin.