My 9 year-old daughter has been playing a Luis Carpini G2 1/2-size made by Kennedy Violins for about six months now, and has had great complements on the quality and tone of this instrument from her instructors. One specific comment we received from her teacher was that it is difficult to find good quality scale-intruments like this one ( "scaled" meaning not full size). , I'm a semi-professional jazz guitarist, and though I violins aren't my expertise, I would say that this instrument has terrific, warm tone and the quality of the workmanship appears to be excellent. The violin holds it's tuning well and it's very attractive. To me it appears to be the same or better quality than the Carlos Lamberti Sonata that we had prior to this. On top of that, the kit includes a heavy-duty case and some extras, which we never got with past kits. About my daughter, she is 9 years-old and has been playing since she was 4. I would describe her as an intermediate player, Suzuki book 4, an plays in the Sacramento Youth Symphony beginner orchestra. As a mucisian myself, I try to get her an istrument that is equal to or better than her playing; i don't want the instrument to hold her back. FYI, Before going to Kennedy we had been buying and exchcanging instuments with with Shar Music or almost 5 years ( sizes 1/16 to 1/8) up until this violin. I mainly has issues with Shar's service and a recent change in their trade-in policy. Shar has good products, but of Kennedy adds personal touch to their service. I'm sure we will be getting our next one from Kennedy once my daughter grows out of this one. read more

When I first interacted with Kennedy Violins, it was good enough that I bought a cello from them. However, my music instructor became unavailable for a bit and I moved. My $2700 cello has ended up collecting dust for the past month. Called them to return it. They will not accept it back in any form other than to lose the $1500 I already paid on it. Not even sell used like they do other instruments if I pay it off. Which is completely different from when I bought the cello. Post service support is 0. read more

If I could give six or seven stars I would. I wish all businesses had the same integrity and friendly list as they do. I am going to purchase a violin in the new future and have had many questions and they have spent much time with me with their knowledgeable answers. Should have said " friendliness" read more

I bought a violin back in February of this year 2023. I received it in March and my son used it for the remainder of the school year which ended May. March, April and May is 3 months. During the Summer months he didn't play much. I'm writing this review in August and it's the second week of school. His bridge on the violin cracked in half and Kennedy Violins takes zero responsibility. I called and let them know what happened and asked if they could send a new bridge that I could have installed. They said no. I now have to go and pay for a new bridge on a barely used violin that I spent hundreds of dollars on. I totally understand that things break from time to time, and I'm understanding of that. Kennedy Violins on the other hand isn't understanding of faulty parts and isn't trying to make this right. Even lower end violins aren't cheap, and to have our $400+ "Ricard Bunnel G1 Violin Outfit" violin bridge break in less than a year, and Kennedy Violin take zero responsibility for it is totally ridiculous. Based on this experience I wouldn't recommend you buy from them. read more

Kennedy Violins - The bridge split in half, and they didn't take responsibility for the faulty component. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

I was new to the world of violins, even though I have been going to music stores for 30+ years. Zack and Rafael were amazing help. They walked me through lots of options, and gave me pointers along the way, I almost felt like I was getting free lessons at one point. Very comfy vibe and a great experience the two times I was in. They even let me play the grand piano which made me feel great after fumbling on the violin. I will be back to purchase my first hand-made violin after I get some hours under my fingers. read more

I was looking for a violin for my son and a friend recommended Kennedy Violins. I know nothing about the instrument and did a fair about of research. I went to their website and used their chat function to inquire some information. They were prompt and polite in all the responses. I ended ordering with them in December 2023, right before the holidays. It came fairy quicky. We are located in Southern CA. About a month later, my son finally took his first lesson and I realized there was an item missing, no questions asked they are sending me one. They could have easily said no because it's been a month, but they didn't give me a hard time and offered to send me another. Wow...now that's service! Highly recommend and they got my loyalty and recommendations! read more

Beautiful store and showroom. Super friendly employees, we just came in to buy some strings , a store associate was so helpful and actually put them on for us and tuned our violin as well. read more

What a wonderful concept Joel Kennedy has made a reality here at Kennedy Violins! Here is a quote from the "Meet the Owner" section on their Yelp page: "Kennedy Violins was started by a local Viola instructor who saw a need for his students to play on quality instruments without their parents having to break the bank to accomplish that. " The prices are surprisingly affordable, while retaining the highest quality product possible. The knowledgeable staff members are extremely friendly and beyond helpful; super low on the snobbery scale. I was made to feel like a valued guest upon arrival, with a prompt and warm greeting. I had visited another area dealer and had a less-than optimal experience. If only they could see how a real establishment should be operated by visiting this place, I'm sure they would close their doors in shame and go into hiding. read more

I love Zach's customer service. He's been helping me for 2 years with my daughter's cello. Thank you again for your Great service Zach! Take care read more

I absolutely give these guys a 5 star and a big thanks! I've not bought a violin from them previously. They have a fantastic website. With the several videos utilized I could listen to the potential ones I was interested in (there were about 3 or 4). I settled on the Anton Gerard Violin Outfit. From the moment I opened the box I knew this was going to be good. The case is well made. The amount of detail in the case, the informational brochure, the apparent, thorough quality control so far has been wonderful. When I opened it was like Christmas. I could tell right away this is a very well made violin. It's a beauty! I had an idea of how it would sound, but playing it and getting the rich, warm sweetness was just so very nice to hear. Their customer service has been marvelous. I originally purchased another violin but changed my mind in hours to this one & it was no problem to get the order changed. I tip my bow to these guys. Thank you so much! read more

I upgraded my Henner violin to a Zubak Soloist I am so very HAPPY with it.. I was helped by Owen but a misunderstanding happened I order it by phone and got my credit card charged and after that they said there's NO available Zubak Soloist I had to wait a week to get it.. so they returned my money after a week when I order again the price of the Codabow NX changed he said he made a mistake but then he told me before that he spoke to his manager and it's approved.. anyways it's not that much..but still anyways.. When it arrived the rosin was cracked and Zach was able to replace it THANK YOU SO MUCH OWEN, JAMES, and KENNEDY VIOLIN FAM. Blessings, Marc violinist lol read more

Broke down and finally bought my daughter her first violin, after renting. Decided to stop here after much research. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Let us try ones even out of price range. Provided own bow and shoulder rest, along with letting us taking our time. Great service, decided to purchase the Louis Carpini which seems to be in price range along with sound daughter loved. Came with case, bow and accessories. read more

Excellent quality, outstanding customer service. Bought a violin for my daughter two years ago, Everyone including her music teacher was impressed with the sound, and it gets even better with time. Amy who helped us picking it out, was super knowledgeable, friendly and honest. Totally recommend, thumbs up! read more

Did I mention I'm in sales. Honestly though, has been the best customer service experience I have had in a long time, I feel like I am being treated as a VIP, but I am a first time customer, I have nothing but good to say about Amy, the product and the company. read more

What an amazing experience and presentation when the violin arrived! I was blown away! There was a checklist of things that were done to it (polished, tuned and so on). Incredible price, and all the gadgets like: shoulder rest, keychain violin, keychain clippers, wipe cloth, thermometer for humidity, backpack style straps, and a beginners violin book guide. Shipped (for free) to my house from a different state.WOW! 10 stars. read more

I bought a violin from Kennedy and it is so beautiful and sounds amazing. They were very helpful when I called about this purchase and they have been very supportive when I called about something. I am not that easy to please when I do business because I have been in business, but Kennedy Violins is top drawer. You will be very happy if you take your business here. read more

Kennedy Violins offer a great product at a great price. Our son has had 2 violins and the 2nd one got damaged beyond repair due to a mishap at school. I explained our situation and they were very accommodating. I highly recommend this company if you're looking for a really good quality beginner to intermediate level violin. Even their least expensive violin was a great place for our son to start. Their "Etude" violin sounds great and is not screechy at all. It's very warm and has great tone. Shop on their website for the best prices. Amazon also carries their lineup. If you give them a call they will take the time to answer your questions. Super customer service. read more

My daughter expressed an interest in the violin. I don't know if she will stick with it or not, but wanted to give her the best possible chance. I wanted a student violin that would not be "junk" so did some research online. Several options that appear excellent came up. I ended up trying Kennedy Violins and have been very happy with my experience. I first rented a violin. The rules were very clearly explained and at the end I turned it back for full credit as promised toward the purchase of a violin. It did not seem to matter which violin as I upgraded rather significantly from the pupil version that we had originally. I dealt with Kennedy three times over violins and each time I felt like I was the ONLY customer they had and that I was purchasing a major investment! At no time did I feel rushed. I never felt pressured at all to upgrade further, in fact, I was carefully questioned on what I was looking for in order to ensure I received what I needed in the right way. This is a real store, but I am in Texas so I did everything online and over the phone. The assurances I received from Kennedy made me feel safe in the process and I have no doubt they would back up every promise they made. I mostly dealt with Amy (online sales) but I had originally talked to several others and each and every person was the same caring professional. The biggest concerns I had is safety of ordering from a distance. Kennedy put all such concerns to rest as they guaranteed their product and my satisfaction. Also, they were always available after the sale with any further guidance and/or questions. read more

Kennedy violins is a great place! Adam was spectacular... we have been here several times and they always make it a great experience. On this visit my daughters C string came off her cello and I had no idea how to put it back on. We came in and they were getting ready to close and Adam stayed opened and helped us get the string back on! This was fantastic as she starts string camp tomorrow and we were desperate! Thank you Kennedy violins for always performing at your finest! read more

There's no place better in the world than these people to buy a violin from not only is the service superb but the violins that they sell our high-quality never been more satisfied my daughter 8 years old loves her violin and it is simply the best place and the best people to buy from even after the purchase the service never is disappointing I thank them dearly appreciate the help and soon as for the right violin and we will be their customer as long as the service continues the way it is read more

As a new adult student of the violin, finding the right instrument is a daunting task. My instructor didn't like the cheap violin I found online, and I only headed up to Kennedy Violins because they were open on a Monday when the local violin shop was not. From first walking in the door, I knew I wanted to purchase an instrument here. Everyone in the shop was very friendly, so I gave them my budget, and was shown a couple of different instruments in that price range. Listening to an experienced player try out the different instruments helped me determine which one I wanted, and they outfitted it nicely. My instructor likes the new fiddle, and I was pleased that I was able to find a good deal. I returned later in the week, as the bow that came with it, had a slight flaw and I needed a different chin rest. No problem at all- new bow was found and rosined for me. They put a new chin rest on the fiddle and then helped me try a number of shoulder rests, finally deciding that the one I already had would work fine. The customer service was flawless, and prices are reasonable. The time and attention I received from everyone there has been immensely helpful. The friendly service, knowledgable staff and great selection will keep me coming back. There was none of the attitude that sometimes is found at music/instrument shops, and I felt that they all really wanted me to be happy with my new instrument- and I am! I can't wait to gain some experience with the new fiddle and eventually be able to upgrade the bow and the violin. When I am ready for that, I will be going to Kennedy. read more

We had just started renting an Antonio Giuliani "Etude" Cello for our daughter this year and Gaiser Middle school began having a streak of vandalism occurring in the music room. My daughter's cello was hit hard. We were distraught. My husband brought in the cello to see if anything could be done. He could tell the representative was just as upset as we were and felt the loss of such a lovely instrument. She took care of it right away while providing excellent customer service. They turned a stressful and upsetting situation into something that was much easier to bear. We will definitely continue renting our daughter's cello for years to come at Kennedy Violins and will refer friends and family to them as well. Thank you so very much. read more

The folks over at Kennedy Violins are amazing! I went in with the perspective of purchasing a violin, but with not much knowledge about specific violins. Travis was extremely helpful in helping me figure out what is best for me. read more

I am completely new to playing the violin, or any instrument for that matter. The staff was very knowledgable and friendly in guiding me through the process of picking a good violin to learn on. I recommend coming here if looking for a violin to rent or buy. read more

I have rented from Kennedy for my daughter for the last school year and was very happy with the instrument and service I received. Today we started private lessons since school orchestra is on vacation and purchased a new Franke Henner violin. They credited my first year rental charges and were extremely attentive and helpful with choosing the correct violin for my daughter. My daughter was very happy with Cecile's lesson and her new violin, and is excited to continue lessons through summer. Thank you!! read more

So far soooooooo good! This my first cello and I rented it from Kennedy. My cello instructor told me it's an excellent first cello. My only regret is I didn't order the model up and I rented instead of purchased. But when the time comes, I will certainly buy from them! read more

Took my 40 year old violin in for repair and my complementary lesson. The lesson was great. But there was some miscommunication and I wasn't very thrilled when I got my violin back a few days later. I was very disappointed and verbalized my disappointment . But, I was so impressed by their response. They did not make excuses or try to ignore my concerns rather they went above and beyond to make sure I was fully satisfied with their service and also explained everything in detail. The staff was very polite and professional when they did so. Manager later called to make sure to answer any questions. Being a business owner, I am very impressed by their professionalism and customer service. I will definitely be returning with my other instruments and continue the lessons there and referring other . Thank you and I appreciate the gesture. read more

I purchased a Ricard Bunnel G2 outfit violin from Kennedy Violins and their staff was great. The violin was actually better quality than other student level violins that I've researched. My boyfriend has a musical ear but wasn't aware of the kind of violin I purchased. When he heard me play just some open notes (I'm a beginner) he thought I had purchased an intermediate or advanced violin and was concerned I had spent more money than I should have. He was totally shocked when I told him how much I did actually pay for it and concurred that the violin was high quality. I could have purchased locally but they are more expensive and they only offered a limited guarantee on their violins. Kennedy Violins offers a LIFETIME guarantee! Cheaper prices, better quality AND a lifetime guarantee? Yeah, that it made an easy choice. My violin came with the strings I asked for and pre-tuned. It was protected very well during shipping. Fine tuning it after shipping was not an issue. The staff was very helpful when I called them with questions. They are genuinely very eager to assist you in the JOY of violin playing! Every member of the staff I've talked to is very excited that you're learning to play or that you reaching out to them for help. They truly derive joy from being able help someone else learn this art! I feel very solid and confident in the quality of my violin and in the level of service I know I can trust when working with Kennedy Violins. I know that if EVER have any questions of any kind related to any part of violin, they can help me and they will actually enjoy the opportunity to assist me. Because of the confidence I have in the instrument and the support I have from their staff, I am able to not worry about the instrument as much, which allows me to relax and focus on the fun of learning. And when I do bow the notes correctly, IT SOUNDS EVER SO DEEP and SWEET... Thank you Kennedy Violins! --Misty in Utah read more

I could not be happier with the service and instruments we've received from Kennedy Violins in Vancouver. Being a family new to instrument playing, I have found the staff at Kennedy to be very knowledgeable, helpful, supportive and tolerant of my many novice questions. The instrument selection is excellent. You can try out the instruments right there in the showroom. Their rental prices are very reasonable and with insurance (only a few dollars more a month) we had no problems when one of our violin bows broke. We have rented instruments from them for over a year now and I have nothing negative to say. We currently have two violins (a 1/10 & 1/4) and a (4/4) cello. Previously we rented a 1/8 and 4/4 violin. Every instrument we've had has been of beautiful craftsmanship, quality and sound. Even the itty bitty violin our four year old uses. They are definitely worth a visit! read more

One of the best companies I've seen in my experience. The staff at Kennedy Violins is very knowledgeable and always helpful. Their instruments are fantastic for the price. If you need to rent a quality instrument, do it from here! They also sell higher end violins that I have no experience with so I won't comment about those. But the rental instruments and customer service are a step above every other company. They stick to their policies. eg. I was sent a bow that somehow got lost during shipment and they sent another without question. I would recommend Kennedy Violins to anyone. Kennedy Violins does more then just sell a product! :) read more

Kennedy Violins is everything you could hope for in an online store. Their staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and very eager to meet your needs. We were looking for a violin that had certain tonal qualities and were concerned about the looks as well. Travis understood what we were looking for and tried out several violins in order to find the one that most closely matched what we wanted. He also took pictures of the various violins and emailed them to us so that we could see what they looked like before they shipped. The results were a beautiful violin with a great sound. The case is also of very high quality, as are some additional accessories we ordered. Both Travis and Rachel personify great customer service and, based on our experience, you can order your instrument with confidence from Kennedy Violins. They stand behind their merchandise and take extra pains to make sure you are satisfied with your purchase. read more

At age 35, I became a violinist. In three years, I was ready to purchase my own instrument. Having spent most of my life playing piano, I knew virtually nothing about violins. Kennedy Violins made me feel very comfortable. They explained everything and gave me good advice. My Ricard Bunnel G1 has been fantastic. Love the sound and love owning my own violin. read more

I bought Antonio Giuliani Violin Outfit directly from the website, http://www.kennedyviolins.com, received it within 1 week. The wood finish touch, sound & every details are so beautiful. I'm a basic player, I love the Antonio sound, the strings are crisp sweet rich tone, it makes me want to improve my skills. Just by touching it, it feels great, feels like the music notes are flowing through my fingers already. Their customer service is friendly and willing to customize your needs. Product is well protected for shipping so no worry about buying it online. read more

From choosing a size and model to rent for my growing child, through the shipping process, to my eventual purchase decision, the staff at Kennedy Violins were so helpful, patient, and efficient that it was a pleasant company to work with. Their products are beautiful and competitively priced to local shops. Their shipping across the country was amazingly prompt and fast, and well packaged. The bonus from choosing them over local shops was twofold; more sizes and brands to choose from, and their policy to apply half of my rental fee toward an eventual purchase was a no brainier! Thank you Kennedy...a reputable company. read more

I've had nothing but good experiences with them so far. I'm an adult learner (violin) who wanted a rental quick so I could start my lessons. I did most of my correspondence online (both email and the live chat option on the website). They have been prompt, courteous and knowledgeable at all times. Rental process was simple. Delivery on time and when I had to exchange one violin for another they got it out quickly. Would definitely recommend. read more