Stringers

From the moment you roll up to the swanky York Place address of Stringer’s, it’s apparent that you’re in a shop for music professionals. Not really a place to browse, you have to wait for a receptionist to buzz you into the premises, and then are immediately met by solicitous sales staff eager to know your business.
The walls are lined with beautiful and shiny stringed instruments in different shades of mahogany and teak, and although I am a strictly amateur musician and simply came in to pick up some rosin for my cello, I could sense that the people here have real expertise, and are used to dealing with players of all levels, from those who play as a hobby to virtuoso performers.
This is not the place to pick up a fiddle on the cheap: it is instead somewhere you can depend on for dependable and quality service, whether you’re hoping to repair an instrument or acquire something new.

My partner took an cello to this store to sell, the staff where friendly & efficient. We had come up from Durham & stayed over night locally, the store allowed us to park at the rear of the shop as parking is so bad in Edinburgh. Instument was sold fairly quickly. Communication was lacking on occasions but overall worth the 4 stars.

I’ve played the violin all my life, and when it came for me to get my own it had to be from stringers. Being a musician, I’ve found that a lot of other musicians (myself not included) tend to have a fairly high opinion of themselves and there is always an air of superiority when I’ve looked to buy my own violin from other people. But not in stringers. The building is beautiful and as soon as you go in you are greeted with that magnificent smell of polished varnish (…ok maybe it’s a violin thing). In the main rooms the walls are lined with beautiful violins, cellos, viola’s and a couple double bass. Upstairs is the same but even better… bows and mahogany everywhere. I was quite literally like a kid in a candy shop. I was undecided about which violin I wanted — I had a choice of 3, and whilst I was dithering the staff put the 3 violins away in their cases and just gave them to me for the weekend… they just gave them to me! This gives you an idea of the level of friendliness in this place. There are leaflets everywhere too with details of instructors and concerts as well as leaflets on how to maintain your instrument and how to improve your playing.
I was quite lucky in that my violin was being paid for by the BBC via a bursary, otherwise it would have been well outwith my price range. The prices can start from around £200 up to £20,000! But it’s a great place, even if you don’t play an instrument, just walk around and smell the varnish!

I don’t have any experience of buying an instrument here, but brought my instrument in for repair and they were very helpful and constructive in terms of what was required. I felt that they were putting my interests first. All dealings with them were very professional and friendly and I wouldn’t hesitate to use their services again. They are also able to suggest teachers for all the stringed instruments throughout Edinburgh

Stringers is Edinburgh’s most reputable and well known strings instrument establishment. They deal in everything from new student instruments to old and valuable instruments by some of the better known makers in the history of violin making. Of particular interest are their collection of Scottish-​made violins, both for sale and on display. They do great affordable re-​hairs and have friendly, efficient staff. If you are bow shopping, in need of a set of strings or looking for a beginners violin, this is the place to come.