We accept payment by VISA & MASTERCARD, Check, Wire Transfer and other forms of legal tender. You can phone the shop directly to arrange a purchase. WEB ORDERS: If you are placing an order through our web site, Paypal will charge a 3% processing fee which is not refundable if you decide to return an instrument or cancel a sale.
Because vintage instruments are each so unique, we want to have a conversation with you to answer questions, discuss the individual characteristics of an instrument, and your specific needs or concerns. We are happy to take order details over the phone at the same time. There are some instruments we feel absolutely require this kind of dialogue, and you will see that they are not enabled for click & ship purchase. If you can’t phone us, please start a conversation by email.
Pennsylvania is an “Origin” state as regards sales tax obligations. Thus, shipments to PA destinations are subject to the Pennsylvania + Philadelphia sales tax, or 8%. Otherwise, for shipments to other states we collect sales tax as required. We recommend that customers check with their state’s Department of Revenue to learn their obligations for reporting and remitting sales tax.
Personal checks are accepted, but must clear our bank before we will ship an instrument. Cashiers Checks are also accepted–just like cash. You may also transfer funds directly to our bank (contact the shop for bank wire information).
Alongside the cool vintage and antique instruments in the shop we have a healthy collection of carefully selected New instruments. When you see the “NEW” designation for an instrument – as opposed to a particular year — it means we purchased that instrument directly from the manufacturer. Of course, it might have a serial number from the previous year, or even before that. Also, an instrument can be here at the shop for a little while. We certainly don’t mind having an instrument with a little time under its belt!
We work with terrific instrument makers who do a wonderful job of setting up their instruments, but we check them out just to be sure. When a NEW instrument comes to the shop, we check to make sure that the setup is comfortable before it’s out for customers to see and try. We can also customize the setup to accommodate a customer’s preferences.
It is always possible that a NEW instrument will have some signs of human contact. In fact, it’s not uncommon for faint pick marks to be visible on a pickguard when it arrives at the shop after the final factory inspection. That tells us that someone at the factory actually checked it! We clean and polish every instrument we are shipping out. We don’t want you to have someone else’s fingerprints, but you might see the whorl from a polishing cloth on a shiny gloss surface, or faint pick lines on a pickguard. If you are looking for an instrument that has never left the box, let us know and we’ll see what we can do!
We’ve shipped instruments all over the world for more than fifty years, and that practice has taught us many things. For instance, instruments of the violin family are not designed for shipping. We wish everyone could visit the shop, but know that isn’t always feasible. However, we do not ship all instruments. We do not ship bows over $1,000., violins or violas over $5,000., cellos, or anything especially fragile and likely to be demolished in shipping.
For instruments we do ship, we know that packing well helps insure that an instrument will arrive at your destination in good condition. Typically, we use UPS shipping services. We like to ship straight away, but might suggest waiting a bit if poor weather, a weekend delay, or long holidays present concerns.
Pennsylvania is an “Origin” state as regards sales tax obligations. Thus, shipments to PA destinations are subject to the Pennsylvania + Philadelphia sales tax of 8%. For shipments to other states we collect sales tax for instruments as required. We recommend that customers check with their state’s Department of Revenue to learn their obligations for reporting and remitting sales tax.
International shipping can be complicated, and in certain cases not possible. This varies according to the country and the nature of the instrument. So, ask us, and we will see what is possible. International shipments may be assessed customs and clearance duties by the governing authorities in the country of destination, and these charges are the responsibility of the customer. Some materials like Brazilian rosewood, require special permits – such as a CITES permit – for international shipping. The cost of export permits is charged to the customer, and we may ask to have these paid before the shipment is sent.
There are some cases where shipping an instrument is a bad idea, or simply unfeasible. We reserve the right not to ship an instrument.
Once you receive an instrument we’ve shipped to you, we want you to try it for a few days so that you can decide if it’s a good fit. That said, if you know straight away that you love it, or don’t, let us know! Otherwise, we allow a trial period of up to 5 days. If you are returning the instrument, please pack it up again as it was sent to you (loosen the strings, padding the head, make sure it doesn’t bang around in the case, etc.), and return it to us via the same shipping service by which it was delivered, insured for full value. If your payment was with us directly by check, credit card, or a wire we will refund the price of the instrument as soon as we receive it, provided it arrives in the condition in which it left the shop. If your payment was via Paypal we subtract a 3% handling fee. The customer is responsible for the shipping charges.
