Robertson & Sons Violin Shop Incorporated

I have had such an amazing experience purchasing and renting instruments/​bows from this store. I had purchased a double bass French bow from robertson and sons, I spent about $ 500. after about 6 months with this bow it just snapped in the middle of rehearsal. The next day I headed to Robertson and sons very worried because I had not insured the bow and I could not afford to replace it. Once I told a sales representative what had happened she took my bow into the back repair room and then came back and told me that they would either fully replace the bow or give me a full refund (in store credit). I am so amazed with how Robertson and sons ensures that you will receive a genuine quality product when purchasing/​renting from their store. Overall I am highly impressed with the experiences I have had with Robertson and sons violin shop. Very impressed.

I always kind of wonder what words, terms, businesses or people I will never hear about or reference because I am not in a given specialty. Robertson’s is definitely one of those businesses, which creeps into a string player’s vocabulary early and often, but probably never presents itself to a non-​string player.
Like most, I started my business journey with Robertson’s when I was a kid. My favorite thing about this company is their buy-​back policy. I had ½-​full size instruments from Robertson’s, and the process is really amazingly simple for out-​of-​towners. You call Robertson, you detail who you are, what kind of instrument you need, (student, professional, indestructible, etc.) tell him how much you want to spend, and they will send you, for free, several instruments in the mail for you to try. These are full outfits, meaning bow, violin, and case for each instrument sample. You try them out, and report back to Robertson what you like and dislike. You send the instruments back that you dont’ want, and he sends you more to try. Eventually when you find a combination you like, you keep it and send in a check.
When you outgrow this model, assuming you don’t want a ¼ violin for the rest of your life, Robertson’s will give you 100% of the value of your old instrument to put toward a new one from their store. That is a really amazing resource for an expensive hobby, and it’s a great way to ensure customers for life.
Once I had musically outgrown my first full size instrument, I wanted to keep my old one from Robertson’s and find a new one. Robertson’s was in my hometown for a summer festival, and I tried a relatively expensive instrument by a French luthier who was hot at the time. I was waffling between that instrument, and another from a local shop, which had beat out all other options. I really liked them equally, and had gotten evaluations of them and found them to be in similar condition. The instrument from Robertson’s was in slightly better condition, but I knew this. The price difference, however, between these two instruments was a 100% difference. Robertson’s instrument was twice the cost of the one from the local shop.
After some further deliberating, which was not aided or even enquired about by any Robertson employee, I decided to go with the much less expensive local instrument, that I really loved, and had a dark rich sound that the other instrument did not. When my mother went to return the other instrument to Robertson, he began insisting that we were making a mistake by not buying from him. The instrument we wanted to buy, he said, would fall apart. It wasn’t as good, and he claimed the sound quality would not hold up to a concert hall. He came on so strong it left a very bad taste in our mouths, and implied that the local shop was trying to swindle us, despite us having had the instrument evaluated by Robertson himself, who previously told us there was nothing wrong with it.
Several years have passed since then, and the instrument I chose to purchase has indeed not fallen apart, despite being 200 years older than Robertson’s pick. Additionally, I have played orchestral solos in a large concert hall since then and had absolutely no problem projecting on the G string, even in 8^th position. Yes, Robertson’s does a great service for growing children and their families’ shrinking pocketbooks, which is their strong suit in my opinion. Yes, they have a good standard supply selection, but that’s like saying McDonald’s has hamburger buns.

Wow, what the heck? There really are no reviews for Robertson & Sons yet?! Guess New Mexico string players don’t Unilocal.Weird.
I’ve been a loyal customer of Robertson & Sons since I first began playing violin around 16 years ago. They outfitted me with my first student violin at the tender age of 8, and every single violin I have owned since has been from them. My mom got her cello here, every single one of my brother’s violas came from here, and all my friends were outfitted here as well for their respective string instruments. They are simply the best!
My «serious» violin purchases were made with the help of David, one of the resident experts at Robertson & Sons. Once you are in need of a serious instrument, aka an instrument that costs well over $ 1,000+ and that you intend to perform on, David is the best resource. He’ll consult with you about your needs and concerns, pick out some instruments in your price range along with complimentary bows, and take you to the on-​site concert hall (darn good acoustics in there). There, he will perform a mini concert on each violin for you, and you and your family members can take notes on what you like/​hate about each instrument, respective tone quality, etc. Then, you yourself get to try each violin while David watches/​listens. He provides great, knowledgeable, and honest feedback and is an incomparable resource. With his help, I got a wonderful youngish violin (British, made in 1996) and an awesome bow (B. Roland Arpege carbon fiber, no longer made!). This was over 7 years ago, but I still am so grateful for David’s help and expertise.
Even though I have lived in California for the past 6 years, my parents still live in New Mexico so I am lucky enough to be able to still go back to Robertson & Sons for all my violin-​related needs. Rosin? They got the best kinds. Strings? Ditto. They can even help you decide what kinds to get. Don’t like how shrill your e-​string sounds? They can help you find a mellow-​er one. They can do it all, folks.
Earlier this year I went back home to visit my folks for Spring Break, and I took my bow in to get re-​haired. Because I no longer play in any strict orchestras with tighta** conducters, I decided to have some fun. I had Robertsons dye my bow hair PURPLE. My bow looks so awesome now, dark purple carbon fiber bow stick with brilliant purple bow hair! It took them a few days to do though, so David was kind enough to send me out with a loaner bow. (Yep! He STILL remembers me and my family, probably because we have given them thousands of dollars worth of business! He even commented on how «grown-​up» I am now, it was a very tender moment.) This wasn’t some p.o.s. loaner either, it was a beautiful handcrafted French thing which still had the price tag attached. $ 2,500. Holy cow, you can bet your britches that I was v-​e-​r-​y careful practicing with it and made sure to get a receipt when I returned it! Someday when I pay off my law school loans, I will come back and buy that bow. It was the kind of violin bow dreams are made of…*drool*
Anyways, I think it is clear from my rambling that Robertson & Sons is the place to go for all your violin, viola, cello, and upright bass needs. They are just the best. Period. :)