We are proud of our large and splendid inventory of European and American full-size instruments offered at strictly honest prices. We hand pick only the finest violins, violas and cellos with the truest and clearest tone. Each instrument is selected with an eye to its utility for classical, traditional or carnatic playing.
Menzel Violins is one of the few dealers nationwide to speak out against the pernicious illegal practice of teacher kickbacks (collusion). These kickbacks can increase the price of an instrument by 2 to 10 times. Unfortunate consumers often find that the open market will not support their overpriced investments when it comes time to trade or sell them. Some purveyors of these instruments will often not take them back in trade! Since the firm’s inception we have spurned this pervasive practice, assuring the consumer prices at a wholesale level. Do your homework before you buy!
With the exception of our starter student outfits which are less than $200, we no longer sell Chinese violins due to their lack of intrinsic value, spongy low grade of wood and tendency to age poorly. Unscrupulous dealers have found a ready mark in these instruments for their fraudulent sales practices, offering them at ridiculously inflated prices. The same student violin that we will not sell in an outfit for more than $300 may be found at other dealers starting in the thousands.
PLEASE NOTE that the following instruments are examples of current and previous inventory. Please come in to the shop to see what is currently available.
This is a classic old Saxon fiddle with the familiar square shoulders, deep chocolate varnish and beefy upturned edges. The one-piece back is another typical Saxon touch. This fiddle has a French-grafted neck. Its voice has been mellowed by time … Continue reading
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, along comes something you’ve never quite seen the likes of! This unlabelled German has a front and back arch as creased as Mo’s favorite Stetson. All the notes are there too. Hit’ll … Continue reading
When Mo found this fiddle she must have been near the top of her form as a treasure hunter! Joseph Ruddiman was a stubborn individualist of a Scotsman, working in Aberdeen from his fourteenth year according to Professor Henley. Ruddiman … Continue reading
An Exciting Violin from the Markneukirchen Workshop of Oskar Hermann Seidel. Learn more
Mo, a veritable truffle hound of good fiddle values has done it again! MoMentum violins are handsome violins made in Romania of European tonewoods with nice soft satin finishes that leave the sprayed-on look of most student instruments miles behind. … Continue reading
This is an early twentieth century German da Salo model with the celebrated double purfling and ornamental inlay on the back. Like the original there is one less turn to the scroll. These violins have long been favored by fiddlers … Continue reading
Albert Moglie was a famous Italian maker, born at Rome in 1890. He established his own workshop in Washington, D.C, in the mid 1920′s after working for Wurlitzer in Cincinnati and New York as a restorer of rare instruments. Here … Continue reading
Jacob Stainer, the Austrian luthier was the greatest non-Italian maker ever. A lonely genius, he created his own models in his search for a voice that would be forever his. This replica evokes some of the charm of the original … Continue reading
These German Maggini models have found favor with fiddlers for their robust, “travelin’” tone, along with the similar da Salo copies. Da Salo was Maggini’s teacher so it makes sense that they look like kin! This boy is bigger than … Continue reading
This violin was made in 1927. The one-piece back is especially handsome, featuring a striking medium flame, descending from left to right. The violin is varnished in a transparent golden-amber color. The tone is mellow, deep and even across the entire range. Learn more
Our Killinger violin has a bright, clear, lyrical quality that makes it perfect for classical playing. This finely crafted instrument has a stunning one-piece back of highly-flamed maple finished in a transparent orange-red varnish. Learn more
A precious baroque jewel with the voice of antiquity: warm, smooth, round and clear. Its slightly compact length (13 ¾ inches) makes it an ideal choice for a player with a smaller hand … Learn more
Professional musicians have esteemed Virzi’s instruments for their large dark tone with depth and eveness at every dynamic level and register. Virzi is also admired for his selection of the highest quality aged woods… Learn more
Claudio Testoni carries on the traditions of the Mantuan school, following the esteemed models of Scarampella and Gaetano Gadda. He has the distinction of being the only pupil of master violinmaker Mario Gadda, to whom he was apprenticed at the age of twenty… Learn more
This violin is a Strad model with a handsome two-piece back of brilliant maple of medium flame. The varnish has been antiqued in imitation of age. The tone is mellow, deep, and even across all four strings with considerable reserves of power. Learn more
This is a contemporary violin with a lyrical bright voice built on a Golden Period Strad model. The transparent orange-red varnish is antiqued in the best Markneukirchen style… Learn more
This splendid instrument features a stunning two-piece back cut on the slab. One must marvel at the exquisite craftsmanship employed in the expertly matched halves culminating in an unusual “bulls eye” in the middle. The wonderfully poised f-holes are reminiscent of Goffriller. The varnish is a warm and transparent golden-amber color… Learn more