Selling Your Instrument

Rehoming your instruments through Cardiff Violins

Instruments are not just "things", they have a history, they have been loved, played, treasured by their owners, they have brightened many days and nights for their players and their listeners, enlivened gatherings with friends and relatives, allowed social interactions that would not have happened without them. In fact, they mean so much to people that when for various reasons it makes sense to part with them, it can take years to actually come to terms with the idea of selling grand-father's violin, mother's cello, etc.

We meet many people with instruments that have been passed on from one generation to the next, or have found a “Stradivarius” in their attic, or for various reasons have stopped playing or do not play at all. They feel that the instruments ought to be played again and enjoyed by somebody who would love them as much as they used to be, and because of their sentimental attachment to them, rather than opt for a quick impersonal auction sale, choose to sell to real players via us.

We have two formulas to help you find a new home for your instrument : 

1) Commission sale

Providing your items are in perfect order and set-up to our standards, we can offer them for sale on commission in our shop. This allows you to get a return of 76% (= 20% commission + VAT at 20%) of the selling price. If they need repairs, restoration or a set-up prior to be offered for sale, this can be done, and you would have to pay for the work when leaving them with us. You would have to wait until they are sold to receive the money. We are not able to tell you how long that would be. Should you decide to take the instrument back, you can do so, and we do not charge anything at all for the handling of your instrument. 

2) Sale on presentation of the goods

If your instrument is of potential interest to us but needs a lot of money spending on it prior to be offered for sale, you may prefer selling it in its current condition, avoid the expense, and get an immediate return.

If you have photographs of your relative or friend playing the instrument you are presenting to us, or any pictures of past musical events (up to the 1950's), we would be grateful if you were happy to let us copy them for our shop photo gallery. The musicians on this page are relatives of people who have given their photographs to us. We like the idea of paying tribute to them, many of whom were instrumental to the development of musical education in their communities, provided entertainment at a time when televisions did not exist, and instilled a love of music that lives on in later generations.