Fiddledroid - Posted - 03/15/2024:  09:27:37

Hey everybody!

Something I’ve noticed about violin shops and repair shops is that there is often something missing. I think we’ve all experienced these things to some degree. Either a music shop that usually works on fretted instruments and just takes a stab at violin repair, or a violin shop that has an amazing inventory, but doesn’t know how to help a fiddle player find an instrument.

Recently I took a trip up to silver spring, MD to Ludwick’s House of Violin. The owner, Z.Z. Ludwick, is a student of mine. Before our lesson I got to look around his shop, play some instruments, and he even set up my fiddle. Z.Z. Is a huge bluegrass fan, and has been for many years. He himself plays fiddle, banjo, and mandolin.

I have to say, the selection of violins he has is great! He really has something for everyone from beginners to professionals. And let me say that his repair work is amazing. He made several adjustments to my fiddle and it sounds like a different instrument.

I think this shop bridges a gap that we see to often in the fiddle world. Z.Z. has top shelf knowledge, Skills, and inventory, while also understanding hat bluegrass players are looking for. In addition to all of that, he’s a great guy!

If you are within a reasonable distance of his shop, I highly recommend making an appointment if you’re in search of a fiddle or in need of repair. You can check his shop out here:

ludwickshouseofviolin.com

And if you’d like to hear the results of my visit to his shop, check that out here:

facebook.com/share/r/qdTWbxZn8...id=WC7FNe

I hope that some of you find this helpful as I have been looking for a
place like this for a long time!

-Mason

Also, here are some shots of Z.Z. working on my fiddle!

 

Erockin - Posted - 03/15/2024:  09:54:26

He's about 1 1/2 hrs from us! Nice post. I think we'd have a lot to talk about...lol. Nice to know they are out there!

Lonesome Fiddler - Posted - 03/15/2024:  12:36:59

When I lived in L.A. I had a good three or four stringed instrument shops within reasonable driving distance that either specialized in fiddling or were violin shops that wouldn't put their noses up when I needed fiddle help. Now, living on an island halfway between the Far East and the U.S. West Coast, I ain't so lucky. The closest thing resembling a genuine violin luthier is a shop a couple dozen miles away where, maybe three or four times a year, a lady flies in to do stuff like bow re-hairs. Putting it another way, when the neck of my favorite violin decided to detach itself from the body, I had to ship the fiddle to Los Angeles to get it glued back on.

bacfire - Posted - 03/15/2024:  13:31:38

Barr's Fiddle Shop, Galax, VA. Ground zero for OT fiddling. Nice folks and no telling who you might run into in there.
&
Double Stop Fiddle Shop, Guthrie, OK. At least the pre-fire version with Berline around. Can't speak for today's version.

ShadeTree - Posted - 03/15/2024:  20:26:25

The Violin Shop Nashville - I cannot say enough good things about them. Whether an individual is a five-star violinist, a fiddle player hobbyist, or can't play a violin at all, each individual is treated with the same respect. Customer service seems to be their over-riding goal. They maintain a well stocked inventory of antique and newer violins from 1K to many, many K's in price. The employees are very knowledgeable and their luthiers are amazingly talented. From restorations, to repairs, to routine maintenance, they can do it all. They bring a violin up to its fullest potential. For myself, it is well worth the two hour drive to The Violin Shop Nashville, when my instruments need attention. I would be hard pressed to find anyone better.

RobBob - Posted - 03/16/2024:  05:04:03

Some of my favorite shops have closed. There is a very good fiddle repair guy who is my age in Green Creek, NC but he has slowed down. In Black Mountain, NC there is rickenbackerviolins.com/ who is very good.

DougD - Posted - 03/16/2024:  05:21:35

My favorite (and really only) violin shop was this one: solitudeviolinshop.weebly.com/ (poke around a little bit to get the drift).
Unfortunatey, my friend and master luthier Alfred Michels died in 2018, and lots of string players around here are stil lost.
A visit to his shop was not like big city commerce. Once his wife asked me to help their elderly neighbor across the road move some of her cows around, and it took me two weeks to get all the cow manure out of the soles of my hiking shoes. Lots of memories of that place.