Connolly Music Company

What Connolly Music Company does

Connolly Music Company is a family-owned B2B distributor of premium musical instruments, strings, bows, cases, stands, and accessories, operating under a dealer-focused service model for over 55 years. Founded in the late 1960s and headquartered in East Northport, New York, the company serves as the exclusive U.S. distribution partner for an eight-brand portfolio that includes Thomastik-Infeld (handmade strings from Vienna), König & Meyer (German precision stands), Jargar (Danish strings), Scherl & Roth, Glaesel, William Lewis & Son (heritage instruments and bows), Magic Rosin, Revelle (student instruments), Realist, and Boveda (patented 2-way humidity control). Products are sold wholesale to authorized music retailers, violin shops, and orchestral suppliers across the United States, with end consumers purchasing through the dealer network rather than directly from Connolly.

The company's revenue model is anchored in wholesale hardware distribution transacted through the Connolly Dealer Hub — a proprietary B2B portal that provides 24/7 ordering, inventory visibility, bulk Excel upload, and invoice management. Dedicated account managers (e.g., Sokol Nikaj, Bob Adler) support dealer relationships, supplemented by sponsored educational content platforms (StringPedagogy.com with Mimi Zweig, and StringOvation) targeted at music educators and aspiring string players. The company has expanded its brand portfolio through the 2016 acquisition of Magic Rosin (whose production was relocated in-house to East Northport) and the later addition of the Scherl & Roth, Glaesel, and William Lewis & Son heritage brands.

Product pricing spans entry-level accessories to professional instruments — with Revelle cellos reaching $9,089 and Jargar tube packs reaching $1,726 — reflecting a margin profile that benefits from premium brand positioning. Beyond physical distribution, Connolly generates ancillary revenue from custom-branded rosin programs for school fundraising ($14 wholesale cost, $19 retail, $5 contribution per unit). The company employs between 11 and 50 people, operates exclusively within the United States, and has no disclosed institutional investment, public listing, or parent-company structure.

Name

Connolly Music Company

Legal name

Connolly Music Company

Website

https://connollymusic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Connolly Music Company is a family-owned B2B distributor that has represented a portfolio of premium musical instrument and accessory brands — including Thomastik-Infeld, König & Meyer, Jargar, and Magic Rosin — exclusively to authorized U.S. dealers for over 55 years.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Musical Instrument Distribution

NAICS

Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (45914)

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

B2B Marketplaces & Wholesale Platforms (BPAMAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wholesale/B2B Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAF)

Keywords

• Musical instrument distribution
• Orchestral string accessories
• B2B dealer distribution
• Music accessory wholesale
• String instrument supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

East Northport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Musical Instrument Distribution: Distribution of world-class musical instruments including violins, violas, cellos, and bows through authorized dealer network. Products sourced from global manufacturing partners and sold B2B to music retailers.
2. Music Accessories Distribution: Distribution of accessories including strings, rosin, humidification products, stands, and cases. Sold through dealer network with pricing ranging from entry-level to professional products.
3. Custom Magic Rosin: Custom-branded rosin products with school/organization logos for fundraising programs. $14 cost per unit with $19 retail price, generating $5 profit per unit sold for fundraising organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Connolly Music Company is a family-owned B2B distributor of world-class musical instruments and accessories, supplying authorized dealers across the United States with strings, bows, cases, stands, instruments, rosin, and humidity control products from premium global brands including Thomastik-Infeld, König & Meyer, Jargar, Scherl & Roth, Revelle, Magic Rosin, Boveda, and Realist. The company operates the Connolly Dealer Hub B2B portal and supports music educators through the StringPedagogy.com and StringOvation content platforms.

Product overview

Connolly Music Company is a family-owned distributor (55+ years) of world-class musical instruments and accessories, operating as a dealer-focused business model. The company distributes a portfolio of sub-brands including Thomastik-Infeld (Vienna-made strings), König & Meyer (German precision stands and accessories), Jargar (handmade strings since 1956), Scherl & Roth with Glaesel and William Lewis & Son (heritage instruments and bows), Magic Rosin (premium professional rosin), Revelle (student instruments and bows), Boveda (humidity control), and Realist. The company also operates the Connolly Dealer Hub B2B portal for dealer ordering and offers educational platforms including String Pedagogy and StringOvation for music educators and students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Thomastik-Infeld: Handmade strings from Vienna for orchestral instruments
• König & Meyer (K&M)
• Jargar
• Scherl & Roth
• Revelle
• Magic Rosin
• Realist
• Boveda
• StringPedagogy
• StringOvation

Products and services

• Thomastik-Infeld Strings Premium handmade orchestral strings manufactured in Vienna for violin, viola, cello, and bass; exclusive U.S. distribution for music retailers and musicians.
• König & Meyer (K&M) Stands and Accessories Precision-engineered German-made music stands, microphone stands, instrument stands, speaker stands, keyboard benches, and accessories sold through authorized dealers.
• Jargar Strings Handmade steel core-based orchestral strings with warm and brilliant tone for violin, viola, cello, and bass; sold through authorized U.S. dealers.
• Scherl & Roth (with Glaesel and William Lewis & Son) Instruments and Bows Heritage stringed instruments and bows sold under the Scherl & Roth, Glaesel, and William Lewis & Son brand names; now part of the Connolly Music family of brands for resale through authorized dealers.
• Magic Rosin Premium professional-grade rosin made from purified pine resins in 3G, Ultra, and X formulas, with customizable designs for schools and organizations; acquired by Connolly Music in 2016 and produced in East Northport, NY.
• Revelle Student Instruments and Bows Reliable, frustration-free string instruments (violins, violas, cellos) and bows designed for student and new learners, sold through authorized dealers with prices ranging from $799 to $9,089.
• Boveda 2-Way Humidity Control Products Patented 2-way humidity control products for wooden instruments, automatically adding or removing moisture to maintain 45%-55% relative humidity; includes starter kits and refill packs.
• Realist Acoustic Instrument Products Acoustic instrument products and accessories distributed by Connolly Music to authorized dealers.
• Connolly Dealer Hub (B2B Portal) B2B online partner portal enabling registered authorized dealers to place orders 24/7, view pricing and inventory, track shipments, manage invoices, perform bulk Excel upload, and handle payments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55+ years in business
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Magic RosincoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016Premium rosin company founded in Minneapolis, MN in 2010 by Sarah West, Juilliard-trained cellist. Specializes in professional-grade rosin with clear, glass-like appearance. Entrusted to Connolly Music in 2016 for marketing and distribution. Rosin now produced and shipped from East Northport, NY.
• Thomastik-InfeldcoreTechnology or IntegrationVienna-based world leader in string technology with over 100 years of history. Thomastik-Infeld strings are handmade in Vienna and distributed exclusively by Connolly Music in the United States. Jointly sponsor StringPedagogy.com educational platform.
• König & MeyercoreTechnology or IntegrationGerman manufacturer of precision-engineered music stands, microphone stands, and accessories since 1949. Known for innovative design, functionality, and durability. K&M products are made in Germany with environmental consciousness. Distributed by Connolly Music in the U.S.
• Jargar StringscoreTechnology or IntegrationDanish string manufacturer founded in 1950 by Jarl Hansen, cellist at the Royal Danish Opera Orchestra. Steel core-based strings wound with pure or alloyed metal, handmade with warm and brilliant tone. Distributed by Connolly Music in America.
• Scherl & RothcoreTechnology or IntegrationLegacy stringed instrument brand now part of Connolly Music family along with Glaesel and William Lewis & Son. Continues tradition of quality instruments and bows trusted by musicians for generations.
• BovedacoreTechnology or IntegrationPatented 2-way humidity control technology for wooden instruments. Boveda products maintain constant 45%-55% relative humidity levels. Distributed by Connolly Music.
• RevellecoreTechnology or IntegrationInnovative student instrument brand focused on transforming the experience of choosing and owning a musical instrument for new string students, parents, and teachers. Instruments born performance-ready with expert luthier setup.
• StringPedagogy.com (Mimi Zweig)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree educational content platform for music teachers, aspiring violinists, and cellists. Sponsored by Thomastik-Infeld and Connolly Music. Provides access to educational content supporting string pedagogy.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Quinn the Eskimo Violins: Quinn the Eskimo is a U.S. specialty violin shop and dealer that also takes on distribution of select orchestral brands. It is comparable to a Connolly dealer and demonstrates the type of specialty retail/distribution competitor in the orchestral string channel.
• Shar Music: Shar Music is a Michigan-based specialty distributor and retailer focused on orchestral string instruments, sheet music, and accessories, with its own distribution partnerships and dealer network. It is the closest direct peer to Connolly's orchestral string and accessory business.
• West Music: West Music is a U.S. musical instrument retailer and B2B distributor serving schools, dealers, and educators with a broad catalog including orchestral string instruments and accessories. It is comparable to Connolly in serving string-focused dealers and music education channels.
• Washington Music Center: Washington Music Center is a long-established U.S. musical instrument retailer and dealer serving string players, schools, and educators. It is comparable to Connolly's larger, multi-brand dealer customers in both product mix and target customer base.
• Sweetwater: Sweetwater is a large U.S. musical instrument and pro audio retailer/distributor with a strong dealer-style sales rep model and proprietary online ordering platform. It competes with Connolly on B2B distribution of orchestral accessories and adjacent categories and represents a meaningfully larger, technology-enabled peer.
• American Music Group: American Music Group is a U.S. musical instrument and accessory distributor serving retailers, schools, and dealers with a broad catalog including orchestral products. It is comparable to Connolly as a multi-brand B2B music distributor with similar customer segments.

Emerging players

• Pirastro: Pirastro is a German manufacturer of premium orchestral strings that distributes in the U.S. through specialty channels. It competes at the brand level with Thomastik-Infeld and Jargar, making it a relevant peer in the same premium string distribution category.
• Larsen Strings: Larsen Strings is a Danish cello string manufacturer that distributes in the U.S. through specialty partners. It is comparable as both a peer manufacturer with overlapping distribution channels and a potential supplier/competitor relationship to Connolly's Jargar and Thomastik-Infeld portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Hal Leonard: Hal Leonard is the largest U.S. music publisher and a broad distributor of print music, instruments, and accessories to dealers and educators. It overlaps with Connolly in distribution to string dealers and music education channels but operates at significantly larger scale and scope.
• D'Addario: D'Addario is a leading global string manufacturer with direct distribution to dealers and consumers, including orchestral strings. While primarily a manufacturer, its direct-to-dealer distribution model overlaps with Connolly's exclusive distributor role for competing European string brands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/connolly_music

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Connolly Music Company