Robertson and Sons Violin Shop

What Robertson and Sons Violin Shop does

Robertson and Sons Violin Shop, Inc. is a privately held dealer and luthier workshop established in 1971 and headquartered at 3201 Carlisle Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The company sells, rents, restores, appraises, and consigns bowed stringed instruments and bows (violins, violas, cellos, double basses, and the five bow categories). It positions itself as one of the largest and most diverse collections of bowed stringed instruments in North America, serving three primary customer segments: professional musicians and serious enthusiasts, students and educators, and collectors. Distribution relies on three physical showrooms plus a Recital Hall, phone and email inside-sales with a dedicated Rental Coordinator (Ariah Deason), an in-home approval program with free insured shipping for instruments over $1,000, and out-of-state sales expos such as the Fredericksburg Music Festival & School presented by TexasCellos (June 2026). International reach is executed through a consignment program that places instruments before a global clientele.

Revenue comes from five distinct streams: (1) instrument and bow retail ranging from entry-level student outfits to high-value collectibles, (2) subscription instrument rentals at $20-$40 per month for violins, violas, and cellos with credit applicable to purchase after six months, (3) restoration, repair, and bow rehair services performed by in-house luthiers, (4) appraisals at $125 (or $62.50 for updates) and Certificates of Authenticity at 4% of fair market value, and (5) consignment transactions on a tiered commission schedule of 30%/25%/20% depending on list price, effective March 1, 2026. Accessories (cases from BAM, BOBELOCK, GEWA, GLOBAL, Musafia, PEDI, Tonareli; strings from D'Addario, Larsen, Pirastro, Thomastik; rosin, shoulder rests, pickups, humidifiers, metronomes) and a sheet music library supply ancillary margin on rental outfits and instrument sales.

The underlying technology is custom luthier craftsmanship rather than software or AI systems. The flagship proprietary product is the Robertson Extension (Low C-Chromatic Double-Bass Extension), designed by founder Don Robertson in the early 1980s and refined by luthier Evan Davenport with fully adjustable intonation; the firm describes these as entirely custom-made per instrument and used by discriminating bass players worldwide. Marketing is relationship-driven (email newsletter 6-10 times per year, Facebook, Instagram, event sponsorships, website content on packing/shipping and instrument selection), and the firm maintains a 100% trade-in policy and rental maintenance plans ($5-$10/month) that anchor multi-year customer relationships across the student-to-pro lifecycle.

Name

Robertson and Sons Violin Shop

Legal name

Robertson & Sons Violin Shop Inc.

Website

https://robertsonviolins.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Robertson & Sons Violin Shop is a privately held, family-owned Albuquerque dealer (est. 1971) that sells, rents, restores, appraises, and consigns fine bowed stringed instruments and bows to professional musicians, students, educators, and collectors across the United States and via international consignment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Musical Instrument Retail

NAICS

Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140)

SIC

Musical Instruments (3931)

akta.pro primary industry

Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra) (CRALAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Instrument Repair, Maintenance & Luthier Services (CRALAEAF), Instrument Rentals & Leasing (Band/Orchestra Programs) (CRALAEAG), Used & Vintage Musical Instruments Retail (CRALAEAH), Instrument Accessories & Consumables Retail (Strings, Reeds, Sticks, Cables) (CRALAEAE)

Keywords

• Violin retail sales
• String instrument dealer
• Instrument rental services
• Luthier restoration services
• Instrument appraisals

Headquarters

HQ city

Albuquerque

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Instrument and Bow Sales: Retail sales of violins, violas, cellos, basses, and bows ranging from entry-level student instruments to high-value antique and collector instruments. The shop offers one of the largest and most diverse collections of bowed stringed instruments in North America.
2. Instrument Rentals: Monthly rental program for violins, violas, and cellos targeting students. Rental prices range from $20-$40/month depending on instrument type and size. All rentals include bow, case, and rosin. Rental payments can be applied toward purchase after 6 months.
3. Restoration and Repair Services: Non-invasive and artistic restorations, perfect bow rehairs, tonal adjustments, and set-ups. Services accepted via walk-in or by appointment. Out-of-town customers can ship instruments for evaluation and repair.
4. Appraisals and Certificates of Authenticity: Insurance appraisals at $125 (new) or $62.50 (update). Certificates of Authenticity at 4% of fair market value, signed by Robertson & Sons with individual registration numbers.
5. Consignment Program: Commission-based consignment placing instruments and bows before international clientele. Commission rates of 20-30% depending on list price (effective March 1, 2026): 30% up to $10,000, 25% above $10,000 to $150,000, 20% above $150,000.
6. Sheet Music Sales: Extensive selection of sheet music including technical studies, solo repertoire, duets, trios, quartets, chamber music, method books, scores, and Suzuki materials for violin, viola, cello, and double bass.
7. Accessories Sales: Sales of instrument cases, shoulder rests, chinrests, strings, rosin, pickups, mutes, humidifiers, metronomes, tuners, music stands, and other string player accessories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Robertson and Sons Violin Shop is a specialty dealer of bowed stringed instruments (violins, violas, cellos, double basses) and bows, offering one of the largest and most diverse collections in North America. The company also provides instrument rentals, professional luthier restoration and repair services, insurance appraisals, certificates of authenticity, an in-home approval process, consignment sales, and proprietary custom Low C-Chromatic Double-Bass Extensions developed by founder Don Robertson.

Product overview

Robertson & Sons Violin Shop is a premier dealer of bowed stringed instruments and accessories, offering a comprehensive portfolio centered around violins, violas, cellos, and double basses. The company operates as both a retail operation and a service provider, selling instruments ranging from student rental outfits to rare antique instruments valued at tens of thousands of dollars. Beyond core instruments, the product portfolio includes a full range of bows (violin, viola, cello, French bass, and German bass) across all price points, premium instrument cases from manufacturers like BAM, BOBELOCK, GEWA, GLOBAL, Musafia, PEDI, and Tonareli, and essential accessories including strings, rosin, shoulder rests, mutes, humidifiers, pickups, metronomes, tuners, and sheet music. Services complement the product offering with instrument rentals (with payments applying toward purchase), professional restoration and repairs by experienced luthiers, insurance appraisals, certificates of authenticity, an approval program for in-home instrument evaluation, consignment services, and custom C-extensions for double basses developed by the company's founder. The business also operates an archives section listing previously sold instruments and maintains a dedicated sheet music library.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Violins Handcrafted violins in full-size (4/4) and fractional sizes (1/16, 1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4) for students, intermediate players, and professional musicians.
• Violas Violas available in sizes ranging from 12" to 17", catering to various player preferences and requirements.
• Cellos Full-size and fractional cellos (1/10, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 4/4) for students and professional musicians.
• Double Basses String basses available in 3/4, 7/8, and full-size configurations for orchestral and solo performance.
• Violin Bows Bows crafted from carbon fiber and traditional woods, available at multiple price points for students and professionals.
• Viola Bows Professional-grade viola bows including French and German styles from renowned makers.
• Cello Bows Cello bows available in various styles and price ranges from entry-level to professional.
• French Bass Bows Handcrafted French-style bass bows from renowned makers including Fetique, Vigneron, and Sartory, priced from under $1,000 to over $10,000.
• German Bass Bows German-school style bass bows including modern and historical works by some of the world's finest makers.
• Instrument Accessories Cases and bags, shoulder rests, strings, rosin, pickups and transducers, mutes, humidifiers, chinrests and pads, metronomes, tuners, music stands and lights, endpin stops, and cleaning products from leading manufacturers including BAM, BOBELOCK, GEWA, Musafia, Pirastro, Thomastik, Korg, and K&M.
• Sheet Music Technical studies, solo repertoire, chamber music, and method books for violin, viola, cello, and bass, including Suzuki materials, method books (All for Strings, Essential Elements, Sassmanshaus), and scores from Barenreiter, Dover, and others.
• Instrument Rentals Monthly rental program for violins, violas, and cellos targeting students with prices ranging from $20-$40/month. Rentals include bow, case, and rosin. After six months, rental payments can be applied toward purchase.
• Restoration and Repair Services Non-invasive and artistic restorations, bow rehairs, tonal adjustments, and professional setups performed by experienced in-house luthiers. Accepted via walk-in or appointment; out-of-town customers can ship instruments for evaluation and repair.
• Insurance Appraisals Formal insurance appraisals evaluating replacement value of instruments and bows. $125 fee for new appraisals; $62.50 for updating existing appraisals. Includes physical description and measurements.
• Certificates of Authenticity Formal documentation of instrument or bow authenticity issued by Robertson & Sons, signed and assigned an individual registration number. Fee is 4% of fair market value.
• Trade-In Policy Trade-in program allowing customers to apply 100% of their current instrument's value toward purchase of a new or different instrument.
• Consignment Services Consignment program placing instruments and bows before international clientele. Commission rates effective March 1, 2026: 30% on items up to $10,000; 25% on items $10,000-$150,000; 20% on items above $150,000.
• Custom C-Extensions (Robertson Extension)

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BAM (Hightech cases)minorOthersBAM is a manufacturer of high-quality instrument cases that Robertson & Sons carries in their inventory. Cases include Hightech L'Étoile and other BAM models for violins and violas.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Southwest Strings: Southwest Strings (Tucson, AZ) is a direct peer focused on school music programs: it sells and rents stringed instruments and accessories with similar fractional sizing for student violin/viola/cello/bass rentals and a national shipping model. Targets the same K-12 and educator customer base as Robertson.
• Carriage House Violins: Carriage House Violins (Jamaica Plain, MA) is a direct peer with a strong restoration and luthier reputation, sales of student through professional instruments, and a rental program. Comparable expert-led approach and similar in-house service stack.
• Shar Music: Shar Music (Chesterfield, MI) is a closely comparable direct peer: it is one of the largest U.S. retailers of bowed stringed instruments, sheet music, and accessories, and operates a national school-rental program with similar credit-toward-purchase mechanics. Overlaps Robertson on violins/violas/cellos, sheet music, cases, and rentals.
• Ifshin Violins: Ifshin Violins (El Cerrito, CA) is a direct peer offering sales, rentals, restoration, and consignment of bowed stringed instruments. Comparable in scope (entry-level through professional), with similar luthier services and a long-tenured operating history.
• Lisle Violin Shop: Lisle Violin Shop (Lisle, IL) is a direct peer focused on fine and antique bowed stringed instruments for collectors and professionals. Comparable high-end inventory and access to rare instruments, smaller scale than Robertson's mass premium positioning.
• Johnson String Instrument: Johnson String Instrument (Newton, MA) is a direct peer specializing in violins, violas, cellos, and basses for students through professionals. Operates one of the largest school rental programs in the U.S. with subscription pricing, similar accessories, and a comparable repair/appraisal/extension service menu.

Emerging players

• Reverb: Reverb is the largest online marketplace for new and used musical instruments, including violins, violas, cellos, and basses. It is a partial competitor on new/used instrument sales and an indirect channel for accessories — emerging digital-first player that pressures traditional showroom-based dealers like Robertson.
• Quinn the Eskimo Violins: Quinn the Eskimo Violins (Richmond, VA) is a smaller, emerging player in the same niche offering sales, rentals, and repair of bowed stringed instruments. Smaller scale and more limited inventory, but directly comparable business model.

Regional players

• The Sound Post: Various regional luthier-led violin shops (e.g., The Sound Post, smaller specialty dealers) operate comparable models in geographically distinct markets. Represent the regional tier of the same category that Robertson serves nationally from Albuquerque.

Broad incumbents

• Bein & Fushi / International Violin Company: Bein & Fushi (Chicago, IL), now operating as International Violin Company, is a broader incumbent in the same high-end dealer space. Competes for antique Italian instruments and serves professional collectors/consignors, but with a more globally focused, museum-style model and larger historical inventory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RobertsonSonsViolin
• Instagraminstagram.com/robertsonandsonsviolinshop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Robertson and Sons Violin Shop