For many years I’ve found myself in Brisbanes various violin and musical instrumental shops, as well as the workshops of various luthiers. Like musical composition, every experience has something special. My local areas general music shops, now closed, include Music Express – where an acquaintance from school was working off and on for the last umm… 30 years, and Masson’s music. I’ve got to know John Masson a bit through the mens shed – he’s been in the game for a long time and knows just about everyone on the scene from my first violin teacher Pat Mallon and luthier Frank Williams to more recent times. John also gave me the encouragement to have a go with my own enterprise.
Across the river is the fabulous Animato strings. Dietrich is a former professional viola player from Europe and runs a wonderful instrument “cave”, full of European instruments and a good range of student instruments as well. He’s been my goto as I got back into playing, very generous with his time (if you go when its quiet), he is kind of like everyones favourite uncle in persona. I’ve bought more than a few instruments, strings and parts here (before I discovered wholesalers)…he also has these old European cases which make great restoration projects for my sons.
Closer to town in Red Hill is Simply for Strings, really built for the customer experience, its in an airy old church building and full of happy people and a wide variety of new instruments for you to try, with a good range of books too; bring your cheque book though its a salivating experience. On the Southside is relative newcomer Vivace with the main strings section down in their Underwood store and some branches in surrounding suburbs. Their string section is in a glassed off room at the back, with an impressive, somewhat imposing range of instruments on display, quite different brands to the other 2 stores too.
Trying out instruments
If you are in the market for new violin instruments, beginner to advanced these are all good places to visit , though I hope you’ll come see me!. One of the challenges with buying an instrument is being able to put it through its paces, especially if you are not as good as you want to be. Its easy to be put off by an imposing atmosphere, and a crowd…don’t be! you are there to find the instrument that works for you so take your time, try to go when its quiet if having other people around might put you off!
Brisbane Violin Luthiers
Brisbane is also host to some quality violin luthiers, while I like my luthier teachers workshop (its in an Artists community..kind the full package), he’s not in Brisbane so I’ve spent a bit of time in other over the years Frank Williams way back (who’s son now runs String Tech down Logan way), theres the Grawert brothers Olaf (at Dutton Park servicing and repairing high end instruments mostly) and Ilja (formerly at Woolongabba now at the Gap or up North Qld way), trained by their father. Holts Violin Shop, once a mainstay opposite St. Andrews in South Brisbane, closed long ago, though Mark Holt is still doing some luthiering if you know where to ask. Further south is Lance Scott, formerly of Holts and his own workshop in West End. On the Northside is John Simmers he is almost exclusively a maker now, trained in England at the Newark school he’s paired with some makers in China, so you can choose violins made entirely by him or in partnership with China – which really helps with the price point. I sometimes send clients to these chaps, depending on the instruments, it’s important to get the right expertise on the trickier jobs.
