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1043 W. Walnut St. Rogers, Arkansas 72756
Hours

Frequently Asked Questions


Beginners and Rentals


My child is wanting to start playing an instrument. Should we rent or buy?
We offer student instruments for both rent and purchase. Which option to choose depends on your preference. Our rental program offers maximum flexibility, because 80% of your rental payments can go toward purchase of an instrument in the future (if your child loves playing) and there is no long-term commitment so you can stop the rental at any time (if she doesn't). We also offer high-quality student instruments for purchase that will carry your child through many years of making music.

How can I rent an instrument?
Visit the Rental section of our website for details on our rental program. You can fill out our secure, online rental application there as well. You can specify the date you want your rental to begin, and you can even order the supplies you'll need to get started. No payment is due until you actually have possession of the instrument. We strongly recommend that you fill out the application online before coming into the shop. We might need a little extra time to get your instrument prepped. If we know what you need in advance, we'll be able to make sure your instrument is ready when you need it. Our rental program is generally open to all, but we do have a couple requirements. Our rental program was set up with younger students in mind. We do rent instruments to people of all ages, as long as they are actively taking lessons with an instructor. For help finding a teacher, check out our strings education center at www.palmerstringstudio.com  Minimum rental term is three months. If you need a shorter term rental, we might be able to help. Please contact us to check availability

What is covered by the rental repair coverage?
All of our rental instruments are covered by our rental repair coverage. It's not an extra charge or something you have to opt-in to, rather it's an essential component of our rental program and is included in your monthly rate. If there is anything that needs to be repaired on your rental instrument, bring it in to us and we'll fix it in our workshop, free of charge. Instruments get dropped, sat on, run over, left in the rain, etc. etc. We've seen it all! If we can fix it quickly, we'll get it back in shape and can deliver it to your student's school. If it's a repair that is going to take a few days, we'll issue you a loaner instrument while yours is in our workshop. And if something catastrophic has occurred and rendered your instrument unplayable, we'll issue you a different instrument. Common repairs are broken bridges, open seams, broken or hard to turn pegs, loose soundposts, but there are all sorts of repairs we do for free every year for our rental customers. The only exception is if the instrument is intentionally damaged or vandalized by the renter. In that case, you will be liable to pay for the instrument's replacement, but you will be able to use your accrued rental credit toward that replacement. This has only happened twice in the 15 years that we have been running our rental program. We understand that some wear and tear is normal, this is only for extreme cases that are very, very rare.
PLEASE NOTE that our repair coverage does not include strings. Strings can break and wear out and need to be replaced from time to time. We consider strings to be an over-the-counter retail item, rather than repair work. They can be replaced by your teacher, by our staff (in about 20 seconds), or with strings from another retailer. When you pick up your instrument, it will have brand new strings. About 90% of our rental customers never break a string in the first place because our instruments stay in tune better, meaning students are having fewer struggles with pegs which is the most common cause of broken strings. Shops that do offer plans that cover broken strings also charge additional fees for that service, usually $5-$30 a month, depending on the instrument. We've found that our customers prefer to pay for the occasional broken string, rather than paying 4x the actual cost of a set of strings annually. It's not a great deal for the customer in the end, especially if they never actually need a string replaced.

Do rental instruments include the case and bow?
Yes. We rent the entire “outfit,” which includes the instrument, case, and bow. There are other accessories that you might need, such as a shoulder rest, rock stop, and rosin. You would purchase those items separately, and you would keep them when you return or exchange your rental instrument.

At what age can my child begin playing?
Private teachers often begin teaching children very young – as young as 3 or 4 years old. The smallest violin is a 1/32 size violin, and we provide those instruments to our tiniest customers. Most middle schools in the area begin students in the 6th grade. Of course, you can learn an instrument at any age – we have quite a few customers who are adult beginners.

How do I know what size instrument I need?
Violins, violas, cellos, and basses all come in “full size” and a variety of smaller, or “fractional” sizes (3/4, 1/2, 1/4, etc.). Adults usually play full sized instruments, while children often play fractional sizes. Your child's teacher can measure your child to determine what size instrument she needs, or you can bring her into our shop and we can measure her as well. Children who begin on fractional sizes will need to “size up” as they grow. Our rental program provides the option to size up whenever needed, at no charge. You never know when your child will go through a growth spurt and suddenly need a bigger instrument! Flexibility with sizing is one of the main benefits of starting with a rental vs. purchasing a smaller instrument for a beginner.

I saw a cheaper instrument on EBay / Craigslist / at a garage sale. Why shouldn't I just buy that?
It's always possible to get a good deal from one of these sources – but in our experience, it isn't likely. If an instrument is not being sold through a shop, there is usually a reason. These are often instruments that someone has found in their attic, that are in poor (or no) playing condition, or that a shop has refused to sell. If you have found an instrument locally that you can try out (and especially one that you can show to your teacher for feedback), this can be a viable option. But we strongly discourage buying instruments from the internet, sight-unseen. Is the instrument properly set-up for playing? Can you return the instrument and get a refund if it does not meet your needs? Is there a service warranty or guarantee? Does it come with a good case and a bow? (Does the bow need rehairing?) What happens if your teacher does not approve? What about trade-ins? We often have the experience of people purchasing an instrument from EBay, discovering that the instrument needs a case/bow/bridge/strings/sound post/extensive repair, and bringing it into our shop for help. In such cases, the instruments often become a money pit and you end up spending more money than you would have had you rented or purchased from a shop.

Do you sell accessories?
Yes. We sell all accessories required and recommended by our local schools. This includes rosin, music stands, music books, metronomes, tuners, shoulder rests, chin rests, etc. You can purchase items through our website and we'll ship them to you. If the items are for a student at one of the school programs in our area, we could deliver it to their school as well.

Do you teach lessons?

In November 2023. we will be opening a string education center in Bentonville. You can find out more about it, and get on our waiting list, by visiting  www.palmerstringstudio.com Rest assured, Mr. Palmer will remain behind the workbench at our Rogers location and will NOT be teaching. We'll have a staff of great teachers handling all levels of instruction on violin, viola, cello, and bass.



What do you mean when you talk about an instrument's "setup" Why does that matter?
The “set up” of an instrument refers to the parts of the instrument the musician actually interacts with: the pegs, strings, bridge, tail piece, and sound post (inside the instrument). These are the parts of the instrument that make the sound. None of these parts of the instrument are glued. They are all held together by tension. When the bow's hair is dragged across the strings, all of these parts vibrate. This vibration echoes through and inside the instrument (which is basically a wooden sound box), which creates and projects the sound. All of these parts of the instrument have to be adjusted to very tight specifications (down to the millimeter) in order to play and sound like they should. Luthiers are professionally trained to make these adjustments. That's why having this done by a professional luthier makes a huge difference in how easy the instrument is to play and how good it sounds. Poorly adjusted instruments are harder to play (and listen to!) and can even cause the musician finger, wrist, or arm pain.

Do you work on guitars?
No, our staff is trained to work on bowed stringed instruments, and they're very different from guitars and other plucked instruments. They're made from different woods, finished with different varnishes, even glued together with different glues. There's really not a lot of overlap between the two families of instruments. 

What is the difference between a violin and a fiddle?
This is a really common question, and the answer is... not much. The term "fiddle" is usually associated with various styles of folk or popular music, like bluegrass, jazz, old time, western swing, country, etc. Violin is usually the preferred term of the classical world. The instruments themselves are the same. The difference comes down to the kind of tone that is needed for different styles of music. An instrument that's playing in an orchestra generally needs a tone that blends well with the other voices in its section. An instrument that's playing in a bluegrass band, for example, needs a brighter, sharper tone in order to be heard over a guitar or banjo. We can make various adjustments to the instrument to try to get the desired tone. Something as simple as a different set of strings can change the character of an instrument quite a bit. We'll also sometimes make adjustments to the curvature of the bridge crown to suit fiddlers. We can make them a bit flatter so that they have an easier time playing double stops. That's usually not the preference of classical players, who want to be able to exert maximum force with the bow without worrying about hitting extra strings. We enjoy working on all sorts of instruments at Palmer Violin Shop! Variety is the spice of life.


Taking The Next Step


Do you sell intermediate or professional instruments?
Yes. We carry a wide range of excellent instruments for advancing students and professionals. Please visit the Instruments pages of our website to learn more. 

I want an instrument that my child can play through high school and college. What instrument should I buy?
We carry many instruments designed for advancing student musicians. Please visit the Instruments pages of our website to learn more. Your child's teacher can also assist you in selecting an instrument that will meet your child's needs.

Do you take trade-in instruments?
Sometimes. We do not typically take student instruments as trade-ins. However, we sometimes take intermediate or advanced level instruments as trade-ins, depending upon the instrument and our current inventory. Just bring your instrument into the shop during business hours and we will be happy to take a look.

Do you sell bows?
Yes. We sell a wide variety of bows for student, advancing, and professional musicians. Please visit our Bows page of our website or call us for more information.

How can I come try out instruments?
You are welcome to come try out instruments at any time. However, we recommend letting us know in advance what you are looking for and when you will be stopping by. That way, we can make sure we have all the instruments you might be interested in set up and ready for you to play. If you are looking for something specific that we do not have in our inventory, we can also order instruments for you to try in our shop.


Repair & Maintenance


Can you fix my instrument?
Most often, yes. Stringed instruments are designed to break in fixable ways – such as a seam coming open, the sound post (on the inside of the instrument) coming out of alignment, pegs coming loose, cracks appearing, etc. Unless your instrument has been smashed and most closely resembles kindling, we can usually repair it. Just bring your instrument into the shop any time during businesses hours, and we can take a look at it and let you know what we can do.

When can I bring it in?
You can bring an instrument in for repair at any time during business hours. We will let you know in advance when the repairs will be finished. Please note that our turnaround time for repairs is much longer mid-July through September, because of the back-to-school rush associated with our rental program. If you know you will need repairs done to your instrument before the school year, we strongly recommend that you to bring the instrument to us in May or June.

I think I will just glue it back together myself.
Please do not do this! Stringed instruments need hide glue, a special glue that is designed to break when it experiences pressure (such as dropping the instrument or banging it into something). This is so that the glue breaks instead of the wood. Also, during most repairs, it is necessary to manually break the glue and take the top off of the instrument to work on it. If store-bought glue is used to “fix” the instrument, taking it apart in the future is impossible. Think of it as the equivalent of gluing the hood of your car shut so that it can never be opened again. We have seen many instruments effectively ruined by some can-do spirit and a bottle of TiteBond.

Can I just describe the problem to you over the phone?
Of course, feel free to call us and discuss any problem you are having with your instrument. However, without having the instrument in our hands, we cannot definitively diagnose a problem or provide a quote for repair. We often have to look inside the instrument, play the instrument ourselves, or “test” certain things on the instrument to determine what repairs are needed.

I need to have my bow rehaired. Can you do that?
Yes. You can bring your bow in any time during business hours. Turnaround time for bows varies.

What can I do to take good care of my instrument?
There are many steps you can take to keep your instrument in good playing condition, and save yourself from costly repairs. Make sure that you have a good case that protects the instrument. We recommend hard-sided cases. Keep the instrument in the case when you are not playing it. Keep your instrument in steady temperatures and humidity, as much as possible – do not leave it in your car, since heat and cold can damage an instrument.


Consignment & Appraisals


I have an old instrument in my family. Can you tell me what it is worth?
We can tell you the market value of your violin, viola, cello, or bass. You do not need an appointment – just come see us any time during business hours. Of course, many of our customers have instruments that are treasured family heirlooms and therefore have great sentimental value as well.

Can you help me sell my instrument?
We generally do not sell instruments on consignment. From time to time, we do purchase older instruments that are not in playable condition that we'll take on as restoration projects. We do not resell used student instruments from other retailers on consignment.


The Life of a Luthier


How do you become a luthier?
Professional luthiers undergo years of training to be able to make, repair, and restore stringed instruments. First, they receive training at a violin making school and then apprentice to master luthiers before being qualified to work on their own. Our shop's owner, Ray Palmer, graduated with his degree in lutherie from the Violin Making School of America (http://www.vmsa.net/) in 2007. During that time, he worked alongside master luthiers at the prestigious Peter Prier and Sons (http://www.prierviolins.com/) violin shop in Salt Lake City. He then moved to Fayetteville to apprentice to master luthier, Terry Borman (http://www.bormanviolins.com/).

You don't meet many people who do that!
It's true. Since its founding nearly 45 years ago, the Violin Making School of America has graduated only 168 students. The only other violin making school in the United States is in Chicago, and it was founded in 2002. We feel strongly that musicians of all ages deserve to play high quality instruments and have their instruments cared for by trained professionals

How do you hone your skills as a luthier?
Ray Palmer spends time every year studying new restoration, repair, and instrument building techniques with master instrument craftsman throughout the country and world. He has studied bow restoration with Lynn Armour Hannings (http://shop.lahbows.com/), one of the world's preeminent bow experts. Ray has traveled abroad to gain more knowledge and connections, including visiting Cremona, Italy where Antonio Stradivari worked, and various parts of China to commission the Artigiano line of instruments for Palmer Violin Shop from shops which still make them by hand.

Do you make your own instruments?
Yes. Our owner and luthier, Raymond Palmer, is professionally trained in making, repairing, and restoring instruments. He does lots of repair and restoration in the shop, and mostly makes instruments on a commission basis. Ray's handmade instruments are currently being played by professional musicians in symphonies across the country.

What kind of wood do you use?

Most fine stringed instruments are made of Maple (back, ribs, neck, and scroll) and Spruce (top).



What do you mean when you talk about an instrument's ?set up?? Why does that matter?
The “set up” of an instrument refers to the parts of the instrument the musician actually interacts with: the pegs, strings, bridge, tail piece, and sound post (inside the instrument). These are the parts of the instrument that make the sound. None of these parts of the instrument are glued. They are all held together by tension. When the bow's hair is dragged across the strings, all of these parts vibrate. This vibration echoes through and inside the instrument (which is basically a wooden sound box), which creates and projects the sound. All of these parts of the instrument have to be set up to very tight specifications (down to the millimeter) in order to play and sound like they should. Luthiers are professionally trained to make these adjustments. That's why having this done by a professional luthier makes a huge difference in how easy the instrument is to play and how good it sounds. Badly adjusted instruments hamper performance and can even cause the musician finger, wrist, or arm pain.

Are all luthiers musicians?
Surprisingly, no. Some luthiers do not play the instruments that they work on. Many luthiers view themselves as craftsmen first, and musicians second. Ray has played violin since he was 5. He plays viola with the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra (http://www.arphil.org/), “fiddle” with the Old 78s (http://www.theold78s.com/), and mandolin and other stringed instruments with various ensembles. Melanie Palmer, his wife and bookkeeper, plays saxophone and cello banjo with the Old 78s. He is hoping that his 2 year old daughter is destined to be a cello or bass player.

What is the difference between a violin and a fiddle?
The difference between a violin and a fiddle is usually in the type of music that is played – not in the instrument itself. Symphony musicians play “violins” while folk musicians play “fiddles.” The instrument is the same. In fact, you might see Ray's “violin” that he plays in a symphony setting moonlight as his “fiddle” with old time and cajun bands!


General


Do you sell guitars, woodwind reeds, accordions, etc?
No. Our shop specializes in violins, violas, cellos, and basses only, as well as the accessories associated with these instruments. We carry all music, music stands, tuners, metronomes, etc. that are required or recommended by local schools. Please peruse our website for a listing of our inventory.

Where are you located?
We are located just west of historic downtown Rogers, Arkansas, at 1043 W. Walnut Street. See the map HERE.