Our In-Home Trial program allows you to try up to two violins, two violas, or one cello, and four bows for a 10 day trial period. We ship trial instruments and bows anywhere in the United States. Bows over $500, violins and violas over $1,000, and cellos over $10,000 are eligible. Some exclusions apply.
Modest extensions of the return date may be arranged by contacting us by phone or email. Shar Music will mail invoices and all other appropriate sale documents after your purchase has been finalized. Any documents of provenance will be mailed separately.
Shar Music In-Home Trials are:
• Safe - Our shipping containers are designed so that instruments and bows arrive to you safely and in playing condition.
• Risk-Free - You are not responsible for anything that may happen in shipping.
• Easy - Take the guesswork out of return shipping charges. Our shipments include a prepaid return label for easy returns. There is a $30 fee to select, process, and ship bow trials, $60 for violin or viola trials, and $300 for cellos (shipping charges to Alaska and Hawaii may be higher).
The In-Home Trial shipment consists of items sent to you as a deferred-billing sale. While all items are billed on an open account basis when shipped, customers will only be charged for items which they keep, and which have not been received by Shar Music by the scheduled return date at the end of the trial period. The return date is calculated to allow for the 10-day trial period, plus shipping times to and from Shar Music.• Risk-Free - You are not responsible for anything that may happen in shipping.
• Easy - Take the guesswork out of return shipping charges. Our shipments include a prepaid return label for easy returns. There is a $30 fee to select, process, and ship bow trials, $60 for violin or viola trials, and $300 for cellos (shipping charges to Alaska and Hawaii may be higher).
Modest extensions of the return date may be arranged by contacting us by phone or email. Shar Music will mail invoices and all other appropriate sale documents after your purchase has been finalized. Any documents of provenance will be mailed separately.
Returning Your In-Home Trial
Is it time for a new instrument or bow?
If you, your child, or your student have been playing for several years, but "practice time" has started to feel like a chore, then it may well be time to upgrade to an instrument which matches your level or commitment and talent.Growing players often outgrow and exceed the limits of their instrument or bow: their passion and excitement for music is flourishing, their technical development is apparent, but their sound, their voice, is locked in an instrument which is ill-equipped to release it. This is the ideal time to seek out an instrument or bow that will allow them to take their next big musical steps.
The Search Process
To start the process, simply click the "In-Home Trial" button on the product detail page for the instrument or bow you wish to take out on trial. You can also give us a call at 866.742.7270 or an email at violinshop@sharmusic.com to learn more.Our specialists are string players themselves, with years of playing and teaching experience. They are happy to help you find the instrument or bow best suited to you, and to answer your detailed questions.
Not able to visit our shop in person? No problem! We'll walk you through our shop and discuss particular instruments and bows that match your desired criteria and tonal characteristics. If you're not sure sure how to talk about your desired sound, never fear: we have experience working with players of all levels — professional musicians, students, parents, and studio teachers — and we'll use language that every player can understand.
Based on our conversation, we'll spend more time in our expansive showroom of instruments and bows and begin selecting examples specifically for you. We will play them, and listen to them with another colleague to get a good feel for their overall tone and projection under the ear and at a distance. We know that each example is unique, even of the same model from a maker or workshop, but we'll work within our extensive collection to find the right one for you!
After your instruments and bows have been selected, we personally pack them for the safest delivery. Once you receive the trial shipment, we will stay in touch with you by phone and/or email, answering your questions and offering guidance as you make a decision.
If your first selection of instruments or bows does not meet your needs for any reason, we will continue to help you in your search until we find your perfect match.