Services

Get the documentation you need as a musician at our shop

Appraisals (Insurance Value Determination)

It is important for musicians to carry insurance on their instruments and bows. Appraisals provide a statement of the insurance replacement value of an instrument or bow. Please note that insurance apppraisal values are not market values, and cannot be used for resale purposes. 

Certification (Authenticity Review)

For generations, the Becker family name has been synonymous with integrity regarding research and expertise. With access to extensive archival information and an enormous data base of instruments, we can confidently certify most instruments and bows. Some instruments and bows require additional research, therefore; we ask that any item brought in for certification stays with us for a minimum of 48 hours. All certificates include high quality photos of your item taken by an expert photographer.

Travel Documents

When traveling internationally with instruments and bows, it is important to make sure your items are properly documented. For example, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has extensive laws on the selling and movement of ivory across international borders. We can provide you with travel documents that include written descriptions and/or photos of instruments/bows in your possession while traveling.

Get your instrument or bow sounding its best with our repair services

We offer a full range of repairs and maintenance services for your violin, viola, cello. At our violin shop, we can complete the following repairs:

• Glue edges or corners

• Clean, retouch, and polish so your instrument and clean

• Tonal adjustment so your instrument sounds its best, tailored to your playing style (includes soundpost adjustments)

• Tonal analysis to solve challenges you’re having with getting the best sound out of your instrument

• Straighten or custom-carve a new bridge for your instrument

• Reshape, dress, or carve a new fingerboard

• Refit your existing pegs or install new pegs

• Raise, renotch, or put in a new nut

• Neck wedge or height regulations

• Put on a new tailpiece, gut, and/or tuner (or shorten it)

Sell your instrument or bow on consignment through our shop

We are currently accepting instruments or bows on consignment with a market value of $25,000 USD or higher. We guarantee that each consignment agreement will be represented with the utmost integrity in regard to both the owner and the reputation of the instrument. If you wish to pursue a consignment with us, please arrange an appointment for an evaluation of your instrument or bow.