Buyer Considerations & Disclosures

Commitment to Transparency

I believe in being as open and transparent as possible with this project. With each rescue instrument, I will do everything in my power to answer all questions and provide the buyer with a detailed account of everything I know about the instrument, including: what I know about its history, how it came to be a rescue, any issues it may have had and how they have been addressed, and contact information for the luthier who worked on the instrument for future follow-up services.

Naturally, there are trade-offs involved with acquiring a rescue instrument vs. buying one from an established violin shop, and it is important to me that these trade-offs are fully disclosed, considered, and understood.

The Goal of String Instrument Rescue

My goal here is narrow and specific: to save excellent instruments that may otherwise not make it to market and get them into the hands of deserving players at the lowest possible price. In a word, to expand access.

Trade-Offs vs. Full-Service Shops

Naturally, this comes with trade-offs. I am not claiming to offer the same level of service as long standing Twin Cities violin shops, like John R. Waddle and Claire Givens. I highly recommend these shops, and patronize them personally. Shops like these provide assurance of future tradability, a vast selection of instruments at all price points, full-service luthier workshops, unparalleled depth of knowledge and expertise, and comprehensive warranties. By choosing a String Instrument Rescue instrument, these are all aspects that you are to some degree choosing to trade off in favor of getting an excellent instrument for a fraction of its retail price.

How I Determine Price

As mentioned above, my goal is to offer the most compelling quality for the price, in an open and transparent manner, while making String Instrument Rescue a self-sustaining project.

The price I charge for every String Instrument Rescue instrument is the sum of four components:

1. The price I paid for the instrument, plus
2. The accessories my luthier used to set up the instrument, plus
3. Whatever I paid my luthier for working on the instrument, plus
4. Modest compensation for my capital risk and time devoted to running to project.

With all of these considerations and trade-offs out in the open, I trust that you will be better able to weigh the considerations of your specific situation. When all of the relevant research has been done and comparisons have been made, I am confident that the compelling value proposition of every instrument I offer will speak for itself.

For my part, if you decide to go with String Instrument Rescue, I commit to being responsive, transparent, forthcoming, fair and honest in every interaction.

Thank you for taking time to consider String Instrument Rescue. Please contact me anytime at StringInstrumentRescue@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Hanno Strydom