Fine string instruments, personally selected
My name is Hanno Strydom, a former professional cellist and, from 2008 to 2018, a member of the cello faculty at MacPhail Center for Music. String Instrument Rescue is my small, independent practice: I select fine string instruments, have each one examined and set up by a professional luthier, and offer them at prices well below regular retail.
Why the instrument matters
In a student's musical development, two things matter most: the quality of instruction and the quality of the instrument. Few things discourage progress more than an unresponsive, poorly set-up instrument.
I founded String Instrument Rescue so that more players can own an instrument worthy of their work, without paying full showroom retail.
How each instrument is chosen
Many fine instruments fall through the cracks.
The trade prioritizes volume and expediency, so a cello with a cosmetic issue may be set aside when pristine examples of the same model are ready to ship immediately.
Others fall out of use when a player enters a new season of life or gets injured. Many of these instruments get listed by their owners, but without expert judgment, prospective buyers have no reliable way to distinguish the few fine instruments from the many with hidden problems requiring thousands of dollars of remediation.
I consider instruments from a range of sources — from private owners to industry insiders — and subject each one to my own rigorous judgment as a professionally trained player and teacher, and through the technical expertise of my luthier. Anything that is not structurally sound and a strong player's instrument is declined. Where a full-service shop would price such an instrument at retail, I am uniquely positioned to offer it at a significant discount.
Each is brought to its best by a professional luthier, set up for optimal playability, and offered with a full account of its history and condition. A fine instrument is returned to its best, a luthier's craft is put to good use, and a player gains an instrument that might otherwise be out of reach.
Instruments currently available
My present inventory includes a selection of 4/4 cellos at various price points, suitable for advancing students, serious amateurs and professionals, and a wonderful 3/4 cello offered with a choice of two hard cases, ideal for a young advancing student.
Each instrument has its own particulars sheet, with photographs, its setup and a full condition report. Email me at StringInstrumentRescue@gmail.com and I will gladly forward details.
Sourcing on request
If nothing I have suits you, I am happy to look for an instrument specifically for you. Tell me the instrument, size, level and budget you have in mind, and I will tell you honestly whether I can help.
Track record
Ten instruments placed with players to date, at an average of 46% below regular list price, with savings ranging from 28% to 54%. Every sale is documented and comes with a letter of valuation for insurance, and the records are available for verification on request.
Before you buy
An instrument from String Instrument Rescue comes with particular considerations and trade-offs compared with a full-service violin shop. I set them out plainly in the Buyer Considerations, and I encourage you to read them before you buy.
Get in touch
It would be my pleasure to help you find your next instrument. Please write to me at StringInstrumentRescue@gmail.com to inquire, to arrange a time to try an instrument, or to ask me to find one for you.
Hanno Strydom
