This is Avenue House – right on the High Street in the historic city of Wells, Somerset. The business occupies the entire ground floor, with two large client rooms, an office, a storeroom and a workshop.
We are open by appointment, weekdays or weekends.
Usually we offer our visiting clients an initial selection of instruments or bows. You have the use of a large live room and a slightly smaller room with a deader acoustic. We leave you in peace unless you ask for advice or need information.
We have the best selection of fine French bows in the UK, with makers such as FX Tourte, Dominique Peccatte, Joseph Henry, Eugene Sartory – well worth a trip to Wells.
We only offer great sounding instruments, whatever the price range, and everything above student level is sold with an independent certificate.
All of our instruments and bows are tried and tested over a period of time. You can read our description of the playability and condition on the website listing – you can also check measurements and view certificates.
Research and verification are very important to us – but we don’t rely on our own opinions. We always obtain 3rd party certificates from respected experts and specialists.
We carry out tonal adjustments in our own workshop, paying particular attention to post fit, string angle, afterlength and string choice – good adjustment needs great ears and some playing ability.