Daily Bow: Rare Instruments as an Investment?

Interested in Purchasing a Valuable Instrument? Get Advice from the Experts!

String players have a vastly different culture when it comes to purchasing instruments when compared to other musicians. While clarinet players go through multiple sets of their instruments in their lifetimes, a cellist hopes to find the one instrument that suits their taste and that can serve them for the rest of their career. With the more fateful choice that string players have, however, comes many questions. What makes a rare instrument different from their modern counterparts? What are the price ranges for the best instruments? What qualities can I use to judge an instrument’s worth?

String players looking to invest in a new instrument might be confused by all of the details that come up when looking for an upgrade. Luckily, experts like Florian Leonhard are happy to give their advice about the ins-and-outs of instrument buying:

The violinist’s punishing trade, like Formula 1 racing, requires an instrument to match the skill of the performer, and the market in stringed instruments is underpinned by the demand from top-class soloists, as well as from investor collectors. The latter – wealthy individuals and financial institutions – rarely reserve their purchases for private pleasure. “Investors are generally patrons of the arts,” says Leonhard. “They lend their instruments to leading musicians.”

Leonhard, who is a German trained luthier and the head restorer at W.E. Hill and Sons in London, has plenty of insight relating to the string trade business. He often deals with wealthy patrons of the arts and famous performers looking for advice on their instruments. But just because his usual clients might have high profiles doesn’t mean that you should shy away from the possibility of purchasing a rare instrument. A Strad might not be in everyone’s future, but there are numerous makers who have produced instruments of admirable beauty. Anyone looking for a high quality instrument can contact luthiers to see what’s out there, or visit the websites of auction houses to find out when the closest sale is. Whatever the method, there’s a great instrument out there for everyone—you just have to start looking!