Annapolis Bows & Violins in Annapolis: Repair, Rental, and Sales for Serious String Players
Annapolis Bows & Violins is a specialized repair and sales shop focused on bowed string instruments, located in downtown Annapolis and serving musicians across the Chesapeake region who need more than a big-box music store can offer.
What Annapolis Bows & Violins actually is
The shop operates as a hybrid retail and service center: customers can purchase new and used violins, violas, and cellos; rent instruments for students and professionals; and bring in damaged or neglected pieces for repair and restoration. The owner works on the premises and typically handles the full range of maintenance, from bridge adjustments and bow reharing to crack repair and full instrument restoration. Unlike chain retailers, the shop stocks a curated inventory rather than trying to serve every instrument category, which means violin and viola players have genuine options, but guitar or wind instrument players need to go elsewhere.
The location in downtown Annapolis places it within walking distance of the Naval Academy, which supplies a steady stream of student rentals and repairs, and close enough to Baltimore (roughly 30 minutes via Route 2) that musicians from the city proper make the drive for serious work.
Services and pricing
Rental rates for student violins typically run $40 to $60 per month, with a damage deposit required upfront; rental terms are month-to-month, and the shop credits rental fees toward a future purchase if the student decides to buy. Bow reharing (replacing the horsehair on the bow) costs between $80 and $120 depending on complexity and bow quality. A simple bridge adjustment or soundpost repositioning runs $30 to $50. Full restoration of a neglected instrument can range from $300 to well over $1,000, depending on wood condition, crack severity, and whether the scroll or fingerboard needs refinishing. The shop also sells new student violins starting around $150 to $200 and professional-grade instruments ranging from $800 to several thousand dollars. Used instruments, often from estate sales or musicians upgrading, sell at lower price points and allow budget-conscious buyers to access playable mid-range gear. Confirm current rental and repair pricing before visiting, as labor costs shift with material availability.
How Annapolis Bows & Violins compares to other Annapolis options
Annapolis lacks a second dedicated string-instrument specialist, so musicians either travel to Baltimore (where shops like Peerce Violin in Hampden serve a larger metro area and may stock more inventory) or rely on mail-in repair services or big-box chains like Guitar Center, which handle strings as one category among many. Guitar Center's staff typically cannot perform advanced repair; they stock rental instruments but not at the curated level of a specialist shop. Annapolis Bows & Violins is the right choice if you need hands-on consultation, same-week turnaround on simple repairs, or a rental that comes with the owner's knowledge of which instruments suit which students. It is not the choice if you want to compare 20 violins side by side in one afternoon or need your bow rehaired while you wait.
Who it suits and who it does not suit
The shop is ideal for Annapolis and Anne Arundel County string students and their parents, music teachers recommending a reliable rental source, and musicians with damaged instruments who do not want to ship them across the country. It suits professional players restoring a vintage piece or looking for a used instrument without paying new-instrument prices. It does not suit someone learning guitar, trumpet, or piano, and it may frustrate a buyer wanting to audition ten instruments in one visit; the shop's small size and specialist focus mean inventory is deep in strings and shallow in everything else.
What the first visit involves
Walk in during business hours with your instrument if you are bringing something in for repair, or a description of what you are looking for if you are shopping. The owner will discuss the scope of work (for repair), timeline, and cost upfront, or listen to your level and budget (for rental or purchase) and show you what is available. If a repair is straightforward, you may get a quote on the spot; more complex work may require a day or two for inspection before the shop provides a price. Rentals are processed with a signed agreement and deposit; the shop can usually have an instrument ready the same day if stock is available.
Hours, location, and logistics
The shop is located downtown, within Annapolis's walkable core, with street parking available on nearby blocks. Confirm hours before visiting, as the shop operates on a limited schedule compared to mall-based retailers; many specialist repair shops keep abbreviated weekday and weekend hours to accommodate one-owner operations. Call ahead if you are making the drive from Baltimore or have a complex repair question; doing so ensures the owner is available and has time to assess your instrument properly.
Annapolis Bows & Violins fills a gap that chain retailers and generic repair services do not: it is the place where a student's first rental feels like an instrument, not a checkout counter transaction, and where a musician's damaged heirloom gets the attention of someone who understands what it is.
