FAQ
Frequently asked questions about purchasing and shipping instruments
What payment options do I have when I buy my instrument?
The following payment methods are available to you when you purchase a violin, viola, cello or bow at Corilon violins:
- PayPal (Debit, Credit card)
- Credit card
- Bank transfer
- Cash upon collection
- COD (Germany and Austria only)
More information can be found on the Payment methods ...
How is my instrument shipped?
We will send your order via DPD (in Germany and the EU) or with Deutsche Post/DHL (for international orders).
More information about shipping costs, delivery periods and packaging can be found on the Shipping costs page.
Do instruments from Corilon violins grow along with their players?
In a sense, they certainly can! As your abilities grow, you can take advantage of our trade guarantee, which will make it easier for you to acquire a new and more suitable instrument. In our wide-ranging selection of children's violins younger musicians can always find the right size, from ¼-sized all the way to full-sized pieces. Read more on the Trade guarantee page.
How long is the trial period?
After you receive your order, you have 30 days to get to know your instrument. Learn more by clicking on our return policy page.
What do I need to do when returning an instrument?
If you ship an instrument to us as part of our return policy or trade guarantee, please make sure you have packed it securely and carefully. The best thing would be to use the packaging material in which you received the instrument from us. Please return the instrument via DHL or DPD to our address. Make sure you include our original invoice and use adequate postage; we cannot accept postage-due or COD shipments because of the high additional cost. Once we have received the instrument, we will send you written confirmation. Please see our more detailed information on packing and shipping a violin.
How are Corilon instruments restored and worked over?
Older instruments are distinctive personalities with a history, and the ones with good musical properties are especially likely to show clear evidence of their “biography.” As a result, each violin, viola, cello and violin bow we buy need a specialist to restore or work them over. Our in-house violin makers have over 25 years of professional experience and have given several older instruments a new lease on life – and in some cases, perhaps even more than one! When a violin arrives in our atelier, we begin by taking the time we need to thoroughly examine its condition and decide which steps are necessary to make the instrument perfectly playable. In doing this, Corilon violins follows two key principles:
Respect the historic character of the instrument
An older instrument is very rarely without flaws. And for that matter, it shouldn't be – after all, why else would centuries of violin makers spent so much time practicing the craft of artificially ageing their new products? Our instruments reflect their authentic history, and if that means that they have traces of use – even heavy ones – we see this as a sign of their good musical properties. The presence of a patina and crackling evolve naturally as the varnish ages, and aficionados of historic instruments appreciate this as such.
It's about music – not museum pieces!
Our customers are musicians who want to use their fine stringed instruments, which is why we perform whatever repairs are necessary to maintain or restore the ideal playing properties. These can include regluing a top or neck that has come loose, or perhaps replacing a defective fingerboard, or fitting the violin with a new bridge, tailpiece and sound post. If a historic violin has a particularly valuable original bridge, for example, we will leave it untouched and offer the customer the option of exchanging it for a better one – before we ship it, of course. This is the approach we take with other similar cases such as historic bow windings that are no longer in absolutely perfect condition.
My child needs a violin – what size should we order?
What violin size should a children's violin be? Are older instruments better than new ones? What makes more sense, renting or buying? In our helpful text children's violins you can find answers to common questions about the “first violin” and a size chart..
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