String players helping other string players sound their best.

At StringWorks, we believe that every player should have access to the highest quality professional instrument setup - the StringWorks Setup - and the highest quality instruments at their level of performance.  

A family-run founded in Wisconsin and now headquartered in Geneva, Illinois, we are confident that other companies simply can't compete on instrument quality and value - so confident we guarantee it!

See our Yelp! reviews here!

  • Specialists: We focus only on violins, violas, cellos, bows, and cases, not be distracted by the 1000s of strings, stands, music, and new gadgets and gizmos.
  • Value: We don't haggle, preferring straightforward pricing that always provides tremendous value for comparable products on the market.  
  • No Kickbacks: We don't and never will pay teacher commissions, known as ‘kickbacks’, because we feel it is unfair to the students, to whom full disclosure is not always given.
  • Transparency: We don't inflate prices to allow for absurd amounts of rental credit, "free shipping," or other misleading incentives.  Simply the best quality instruments, always fully carved, professionally setup, and tested by players just like you.  
  • Experience: The people you communicate with at StringWorks are experienced with stringed instruments, each have been playing their instrument for an average of 25+ years, and we look forward to welcoming you into the StringWorks family.

Take a Virtual Tour of our violin, viola, and cello showrooms here!

StringWorks retail storeFun Fact: StringWorks was the first to sell musical instruments of any kind on the web!  Back in 1997, when the first website was launched for StringWorks, it was more of a lark - an experiment - to see what this 'new' thing called the internet could do!  StringWorks began with the same goal that guides us today: providing the highest quality instruments for rental and purchase. When our founder found that no instrument lines fulfilled all his high criteria - exceptional sound, high quality workmanship, uniqueness of appearance, specifications meeting or exceeding those set by NAfME, ease of playing, and lastly, affordability; we decided we had to design them ourselves. Our founder, Todd French, performed with Los Angeles Opera as a cellist for 17 years, as

StringWorks cello room well as Los Angeles Master Chorale, and occasionally at the Hollywood movie studios or with Los Angeles Philharmonic.  He also served as expert-in-charge of Musical Instruments at Butterfield and Butterfield auctioneers in Los Angeles. All of our principals have college and/or graduate degrees in music, and all have performed at a professional level either in the past, or do so currently.  When you call us, you will be talking to those who can cover a broad array of experience and expertise, and we'll treat you like family, even if you are asking questions about instruments other than our own!

The current StringWorks instrument lines, now expanded to cover all playing levels from advanced student to consummate professional, are the result of years of research & development, and we are so confident in their superior quality that we offer a guarantee that you will not find a better instrument at a better price anywhere. We also offer a guarantee for workmanship for the useable life on all our instruments. See our Comments page to hear what our customers have been saying about our instruments. Our luthiers spend 4-7 hours setting up each instrument, versus the industry standard of 1-1.5 hours per instrument, so we can assure everything we send to our customers is of the highest quality.

Shop Hours: Phone and In-Person: T-W-F-Sat 10-6, Thursday 10-6 (6-8 by appointment), Sunday & Monday by appointment. Spots 5, 6, 9, & 10 in the rear parking lot are reserved just for YOU!

Please enjoy a couple articles written about StringWorks, and our founder, Todd:

New York Times: "Across Many Miles, Word from the Top

Internet Cello Society: An Interview with Todd French  (this one is a bit humorous...)

MEET THE STAFF!


 
Todd French, President

Evan Lowery, Vice President
Evan Lowery, Vice President

Elizabeth Newquist, Payments Mgr.
Elizabeth Newquist, Payments Mgr.

Mark Benischek, Head Luthier
Mark Benischek, Head Luthier

Ume Hamimoto-Jorgensen,
Violin/Viola Specialist

Shop Assistant

 Megan Kamysz, Cello Specialist
Shop Assistant

Edith Samuelsson, Violin specialist
Shop Associate 

Lily, Guard Dog/Sunseeker 

Lily, Guard Dog/Sun Seeker 

 

Member of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce since 2015

Geneva Chamber of Commerce member