Horvat Fine Violins and Bows
(803)-572-7845
Interested in learning more about us?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the levels of merchandise you offer?
A: Our custom tailored merchandise is intended for customers of various skill levels who seek quality at reasonable prices. Professionals, college students, and advanced high school students are among those who own our instruments and bows.
Q: Do you offer fractional size instruments or special sizes?
A: Yes. We understand that children need good equipment to develop properly, and certainly we can help. In addition, we can provide a 7/8 ("lady size"), or 5-string instruments per special requests.
Q: What is the cost?
A: This depends on the nature of the request. While standard base labour fees apply, the requests are finalized on an individual basis. At Horvat Fine Violins, we ensure that our customers receive the best possible treatment in THEIR SPECIFIC BUDGET. If unable to help, we can advice as to where else to search. Our prices are competitive with the current market representing solid domestic products and services.
Q: What makes your instruments unique?
A: Many satisfied customers agree that instruments sold through Horvat Fine Violins are well made, well set-up, affordable and sound good. In short, personalized instruments are one-of-a-kind items, meaning that such individuality cannot be readily obtained or replicated. In custom instruments, every aesthetic and tonal detail can be tailored by customer and the maker to exactly the customer's needs. A customer is assured that payment applies directly for materials, domestic labour, and ethical nourishment of traditional art. Clearly, high quality can only be achieved in small numbers. Please contact us today, it will become obvious that our company offers a win-win scenario! We are proud that, so far, our services have received a 100% customer satisfaction.
Q: How is your company unique?
A: At Horvat Fine Violins and Bows, we recognise that there are a great number violin and bow makers living today. There are also many retail dealerships to choose from. Our company is different because we take pride in being an old-fashioned violin making studio where success is measured by tradition and the amount of wood chips on the floor. Our customers know exactly what they are purchasing and where it is coming from. Often, we take pictures of work-in-progress in anticipation of the final product. We do not thrive to compete in quantity, but rather in individual quality of our products.
Q: Who is making/restoring my instrument, I have noticed a couple of workers in your company?
A: Damir Horvat makes, restores, finalizes, inspects, and sets up every instrument or bow sold and repaired through the company. The help of highly skilled apprentices is utilized in rough-carving, material preparation, and in various less-demanding tasks on an as-needed basis.
Q: How to order a new custom instrument or a bow?
A: If a customer lives in the vicinity of Columbia, SC, we encourage visit to our studio so we can discuss a request in person. If a customer prefers to communicate over the phone or live a long distance away, we ask to simply call and describe the nature of the request and we will take it from there.
To order a custom made instrument we ask the customer to pay a 10% deposit of the negotiated final price as a down-payment. Upon completion, if the customer likes the instrument and decides to keep it, the entire down-payment will be applied to the total. In the very unlikely event that the customer does not like the ordered instrument or a bow, the company will refund the down payment within 30 days.
