FAQ for Gianna Violins

Toll Free:
1-TN-MT-VIOLIN
(866-884-6546)

865-986-9966
FAX: 865-986-9967
SKYPE:
stephen.k.perry

Eastern Time,
generally 9 to 6 will be
answered

mail@giannaviolins.com

General questions

Can we come visit your store on our vacation to the Smokies?
Sure! We love having visitors. There are usually interesting things going on in the work
shop and lots of interesting items in the store. Call ahead and schedule your visit.

Do you sell strings and other accessories?
We sell a limited range of strings and accessories. Some of these are on our site; many
aren’t. If you’re looking for something, give us a call, 866 884 6546 toll free.

Do you 'drop ship'?
For an additional charge, we can arrange for distributors to directly ship items to
customers (upon request & if available). We’ll only arrange for drop shipping items that
do not require setup and inspection, primarily instrument cases. Unlike some Internet
retailers, we believe that drop shipping an instrument that requires careful setup
bypasses the attention a customer should get from a skilled luthier. Instruments sent
from distributors normally require much additional setup. We set up our instruments
very carefully and have a national reputation for good setup work. On request, we will
spend as much time as required selecting the right instrument for a client, rather than
just pulling something off the shelf.

I've read all the material on the site and am still not sure what instrument to
purchase - how can I make an appropriate choice?
Please give Steve Perry a call at 866 884 6546 toll free. He’ll figure out about what level
of instrument will be appropriate and play through a number to help you select. He’ll
also determine what kind of setup is most likely to be beneficial.

Can you ship an instrument without a case?
We ship instruments without cases all the time. We double box and appropriately pack
the instrument. Our most common box sizes are made especially for us and are heavier
than generally used.

Do you have recordings your instruments for comparison?
We aren’t currently set up to record high quality sound. Also, the additional time
required to record everything we have in the shop would be prohibitive for a small family
store. We’d rather keep our operation very efficient and continue to pass the savings
on. The best thing to do is to call Steve Perry and have him play various instruments
and remark on them. An amazing amount of detail comes through the phone once a few
are played to get the listener used to the telephone sound.

How do I care for my instrument?
We’re developing a care and maintenance section to this web site. In the meantime, we
highly recommend “The Rough Guide to Violin & Viola” published by Penguin and both
“Common Sense Instrument Care” and “Violin Owner’s Manual” from Stringletter
Publishing. Mainly, keep the instrument humidified at 40 - 80% and make sure the
bridge doesn’t tip towards the fingerboard.

Do you sell used instruments? What do you do with your traded-in Gianna,
Eastman, and other instruments?
We get a certain number of trade ins back. We discount these as appropriate to the
condition. They are normally a very good deal because they are quite stable and well
broken in. We’ll generally list these instruments on our specials page, but updating this
page as not a high priority.

Do you accept trade ins?
We accept trade ins. In line with industry standards, we generally offer 60% of street
value. We determine street value by a quick search of online venues, including eBay, a
consideration of demand, and an evaluation of condition. You'll generally do better
selling things yourself. We have to absorb the cost of cleaning and restoring the item,
putting on new strings, storing it, marketing it, and handle the associated overhead
expenses. We can't generally allow more for a trade in than we could get the same item
for new. And we generally won't allow more than 50% of the new list price under any
circumstances.

I didn't bother reading your policies or understanding reasonable commercial
business practices and now I want you to do something we didn't agree on;
why won't you?
We have policie s in line with good business practices and the Uniform Commercial
Code. By using this site, you've agreed to these terms and policies. They are fair,
reasonable, and in line with general business practices. Relying on the terms posted
keeps us from getting into disputes because people know what they're getting into. But
we can't make you read the policies and terms you're agreeing to when you order.