Is Stringers of London friendly or austere with kids?

[christinarossetti]

Can't think how else to phrase this question, sorry if it sounds a bit odd!

My ds8 has been learning violin in group lessons at school since the beginning of Y4 and has been loaned a school instrument. I'm no musician, though it's very clear that the school instruments have seen better days and I have an older child who has a halfway decent student cello and the sound quality is notably so much better.

I would like to buy/hire ds a violin and sort out individual lessons. He's very musical and enthusiastic, although I think he'd enjoy it even more if his instrument sounded halfway decent.

I was thinking of going into Stringers to be properly measured etc over Easter. Will they let him have a go with some student instruments, and a general look around do you think?

We bought a piano from Chappells, and I found it all very intimidating. I'd looked round a local piano specialist and it wasn't like that at all, but they didn't stock digital, so we ended up not buying there.

TIA

We have a violin hired from stringers. Went in, said which size, tried one, paid. That was it. Not intimidating. No fuss or bother.

It hasn’t been picked up in a year though - no decent teacher and no motivation so money down the drain but otherwise all good

My experience was that they’re friendly - DS2 went to try some cellos when he was 11, maybe almost 12 and I’d emailed in advance to let them know when we could come in. He had a room to himself to try out several and no pressure at all. They did chat to him a bit as well! Certainly not austere.

Great, thanks that's good to hear.