Allegro Violin and Music

Craig has been very kind, and generous with his time each time we visit. I appreciate the attention to detail, and the patient attention he shares. It’s a very personal and friendly home based business. HIghly recommend.

We rented a violin for our 5 year old from Allegro and it was a great experience getting to this decision. Craig was very helpful and friendly, explained what works for the kids and what to stay away from and made genuine recommendations. He gave us few choices — good/​better/​best and didnt push us into anything in particular. He gave enough info for us to make the choice
More than this, he also gave a very motivational speech to the kid that really works! I’ll strongly recommend Allegro

I called the day after Christmas and left Craig a message about making an appointment assuming that Allegro was closed that day, but he returned my call the same day and we set up an appointment for the next day. I was a little unsure where to start as I am a complete beginner with the violin (never touched one before!), but Craig was very friendly and helpful. He showed me a number of different violins in different price ranges and demonstrated what each instrument sounded like. He has many lovely instruments, including some affordable violins for beginners. I was interested in his rent-​to-​own program as I decided it was the best I found online, but I ultimately decided to purchase a student violin upfront. Craig’s trade-​up policy which is listed on the website definitely encouraged me to purchase upfront as I will be able to upgrade in the future if I decide I would like a higher end instrument. My violin came with a bow, a case, and some rosin so the only extra I bought was a shoulder rest. I also opted to upgrade the strings which Craig changed for me right then and there. I am very excited to begin learning the violin, and I had a wonderful experience with Allegro! I will definitely be back if I need anything else in the future.

I had a great experience with Craig at Allegro Violins! I wanted to rent a cello and he was very friendly and helpful. He had a bunch of cellos for us to looks at at very reasonable prices. The rental process was very easy and he even had accessories for sale just in case you needed them (rosin, stands, rock stop, etc.) I got the insurance for my instrument for $ 7 so if anything happens it’s coveredand I can come back and exchange it for a new cello at any time for no extra fee. Also, when I pay for this cello I can bring it back and trade it for a better one and he will put the whole cost of the old cello towards the new. I highly recommend Allegro!

I’m a beginner violin player and was at a little bit of a loss about where to rent a violin while I’m learning. Allegro has better hours than most of the shops in the Portland metro area, so I made an appointment with Craig to see some violins. The shop is right in their house, and while I think they prefer appointments, I believe you could also just stop in.
Craig showed me two different violins – entry level and mid level. I went with the mid-​level and will be doing a rent to own. His prices are good and the instruments beautiful. He tuned it for me, had me try it out, and gave me some options for buying rosin and the shoulder pad. He also showed me an app, pano, which you can use to tune the violin on your own. Pretty cool.
I would highly recommend Allegro and Craig for your string instruments.

Going here was a great experience! I recently moved to Portland and had a cello in Florida, but I had to return it before I left the state. I went shopping around for a good rental cello and Allegro definitely has a lot of bang for the buck! I played violin for 10 years and picked up cello about 2 years ago, and while I’m definitely not a professional cellist I can tell that I am getting a high quality instrument at a reasonable price. I just called and scheduled an appointment to come in later the same day, and got to play on all of the cellos there to make sure I got the one I wanted. I would recommend one of his upgraded bows if you have been playing for a bit, but if you’re just starting I think the standard bow that comes with the cello is just fine. He also has a generous trade up plan and I am excited about progressing into a higher level instrument (even though the one I have is definitely working for me for now).
I always enjoy working with someone that has their own business and cares about matching you up with the instrument you need, and would highly recommend this over the other rental programs in the area. Saw on, fellow string players!

Allegro Violins truly deserve five stars. It’s incredibly affordable for renting and purchasing. They don’t have any additional fees– the pricing is very straight forward. The best part is how the owners are so incredibly kind and genuine! They welcome you into their home and try their best to find an instrument that is perfect for you. The instruments are also gorgeous and sound beautiful. I will definitely stick to Allegro Violin for my violin needs.

The service at Allegro Violins is top of the line. They have a very good selection of instruments so both the beginner and professional can find what they need. Craig was wonderful to work with. After I brought my cello home and promptly broke a string (a terrifying experience for a beginner) Craig was happy to restring my instrument. After my bow started falling apart while playing (the frog would completely pop off of the wood) Craig promptly replaced it.
The shop is run out of Craig’s home and is by appointment only, but I’ve found he is very flexible and easy to get in touch with. His prices are very reasonable, and you don’t find service like this just anywhere. Not only will I be recommending Allegro to anyone in the market for a stringed instrument, I’ll be going back myself for strings and to eventually upgrade my instrument (he has a very good trade in program).

I’ve been working with Allegro for 2 years now. I bought a cello, then a violin. Craig just even re-​strung my cello for me at no cost and is very helpful! We are very happy with Allegro and highly reccommend.

Craig is a very sweet man and was honest about his instruments. I am pleased with my student cello and am happy there is a lifetime upgrade available incase I decide to upgrade my bow or the cello itself. I recommend Allegro violin & music if you are looking for a good priced instrument that has been set up and adjusted correctly. (Unlike amazon). Thanks for everything. Love my cello!

I scored a well-​used, cheap 1950s cello from a garage sale, and as a professional guitarist, I knew it could be probably be pretty good with a little TLC. Craig let me come over on a Sunday, and couldn’t have been more helpful, knowledgeable or pleasant if he tried. He checked it out thoroughly, then got to shaving down the bridge, putting on new strings and giving a few little tweaks, all for an incredibly reasonable price. I live in North PDX, and the drive out Germantown Road was beautiful. BONUS: there is a great dog park area only a 15 minute walk away, so I got to exercise my dogs while he worked on the bridge! I will definitely go to Craig for a cello upgrade in the future. Highly recommended.