I was looking for a violin to purchase and my teacher recommended that I go speak to Erik at San Diego Violins(who used to be a part of Hammond Ashley). When I happened across the shop(tucked away in a commercial area of Sorrento Valley), and I found that Erik was extremely helpful in talking me through the different selections he had to offer. He talked me through the details and nuances of both the bows that I was considering and the violins that I was interested in trying out. I was able to test out a variety of violins in the backroom the place had, and took a couple violins and bows home to evaluate for a week. The whole process was simple and incredibly smooth — and I was able to stay in touch with Erik via phone throughout the experience for any additional questions. I’m now a very happy owner of a new violin, bow, and case… and I highly recommend talking to Erik if you’re looking to own a quality violin or cello!