Olsen Violins

Our son has been playing violin for almost 4 years and we have rented from here for at least the last 2 years. Any time we’ve stopped by needing things such as new shoulder rest, chin rest, resin, stand, etc… they’ve taken great care of us and for very little or nothing.
As he is growing, he has just switched to a full size. We like to keep one at his school for orchestra, and have one at home for practice and lessons. So… we just bought a new one and switched our rental from ¾ to full size. Sten gave us 4 violins and 3 different bows to take home and try out. All great sounding instruments. We ended up choosing an 85 year old handmade American violin to purchase (a wondefully superb instrument made by a guy named Otto Zeigler) and a great sounding modern violin to rent. The quality is outstanding at a reasonable price. Not only that, they gave us $ 300 credit on the purchase since we’ve been renting from them over the past year. They also thru in a terrific faux crocodile skin case (very used with a ton a character) at no cost. The case happens to match my son’s original case which will make him very happy!
It’s a pleasure to do business with them and they have earned our business and loyalty for years to come!

We were very happy with our experience at Olsen Violin during our search for an upgraded violin for my daughter. She has been playing for seven years and decided she wanted to get more serious. Her violin teacher recommended Olsen Violin among other Seattle and Portland shops to visit.
Over the next 6 weekends we tried violins from Olsen and a number of other shops. We tried over 200 violins and checked out around 40 to try playing at home and with her teacher. Throughout this process we traveled to Portland three times and visited eight different violin shops. During our journey we kept feeling like, of all the shops, we would most like to purchase from Olsen because of their helpful and professional attitude and exceptionally well set up instruments.
We made several trips to Olsen to try violins and we were impressed that Sten would always have some set aside for us to try. On the third trip he had the perfect violin from a local luther. We highly recommend this shop.

I now have a cello that I bought directly from the maker, but before that I bought my first full size and ¾ size cello from Olsen Violins. I love Sten and Nete so much! After doing business with them for a few years I feel like a part of the family. I recieve Christmas cards from them every year and some of my friends who go to Sten also get cards and even chocolate!
Years ago at a seattle youth symphony rehearsal, one of the other orchestra members kicked over my cello by accident and the back cracked right near the sound post. I was very worried because cracks under the sound post are often unrepairable, but Sten told me he could fix it and he did! Now that I have a different cello and a maker that checks up on it himself, I no longer go to Sten for repairs/​matinence, but I still get my bow rehaired at their shop.
I highly recomend Olsen violins for bow rehairs, rentals, matinence, or buying. They rent good quality student instruments and if you are in the market for your own instrument, Sten will let you take multiple of them at a time so you can compare at home. When I was looking for my first full size, I had four cellos stacked up in the back of our Prius!
Call in advance if you’re getting your bow rehaired.

I went in to rent a cello based on all the great Unilocal reviews and I’m so glad I did! Both Sten and Nete are awesome! They’re so warm and friendly and I didn’t feel awkward asking all of my stupid questions. It almost felt like being welcomed into their family! I’ve been back a couple times and every single time they greet you with a smile and a few laughs. Definitely 5 stars!

I’ve been renting a cello from Olsen Violins for the last year. While I have my sights set on buying one someday, the rental cello they gave me is actually very, very nice and has been a great companion as I journeyed from not knowing anything about bowed instruments to playing cello in a community orchestra. I’ve found everyone in the shop to be very friendly and helpful. And I even got a Christmas card from them in the mail, which I thought was a nice touch!

If you are a business, talking to someone on the phone about products, should you cut the call prematurely because someone walks into the shop? They forget that the person on the phone is also a potential customer (for Olsen Violins). I might have gone there— except that they «had to go» before I got a price. Not sure I’m going to write them off completely, but someone needs a lesson in customer service.

This place is a little hard to find because it’s so small, but it’s an amazing violin shop!
I came here to buy a new violin, and though I didn’t end up buying from here, I was amazed by the service and variety. The atmosphere is very calm; I never felt pressured or rushed to buy anything.
It’s clear that Sten really loves his work.
When he found out that I had to take the bus from Capitol Hill to get here, he actually gave me some bus tickets he didn’t need. I was really touched.
He let me borrow a few violins at once and was very lenient about how long I could have them. I was practicing when the bridge on one of the violins suddenly snapped in half! I was horrified and was ready to pay for a new one, but Sten didn’t charge me.
I recommend this place to all my colleagues.

After spending a few years surrounded by friends who play for a local community orchestra, and even longer with the itch to start playing music again, I decided to learn how to play the violin in 2007. A friend of mine, who is the concertmaster for said local community orchestra, highly recommended Sten Olsen. We called ahead to make sure that he was working that day and that he would have instruments around my price range available. We drove over and I listened to my friend play on a few of the violins (I had no violin training at the time). I picked about 3 violins and a couple bows to bring home, with no payment down, and only an agreement to return them back to the shop.
I also borrowed some violins from David Stone. Although David Stone does have a lot of violins, I found Sten Olsen’s violins to be in better shape.
I took a few private lessons, and Sten didn’t call until the 3^rd week after my visit. He’s quite understanding and didn’t rush me to bring them back. A couple more weeks passed and I finally decided on the 1864 Bulgarian violin. When I returned to the shop, Sten offered to give me a few things for free, including a carbon fiber bow, a violin case, and some rosin. He also provided an appraisal.
After two years, I came back to buy a wood bow, since I started noticing the weird weight distribution in my carbon fiber bow. It’s always a pleasure to come back, since Sten remembers who you are when you walk in. He remembered that I purchased the Bulgarian violin and asked questions about my friend’s community orchestra. Sten let me borrow about 5 – 6 bows, again without a down payment, and only a signed agreement to return them back to the shop.
Sten takes great care of his violins and make them sound amazing. The one thing that won me over with the violin that I bought was the fact that it was loud. Much louder than the other violins I looked at. That is the result of Sten working his magic on the positioning of the sound post to produce the best quality sound. I have let my violinist friends borrow my violin and the just love how much sound comes out of this wooden box. In hindsight, my violin is also bright though my preference is for a darker sound, so I tend to purchase Obligato strings. From what I recall, all of the violins that I borrowed from Sten have Evah Pirazzi strings, which are top of the line soloist strings. Kind of overkill if you ask me :)
Pros:
+ Sten has a lot of experience as a luthier. He used to work for Bischofberger in Capitol Hill, if I recall correctly.
+ Sten’s shop has a dedicated sound room to try instruments and bows.
+ Sten’s violins are in great shape and have great sound.
Cons:
— His shop is in Phinney Ridge (this could be a pro, if you live nearby).
— The cost of re-​hairing a bow is more expensive than at Bischofberger.

I’d never go there to purchase my instruments. Bad location with rude egoistic employees. I rather go on the extra step and look at the other billion violin shops in Seattle.

My wife rented and then purchased a Cello from Sten 4 years ago. Always friendly, helpful, knowledgable.
Her cello suffered damage and he was able to get the complicated repair done.
We highly recommend Olsen Violin

I’ve been doing business with Sten since August 2009 when I chose a cello from his shop to purchase to carry me through my college music education. I had been looking at a lot of shops in the area but as usual the smaller business won my heart.
Sten completely understands the importance that is the purchase of a stringed instrument as well as it’s repair and maintinence. He would never rush a customer/​client and I never felt pressured to buy «up.» He has always come off as honest and straightforward which is exactly what I want to see.
My cello was a one-​of-​a-​kind piece he happened to have when I visited him and when I made the decision to purchase it Sten wasted no time in making sure it was in a wonderful playing condition (after not being touched in years, it seemed). He sold me the instrument in a condition where I could monitor its sound and over time report back and see what sort of adjustments could be made in order to better it, if it needed it. I felt really comfortable buying an instrument knowing he would remember it and remember me in order to help me make my cello its best.
I have since gone back for bow rehairs, bow repairs and cello tune ups and each time Sten is incredibly accommodating. I would truly recommend Olsen Violins to anyone looking to buy as it has been a wonderful experience thus far.

I look back and call it fate. I was heading home and stopped at the four-​way intersection. My eyes drifted over to the stores on the right when I noticed the hard cello cases peeking up over the window sill. I had been toying around with picking up a rental cello but have procrastinated since last April. After seeing Zoë Keating perform at the Triple Door and mentioning this fact to her, she challenged me to follow through on my desire. And when I saw those cases, nothing was stopping me from stopping in and I did.
I had other time-​sensitive errands to address so I called to inquire if they had what I needed. I spoke with Nina (I think?) who was friendly and informative. I learned they had a single ⁴⁄₄ cello for rental. She remarked on that rarity and after giving me a price quote, said she could have it ready to go if I was interested. Was I interested? YES!
I stopped inside and there it was, resting on its side on the work table. Nina finished up with a customer before me who was picking up her daughter’s violin. Then it was my turn… she picked up the cello and handed it to me. Within moments, I was handing my credit card over for the rental agreement and zipping up my prize in a fat padded bag.
It’s going to sound hokey but indulge me a moment. Leaving the shop on that grey day with a cello on my back as I walked across the street… well, I felt complete. And when I got home and drew the freshly rosined bow across the strings? I swooned and fell in love. Her name is Matilde and I was dead chuffed to have her in my life.
If you have need of a violin or a cello (if they have any in stock), I’d recommend coming here. Nina was so nice and patient with me that it’s an easy five star review. She also provided me with the name of a local instructor!

The frog fell off my son’s violin bow. The bolt had come loose. We took the bow into Olsen Violins and he was kind enough to make a quick repair in just a few minutes for no charge.

The perfect place to buy a violin. Sten was extremely helpful, patient, and accomodating. He loaned several violins to us for several weeks to try them out. It’s obvious that he knows his violins well and cares about restoring them well. He was honest and straightforward and hey… He was a really nice guy.