FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Purchasing and Shipping
How can I pay for my instrument?
The following payment methods are available for your purchase in the Corilon violins shop:
- PayPal (direct debit, credit card)
- Credit card
- Bank transfer
- German Debit card or cash payment upon pickup
More information on the Payment Methods page ...
How will my instrument be delivered?
We ship your ordered instrument in perfect condition, tuned, ready to play, and securely packaged via Deutsche Post/DHL. Secure, worldwide shipping is free for you. More information on shipping costs, delivery times, and packaging can be found on the Shipping Costs page ...
Do instruments from Corilon violins “grow” with you?
In a figurative sense: yes! As your playing skills grow, our guaranteed trade-in program makes it easier for you to find a new, suitable instrument. We will credit you 100% of the original price toward the purchase of an upgrade in a higher price range. In our extensive selection of children’s violins, young musicians transitioning from “1/4” to “4/4” will always find the right violin.
More information on the Trade-In page ...
How long is the trial period?
After receiving your order, you can try out your instrument for 30 days and, if you’re not satisfied, return it for a full refund — without any issue. Learn more about our return policy here. Every single return in over 20 years has been processed and correctly refunded by Corilon.
What do I need to do when returning an instrument?
If you ship an instrument to us as part of our return policy or trade guarantee, please make sure you have packed it securely and carefully. We recommend using the original Corilon packaging — optimized for safe shipping — in which you received the instrument from us, and sending the package via your courier of choice to our address. Make sure you include a notice or a copy of our original invoice. Upon receipt of your return, we will process it within 14 business days. Please see our more detailed information on packing and shipping a violin.
How are Corilon instruments restored and worked over?
Older instruments are distinctive personalities with a history, and the ones with good musical properties are especially likely to show clear evidence of their “biography.” As a result, each violin, viola, cello and violin bow we buy need a specialist to restore or work them over. Our in-house violin makers have over 25 years of professional experience and have given several older instruments a new lease on life – and in some cases, perhaps even more than one! When a violin arrives in our atelier, we begin by taking the time we need to thoroughly examine its condition and decide which steps are necessary to set up and make the instrument perfectly playable, without hidden defects. In doing this, Corilon violins follows two key principles:
Respect the historic character of the instrument
An old violin is very rarely without flaws. And for that matter, it shouldn't be – after all, why else would centuries of violin makers spent so much time practicing the craft of artificially ageing their new products? Our instruments reflect their authentic history, and if that means that they have traces of use – even heavy ones – we see this as a sign of their good musical properties. The presence of a patina and crackling evolve naturally as the varnish ages, and aficionados of historic instruments appreciate this as such.
It's about music – not museum pieces!
Our customers are musicians who want to use their fine stringed instruments, which is why we perform whatever repairs are necessary to maintain or restore the ideal playing properties. These can include regluing a top or neck that has come loose, or perhaps replacing a defective fingerboard, or fitting the violin with a new bridge, tailpiece and sound post.
My child needs a violin – what size should we order?
What violin size should a children's violin be? Are older instruments better than new ones? What makes more sense, renting or buying? In our helpful text children's violins you can find answers to common questions about the “first student violin” and a size chart.
Are the reviews of Corilon violins authentic?
Yes. Corilon violins is a highly rated online store that actively collects honest customer reviews through transparent, independent platforms such as Google Maps (average rating of 4.9 to 5.0) and has accumulated more than 300 positive 5-star Google reviews over the years. Not every customer writes an online review: in 20 years, we have successfully sold nearly 10,000 instruments. You can read personal customer feedback, which we receive via email, on our website in the “Experiences and Customer Feedback” section. More than 98% of these reviews are 5-star positive, which reflects our many years of work, our commitment to quality, and our willingness to accommodate customers—and inspires us anew every day.
Does Corilon recommend buying string instruments online?
Yes — without reservation and across all price ranges from €1,000 to €300,000. Our comprehensive warranties, risk-free shipping, value for money, excellent sound, and our wide selection are our strong points. At Corilon violins, you can listen to hundreds of professionally played instruments online and find the best violin for yourself. And you’ll pay significantly less than at a luthier, who often has only a few instruments in stock and charges correspondingly high prices.
Corilon violins advantages:
- 30-day return policy with no questions asked, full refund of purchase price
- Excellent value for money, even on expensive instruments
- Secure, worldwide shipping for 20 years
- Hassle-free refunds
- Individual sound samples for every single instrument
- Personal and expert advice from our managing director via email
- Trust-based service on-site
- Detailed photo documentation and meticulously crafted, authentic text descriptions
- Certificate option: A certificate can be ordered for each instrument
- Expert certificates for expensive violins, verifying their authenticity
Is buying a string instrument online a “blind purchase”?
No. Buying an instrument from Corilon violins is not a blind purchase—it is legally and practically identical to a mail-order purchase. The instrument is delivered, played, and inspected. The purchase is not finalized until the 30-day return period has expired. Until then, the buyer retains the full right of withdrawal. Corilon violins supports this decision-making phase with custom sound recordings, detailed photo documentation, and personal consultation—so that the buyer can assess the instrument as thoroughly as possible even before delivery. The risk of a “blind purchase” simply does not exist at Corilon: If you decide not to keep the instrument after trying it out, you return it. The return process is straightforward, and the purchase price is fully refunded.
Thousands of customers from all over the world—from Japan to Australia, from the U.S. to France—value Corilon violins’ expertise and enjoy shopping online with us. We would be happy to welcome you at our Munich location by appointment, where you can try out and select instruments in person. Our return policy also applies to in-store purchases.
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