We specialize in high standards of repairs to basses from Italian masterpieces to plywood, whether they need setup for orchestral playing, jazz, or bluegrass. Our luthiers are a trusted repair team for professional orchestra bassists, professors, and conservatory bassists nationwide. We also do high-quality repairs to the other stringed instruments.
A list of our most commonly-requested services, with some pricing - let us inspect the instrument for details/cost estimate.
Contact us with questions or to book your repair appointment today! Many bassists ship us their basses to take advantage of our highest-quality work and the low market prices in our area.
Need a replacement for a severely broken instrument? We can often give you trade-in value for the "carcass" and assist you with applying for financing for your new instrument here. LEARN MORE
Contact us with questions or to book your repair appointment today! Many bassists ship us their basses to take advantage of our highest-quality work and the low market prices in our area.
Need a replacement for a severely broken instrument? We can often give you trade-in value for the "carcass" and assist you with applying for financing for your new instrument here. LEARN MORE
New service! Glasser bows INSTANT EXCHANGE - swap your original Glasser bow, any condition, for a like-new, factory reconditioned Glasser bow ON THE SPOT (or by mail)! Less than rehairing alone!
Introductory pricing: violin/viola: your bow + $25 cello: your bow + $30 bass: your bow + $40 Bow - Rehair
Violin/Viola/Cello/Bass we use only top-quality bow hair on all bows, as students need the same performing nuance and advantage as professionals. Yes, we rehair bows shipped in, and are proud to be serving our orchestra professionals from all over the country. Bass bar, replace Highest-quality, custom cut, straight narrow-grained spruce; mathematically correct placement; optimally shaped Bow - Replace Tip Choose from bone, synthetic material, or mammoth (per availability) Bow Grip (Leather) Replace bow leather whether worn, or a custom size is desired Bow Winding (silver wire) Replace missing or deteriorated wire winding for proper balance Bow Grip (natural latex), bass black, heavy gauge or thin-wall, bevelled ends, pre-loaded with cornstarch for ease of installation $4.50 note: not hypo-allergenic - Installed free if purchased here - Brace, back, re-glue Requires top remove/replace ($450) and includes checking/regluing all braces and existing patches $150 minimum Bridge - New Violin • Viola • Cello • Bass either with or without adjusters - we use the finest quality Despiau French maple bridges for superior tone and durability Bridge adjusters, aluminum or composite, installed yes, we can install them in ALL size basses! C-Extension repairs (new leathers, adjust gates) $50.00 minimum C-Extension, chromatic, installed QBC's fully handmade extension, top-quality EBONY body, crack-resistant composite levers, elegant, precise, ergonomic and by far the best price for its superior quality! Book your installation appointment today! Edge Bumpers Our Custom Black Rubber or Hand-carved Ebony Endpin – Drill for Laborie style Bass $40.00 (endpins start at $22.00) Free drilling of basses purchased here Note: angled endpins are available in several stock lengths, which you may trim to fit as desired. Labor rate to custom-fit/consult on your endpin height applies. Endpin, adjustable rod - New Cello • Bass - Labor charge plus cost of your chosen endpin Endpin, wood, fit to your desired height QBC's custom wood endpins are sold in stock lengths (2" increments). - If you know the length you want, cutting to size is free with purchase of the endpin. - Post-purchase: you mark length, we cut: $2 - Endpin height consultation (try different heights, positioning, etc.) regular shop rate of $75/hr. Fingerboard - Complete Re-Plane/Re-Finish Ebony or Painted (surcharge for re-coloring painted fingerboards) "lumpectomy" (minor corrective planing) $50 minimum Fingerboard extension frequently requested for double bass - securely and unobtrusively attached from under existing fingerboard. Finish-matched. Fingerboard - New - A grade ebony We use only the highest-quality A grade ebony, and start all 3/4 bass fingerboards with 4/4 size blanks! Usually no fingerboard extension is required, and they are dense, true black, and correctly shaped to optimize the neck geometry of your bass and equalize string tension for optimal sound. |
Hole (Rib) if broken pieces are present Priced by estimated hours to glue, patch and touch up - average $350 Fingerboard position markers (dots): Walnut, oak, brass, aluminum or white just $15 ea (all instruments) - highly recommended instead of using tape - ask us about discounts on these with new instruments purchased from us! Neck Reset (can be a simple clean and re-glue, or require repair to the mortise, ribs, neck, upper block, and button, depending on peripheral damage) Neck - install carbon-fiber bars for rigidity Bass $100 plus cost of fingerboard removal/replacement - highly recommended if fingerboard is already off for any reason! Neck - graft (scroll graft) Requires removing original scroll from a broken neck and grafting it on to a hand-carved new neck, varnish matching, and transplanting original tuners/pegs. Extensive labor. Neck - New (German pre-carved scroll) Includes varnish match and transplanting your tuning machines or pegs Pickup, electronic - install Pickup purchased at QBC - FREE, $0 Pickup purchased elsewhere: $15/up Saddle, raised (made in-house) Ebony. Normally sits over the original saddle and is screwed into the end block. Removable. Includes evaluation of the bass for optimal saddle height, and new tail wire $175 "Set Up" This refers to several tasks, such as fingerboard planing, bridge fitting, tail wire length adjustment, and more. Quoted by the work required on your instrument. NOTE: each instrument sold by QBC is set up to true professional standards, included in the price. It is virtually always less expensive to purchase a properly set up instrument here than to pay for setup work on a mail-order/craigslist instrument. See our article on mail-order instruments Seam Reglue Violin/Viola/Cello/Bass $30.00 minimum That's right - just $30 ($25 on Wednesdays/Thursdays!) We do not charge extra for 1 or 2 additional open seams, either. If there is a very large opening requiring multiple steps to close, we will give you an estimate. Soundpost – Simple Reset Violin/Viola/Cello/Bass $15.00 (just $10 on Wednesdays/Thursdays!) no charge if other work is being done on the instrument Soundpost - tonal adjustments $75/hour all instruments Strings - Install Free installation of strings purchased here! Strings purchased elsewhere: $10 minimum labor Just another reason our string prices are lower. Tailpiece - replace installed free if purchased here. We stock numerous styles of violin/viola tailpieces, and standard styles for bass. Tailwire - New Violin/Viola $5.00 • Cello $15.00 • Bass $25.00 New Harmony "Sacconi style" cello tail wire: $20 New Harmony Bass Tail Loop $29.99 installed free if purchased here Top, remove/replace (full) No surcharge for laminated instrument! Repair of existing damage from prior top removal is quoted as a separate repair. Varnish touchup, polishing, cleaning, rosin removal shop rate of $75/hour, minimum $25 Wolf Hunt/Tonal Adjustments/Consultation $75.00/hour Looking for related items for your instrument? See our WEB STORE! Strings, accessories, endpins, & much more! |
Replacement PARTS (chinrest, tailpiece, endpin, etc.) are at market price plus installation - just ask. Customer-provided parts: since we beat others' prices for standard AND specialty replacement parts, it's cheaper to have QBC provide, install AND guarantee the replacement parts you need!
Please note there is a charge for consulting/adjusting instruments (moving the soundpost, etc. to suit player's preferences) and custom-fitting endpins to your desired height - at our regular labor rate of $75/hr.
Please note there is a charge for consulting/adjusting instruments (moving the soundpost, etc. to suit player's preferences) and custom-fitting endpins to your desired height - at our regular labor rate of $75/hr.