Super friendly, helpful, and accommodating. The shop is in a convenient location as well.

Duane Lasley and his little shop are Seattle treasures. I bought the violin of my dreams (at a reasonable price) after telling Duane what I was looking for--this, after many fruitless inquiries to other stores. He is also a skilled luthier, who enjoys an excellent reputation among local musicians. Lasley Violins is a very small business that has the aura of an older, slower time. Please do not expect your emails to be answered quickly because Duane is focused on the stringed instrument on his workbench, not on his smart phone! read more

We rented and then purchased a violin here. The staff were great through all steps of renting, testing violins, buying, and even after purchase care. Our toddler broke off the chin rest and this place not only put it back in place quickly but tuned it AND gave me pointers on how to store the bow. These guys are great! read more

I took a second hand instrument I purchased off Craigslist as well as my primary violin which I have owned and played for 38 yrs. Duane made some adjustments to the CL purchase and made it sound better, and repairs to my primary instrument at very reasonable prices. He felt adjusting my sound post would make a positive impact on the tone but he noted my hesitation at making the change. He said it was not a big deal either way, and if I wanted to try it he would keep my original bridge and sound post and put them back where they were should I not like the changes he made. He let my daughter take home 2 bows to try out while he worked on my instrument. Great guy, great prices, very knowledgeable. I will definitely be going back. read more

I have been going to Duane Lasley for all of my violin needs for about 12 years now (when I first went to him he was still at Dusty Strings!) and I have always been beyond satisfied with the work that he and Chris Russ do, not to mention their endless friendliness. I bought my first violin from him, and when it was stolen a few years ago, Duane gave me an amazing deal on the wonderful violin that I have now. I just had my bow re-haired and new strings put on a few days ago. I was going to mention to him a little cosmetic thing that I wanted fixed, a few nicks where my frog had grabbed the side of my violin during some over-zealous playing, but I forgot to tell him when I saw him. As I was practicing today, I noticed that he had read my mind and fixed it, free of charge! I have never written a review on yelp before, but I was so thrilled that Duane knew me and my instrument so well that I felt I had to yell from the roof tops (so to speak) about this amazing violin shop. Its a little out of the way, nestled in Ballard, but well worth the effort to find it! read more

There are some great violin shops in the city, and we usually have depended on our very knowledgeable teacher to point us in the right direction. But I was across the street from this place, in Ballard, and noticed their sign. Went up and told them my daughter needed a new bow, and they asked me to bring her in to try some out. We came in (2nd floor, little apartment turned into a shop, zillions of bows hanging all around, violins all over the walls and hanging from violin racks, a crowded counter and a sofa under the window for the extra people you've brought along to sit on) and they let her try as many and every kind of bow she wanted. We took two for the teacher to hear, and she said "that bow is a fantastic deal! It's great! Her sound is totally changed!" They had explained to us that the bows are really graded more on appearance and they put the silver handle things on the best looking ones, then those are priced higher, so you can find a great one among the less expensive if you try a lot and listen carefully. Meanwhile, if we hit the mini lottery and decide to go to the $1,500 to $3,000 level, they have an extensive knowledge of the bow makers in the area and around the world and kindly share their knowledge in a friendly and educational manner. I know I will be back! read more

My wife and I came here looking for an upgraded violin for her. We were clear about the price range we were looking for and what we were looking for. She was given about 5 to try that were all in our price range and we got the chance to narrow those down. After finding one that we liked more than the others, we asked if there were more like it. The owner came back with 2 different violins, one of which that my wife fell in love with. The owner said she could take it home for a week to try. In addition to the various instruments, the owner makes violins which is very interesting and impressive as his shop is all right there in front of you. A very good experience overall. read more

My bow shopping there turned out to be a great experience--Duane set me up in a back room with my cello and a selection of bows to play with. Some had price stickers, some didn't, but he was able to tell me a lot about even the unmarked ones. He also took the time to explain general bow quality pointers to me and help me understand the market for bows. I didn't find the perfect bow on that trip, but a few months later (just this April) I went in to have my own bow repaired and asked if they had any new ones in that would be in my price range. Lo and behold, they'd just bought several from Brazilian bowmaker Marco Raposo, and I took one home to try. It was the one, and now it's mine! Duane also set up a consignment plan for my previous bow, with very reasonable terms. This is still my favorite Seattle instrument shop, by a landslide. read more

Very honest and great place to get your fiddle fixed! I've got my violin bridge and pegs fixed here. I believe many violin teachers around Seattle area recommend this place to go, if you experience any problems. People here are very friendly and will help you however possible. Price depends on what you get fixed. But usually, the price is very reasonable. They will rent you violin if your violin needs to stay in the shop for overnight. There's no need for any appointment, for the most part, just go and walk in! This violin shop is probably the nicest and most honest shop you can find in Seattle area. and perfect for students through professional violinists! read more

A rare kind and honest businessman. We came to the shop to look for a violin for my 3 year old, who had developed an obsession with taking violin lessons after too many episodes of Little Einsteins. His shop was full of treasures, violins in repair, violins for sale. He showed us the teeniest tiniest beautiful violin, which I was ready to purchase until I realized it was still several hundred dollars. Instead, he loaned it to us while we figured out if my son would enjoy his lessons. I offered a deposit, and he told me "people don't steal violins." Real life was not as good as TV, so we stopped after a month or two. I then failed to bring the violin back for at least two more months (busy work schedules, limited hours, ultimately embarrassment!) We finally sent our nanny to return it on a weekday with cash to give him for "rent" and he refused to take it. I am amazed that he stood by the offer of the loan, even when I abused his kindness. I am hoping my son will renew his interest when he gets a little older, and you can bet I will be buying his violin here. read more

OK, I'm not a violinist. But I know these people, and they are incredibly knowledgeable, and incredibly honest. I do play guitar, so I know that the repair of quality instruments is an art and not a commodity, but you can trust them to do quality work at an honest and reasonable price; really, can you ask for anything more? Oh, yes - they l-o-v-e their work, music, and instruments. read more

I cant begin to explain my appreciation and gratitude to them. I went in not really knowing what i wanted, just that i wanted to get my 8 year old a violin. He said he needed to have her come in so he could measure her for the right size. this was just a little over a week before Christmas and i think he could see the hint of disappointment in me. He offered me a small loaner violin that i could put under the tree so my daughter could have as a surprise. (with all the screaming that happened, surprised and happy she was) He answered all my questions and helped me decide weather to rent or buy, we just went back today and with in minutes she was measured and i filled out a paper to rent. Simple, knowledgeable and extremely friendly, what more can you really ask for? Thank You again!! read more

Apparently it isnt a good idea to leave your thousand + dollar viola in an outdoor storage shed for 10 years. Every once and a while I get the idea that I should begin playing again and somehow transform myself into a concert violist. Most recently when I decided this I discovered that my viola had developed a crack in the joint where the chin rest sits. I went to Dusty Strings. I guess they don't repair or cater to violin/viola/cellos (stringed instruments!!! hello?!!) and couldnt help me. I got a list from them of local places and having no idea who to go to I picked the one that would require the least amount of bus transfers. When I got to the shop A nice lady helped me at the counter of a very appartment like violin shop and the guy that ended up fixing my viola accutually came out to consult me on it. He told me he could fix the crack and then checked out the rest of my instrument for problems... He advised that I get a new bow since mine had been left tightened and the hair had gotten stretched out. I told him i prefered sythetic hair and he said good for me cause its less expensive. He also offered to file down the top of my finger board a little so the action and play would be a little easier for me. I asked if they had shoulder rests available and he said when I came back for my viola they could size me for one that would work well for me. They were able to repair my viola in less than a week, I was expecting a week to 2 weeks, and did not charge me for filing the fingerboard. They also found and offered me a used bow and used shoulder rest for a bit less since they knew i was working with a tight budget. All in all very helpful and nice. They didnt make me feel uncomfortable or like i wasnt good enough for their time the way I have in the past at other violin shops. Not snobby at all! So I would highly reccomend them, I think they also build instruments. read more

My Husband and I brought my granddaughter to enquire about getting her violin repaired and get a new bow. He looked at her violin and started that the violin was in very poor condition. The bow was shot. Duane let her try a new Bow, and then a new violin. It took a few minutes to get used to it. Duane let her take it home to use at school for one week. She played better than I've ever heard her. She has been playing for 7 years. We did a trade and added some money that we could afford. He's very kind and very skilled. I'm so happy for my granddaughter. Her teacher is too. Thank you read more

The owner is a real friendly guy who knows his stuff! I bought a fiddle from him last week and I LOVE IT (Yes! He knows the difference between a violin and a fiddle). And for no extra charge, he put on a new chin rest and a tail piece, the type that I preferred. I will definitely go back to him for repairs, bows, whatever... read more

Nice enough place. Answered all my questions in an easy, friendly manner. However, I was a little surprised to find that when I returned to pick up my instrument that an extra service had been performed and I was, therefore, charged another $20. I hadn't agreed on this extra service initially and wasn't expecting an extra charge. They got the job done and quickly, but couldn't they at least call or ask their customers before they tack on another job resulting in extra fees and cost? My advice would be to stick around for the duration of the repair and not to go out and come back like I did. Of course, it would help, if there were a waiting area for customers. I'll probably visit another place next time. read more

My husband needed a new violin and we visited almost every shop in the area, trying well over 80 instruments. Duane Lasley was our favorite of all the shops. He was very honest and forthright, giving good information. He had a great selection and was incredibly knowledgeable. We were sure of what he presented to us- prices were fair and he was very trustworthy. I cannot speak highly enough of his work and professionalism. We will definitely visit him again and recommend him to others. read more

I contacted Lasley Violins repeatedly about my violins to see if they were interested in taking a look at them but my messages were repeatedly ignored after the initial contact. I found that to be a bit unprofessional. read more

I have a violin that I got in 1968. unfortunately, I quit playing it in 1971! After a layoff of about 45 years, I decided to pick it up and start playing it again. I started sawing away on it and it was harder than I remembered. I took it in to Lasley violin for a check-up as I was spending some time in Seattle (I live in Sitka, Alaska). Duane took one look and gave me a list of things that were wrong with it that I didn't even know about. A crack in the neck had caused the neck to pull up so the strings were too far off the fingerboard--Duane said that he had never seen one so bad. There were a lot of other problems that I don't even remember. As I was headed back to Sitka for a few months, he gave me a loaner (at no charge) for me to play until I got back to Seattle. When I picked it up on my next trip, the violin played great (and with much less effort) and sounded great as well. The cost of the extensive repairs was very reasonable. Since then, I've acquired a few other fiddles that Duane has done a great job getting back in shape, and I've brought in a couple fiddles that belong to friends as well. Duane is super qualified, super reasonable on pricing, has lots of fiddles to look at and play, and is a nice guy on top of all that. I can't thank or recommend him enough! Thanks Duane! read more

I love this place, we have shopped here over the duration of my son's violin career. They just saved my absent minded teenage son's butt yesterday. He came home from school about 4 pm telling me he left his violin locked in the orchestra room at Garfield. While he called school (no answer), i called his violin teacher and Kenelley Keys, because they are close to our Northgate home, to try to find one to borrow (No answer and no violin, respectively). I then called Lasley and Russ. Chris answered and by 7 pm we had a loaner violin and bow. She even dropped it off at our place on her way home from work. THAT is customer service!! They also beautifully restored an old violin that had been my grandfather's, he could have used that one today (quality not as good as the one he left at school), but didn't have an extra bow. That is next on our list. Get in to see Duane and Chris and find a backup bow! Worth the drive to Ballard if you don't live nearby. read more

This place is perfect! Knowledgeable and friendly people, very reasonable prices. I'd been putting off coming here because Ballard always seems so far away, but I'm really glad I finally did. read more

I should have written this review years ago, better late than never. I was new to fiddling (though starting at a late age. I wasn't good enough to know what to listen for and pretty intimidated playing my scratch in front of knowledgeable people. SO Duane would send me home with 2 instruments and I'd try them at home where I'd actually be playing. And then repeat that once a week for several weeks until I willowed it down to the perfect instrument. It wasn't too expensive because it had no traceable pedigree, just a repair ticket from 100 years ago. That instrument was stolen which broke my heart and a friend gave me his grandfather's practice instrument which needed regluing. Duane asked if I was ok with him thinning the top -- you can do that to a 100 year old instrument. I guess you can because the end result (after some months of kinda unpredictable growing into its new self) the fiddle sounds great! Later I bought an old Martin Uke that had damage around the sounds hole. Once again the repair was simple clean and the integrity of the old instrument intact. Only reason I'm on this page is I was looking for Duane's number. I have an old Mandolin I'd like for him to take a look at. Great shop with no pretension. Will work with you with incredible patience. read more