What Clients Are Saying
“Rachael, just to follow up, as I sit with this violin, I am so deeply moved, hard to express how this feels. It’s so opened up, deep and rich sounding, back to its old self and more. Plus, omg, it is so beautiful! Elegant, well traveled antiquity look to it, like you retained and enriched its life story in its look, so to speak. All the little touches as well, like the edge doublings, the varnish touchup is amazing, and I could go on and on. It has this 'furry' quality to the sound that I remember it had when I first got it. That I didn't realize had been slowly eroded, until now.”
— DAVID BALAKRISHNAN, founding violinist of the two-time Grammy winning Turtle Island Quartet after an extensive restoration to a violin made in Italy by Ansaldo Poggi (more on this restoration here).
“I strung up the mandolin. It plays strong and full…like it always has. Making it appear less tired was really important to me as the care taker. I have a lot of nice instruments, but this one is priceless. I couldn’t have asked for a better restoration of this instrument. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
— THOMAS SHEWMAKE, from the band One-Button Suit after a varnish restoration to a fine mandolin (more on this restoration here).
“THANK YOU SO MUCH for the work on my violin. It sounds much more mature. The tone quality & sound projection are awesome! In fact, I think it projects more & produces a crisper tone. It sounds so beautiful - like it was meant to sound! There is a huge difference in playability- the feel is much more comfortable. I literally do not have the evil "death grip" I'd get from pressing on the strings like before. Much less tension on my hand & a lot more freedom to practice vibrato & shift. It's basically a new instrument & it's brought such joy back into my playing. I have literally been playing it for HOURS since I got it back!”
— BECCA G. after adjustments to neck angle, fingerboard dressing, a new bridge and new soundpost.
“We are so thrilled to have had my mother’s violin restored by Rachael of Soroka Violins. It is truly beautiful and the tone is perfect. This violin was made by my mother’s blind great uncle and given to her as a gift in 1933 when she was a child, she went on to play this violin from a young age to adulthood.
Thank you Rachael for restoring this precious instrument!”
— CHRISTY, after a restoration of a 1933 violin and family heirloom (more on this restoration here).