Houston · Since 1975
Houston’s oldest violin shop.One man, one bench.
Philip Gold has repaired, restored and set up violins, violas, cellos and basses since 1975, and made bows by hand from pernambuco since before that. String teachers across Houston send their students here. Bring your instrument in and he’ll look at it with you.
Philip Gold at the bench on Mapleridge.
What the Shop Does
Repair, restoration, bows, and finding the right instrument
A working violin shop, not a showroom. Most of what happens here happens at the bench.
Violin, Viola, Cello & Bass Repair
A cracked top, an open seam, a peg that won't hold, a buzz nobody can find. Philip has been repairing string instruments since 1975 and he does the work himself, at his own bench, one instrument at a time.
Learn moreBow Rehairing
Hair wears out. It gets slick, it stretches, it breaks unevenly, and one day the sound just isn't there.
Learn moreHandmade Bows & Bow Repair
Philip learned bow making as an apprentice in Kansas City and made his first bow at college with nothing but a file and an X-Acto knife. Fifty years later he still makes them by hand from pernambuco, the Brazilian hardwood that has been the standard for fine bows for two centuries.
Learn moreSetup, Sound Post & Bridge Fitting
Most players never learn how much of their sound comes from setup. The bridge, the sound post, the nut, the string heights, the strings themselves — these are millimeter decisions, and they're the difference between an instrument that fights you and one that responds.
Learn moreStudent & School Instrument Service
Much of Philip's work has always come through teachers — they know what a properly set up student instrument does for a beginner, and they know he'll size a child correctly instead of selling up. He has worked with school programs for decades and specializes in restoring and repairing children's instruments, including the ones that have been through three siblings already..
Learn moreViolins, Violas, Cellos & Basses for Sale
Philip has been collecting, making and taking instruments on consignment since 1975, and the shop holds far more than its size suggests — student instruments, step-ups, and fine instruments from makers he knows personally. Nothing leaves the shop without being set up properly first.
Learn moreInstrument Rentals
A seven-year-old will be in a different size violin next year, and the year after that. Renting is how most families get through that stretch sensibly.
Learn moreAppraisals & Insurance Valuations
An inherited violin in an attic. A bow that might be something.
Learn moreThe Man at the Bench
He made his first bow with a file and an X-Acto knife.
Philip Gold grew up in Houston, graduated from Bellaire High School, and started playing violin at ten. He never wanted to spend his life behind a music stand — so while he was studying music in Missouri, he apprenticed with a violin maker in Kansas City and learned to make bows.
He opened his first shop in Northampton, Massachusetts, the year he graduated, because he heard the town didn’t have one. His first day in business he made ten dollars repairing a bow. In 1975 he came home to Houston and opened the shop that’s still open today.
In Their Own Words
Some of his customers have been coming for thirty years
“Mr. Gold is hands down the best for any of your stringed instrument needs. I have been using him since I was 3 years old. I'm now 33. I trust him implicitly with my violin. His knowledge, craftsmanship and kindness have always been a hallmark of his store.”
“Mr. Gold is very knowledgeable and a superb violin doctor that can diagnose and fix problems. He is willing to spend an hour to fix your violin even if you step in his shop 5 mins before closing time.”
“The best violin shop in town! They have been providing violins and great service since my son was 3 years old. Now he is 9 and just graduated to an even larger violin. He has probably had 5 or 6 from Gold Violin.”
“Today me and Mr. Gold spent hours connecting with each other solely on me choosing the right violin for me and in my budget, he puts the customer's interest first and won't stop until you've got the gold you've been looking for.…”
“Mr. Gold's understated manner belies a well-earned professionalism and being an excellent luthier. He is genuine, friendly, very helpful, and very knowledgeable of his trade.”
“Owner Philip Gold goes the extra mile to place excellent quality violins in the hands of young violinists. A good violin & bow DOES make a huge difference!”
Reviews are quoted from public Google and Yelp listings and may be shortened. Nothing here has been reworded.
Come By
A quiet little shop off Bissonnet
Philip has been at the Mapleridge location since 2004. No appointment is needed — but he works alone, so a phone call before you drive over is always worth it.
Phone
(713) 729-2231Hours
- Mon – Fri10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- SundayClosed
Look for the sign over the sidewalk.
Bring it in. He’ll take a look with you.
A crack, a buzz, a bow that won’t grip, a child who needs a first violin, or an old fiddle you found in the attic.