Friendly and talented folks. I had my violin bow re-haired and now having my guitar frets leveled and dressed. I recommend Bluett Bros.Violins.

Mark’s attention to detail and dedication to quality is obvious. His apprentices produce quality instruments, under his supervision, as well. Huge production from a small shop!

Amazing craftsmanship. True artistry.

I was very excited to check out a small instrument shop where I was able to meet the creator of the violins I could try. Mr.Bluett is very welcoming and friendly. He allowed me to try out a violin he recently finished making and I was pleasantly surprised. I absolutely loved playing on such a beautiful instrument that allowed me to easily express and play a variety of pieces. The only saddening part of this experience was when I had to part with the violin, it had captured my heart.I highly recommend checking this place out, you wont regret it! Im sure youll be able to find yourself an instrument to your liking here. 😊

Fixed up my bass guitar

I went to Bluett Bros. to have my very cheap student violin restrung. Mark took the time to explain to me the differences of strings and install them on my violin. Before going to the shop I had an idea of the quality they produced based on the website and I was a little nervous that I would receive poor service for having such a cheap violin but that was not the case. It was a very neat little shop with a very humble vibe.

Nice shop, Mark came out to greet me at the door. I dropped off some instruments and will pick them up in a couple of weeks.

Small but neat workshop. Dont plan on more than 20 minutes or so, but its worth visiting if youre interested in this kind of thing. Nice people, too.

I am working on a first instrument apprenticeship with Mark at Bluett Brothers Violins and I am having a blast. I love playing music and also enjoy woodworking so I wanted to make an instrument for a few years.I am excited to play my guitar once its done, Im having just as much fun making it. Mark and the rest of the guys in the shop are great at explaining each step in the process, demonstrating it, and then letting me do the work and offering suggestions as I go.If making an acoustic instrument is something you have thought about trying, I suggest you check out Bluett Brothers Violins and talk with Mark about his first instrument apprenticeship program. You wont be disappointed!

I am the proud owner of a beautiful viola made for me by Mark Bluett. It was a gift from my husband for my birthday last summer, and every time I get it out, I still love to just look at it and admire its beauty. I was lucky enough to see it in the making, and was able to have input on the color that I preferred.The beauty of my viola is only surpassed by its sound. Marks choice of woods and his meticulous craftsmanship produce an instrument with such a rich sound. Ive expressed several times to him that my viola makes me sound better than I actually am. I cant believe that I get to play such an exquisite instrument. We are lucky to have such a master craftsman right here in York.

We took our family violin made in the 1930s to Mark to be repaired.He gave us an affordable price to have it repaired and restrung. While he was working on it, he found an issue with it. However, he called us and communicated with us well of the problem, the solution, and the price. This was still an affordable price and we accepted the repair work.Soon after, our violin was fully repaired and ready to be played.If I had more violins, I would definitely take them to him.

A true artist at his trade. Builder of great string instruments that will last generations. If you are looking for repairs or new this is the place for you.

Mark is a master. His violins have a combination of complex sound, projection, and immaculate craftsmanship that can challenge the instruments of any maker, past or present. He understands what players want and need and makes it easy to achieve ones musical ideas.

Just had a family heirloom bow rehaired. Excellent service. Excellent job done in a very timely fashion. Fair pricing.

Very nice store. Very helpful staff.

Went for a tour. Great experience. We learned a lot.

Nice place to visit for out of town guest historic musical instruments crafted by hands

Very friendly. They answered all of my questions. Very passionate about what they do.

I dont play the violin, but Ive seen the store and it adds to the familiar atmosphere of the place.

Awesome tour and kiddos had fun!

It was fascinating to see how instruments are made.

Top notch place for violins and lessons.

As a full-time apprentice of two years (and counting), Mark Bluett asked me to write a review about my time there and about the apprenticeship.First off, if you havent played an instrument made by Mark, it is a MUST-DO. They look, sound, and feel like they are intimately and painstakingly crafted by the hands of a master. Every time he finishes a new instrument I find myself attempting to learn how to play or learning something new on an instrument I already know how to play.Second, the tours are a lot of fun for musicians, woodworkers, or anyone looking to explore something new in York. There are always plenty of questions and wide-eyes when they hear about the amount of detail Mark puts into his instruments or how old some of the instruments he works on are.Now about the full-time apprenticeship....Ive been going into Marks shop for the apprenticeship for over 2 years, 4-5 days a week almost every week, and if that doesnt show you how much Im enjoying myself- I dont know what will. Under Marks tutelage i have made a steel string guitar, classical guitar, violin, A-style mandolin, and at the time of this post, I am working on an F-5 Mandolin. Why so many different instruments? Well thats because Mark is a firm believer in universality, and that as a luthier you should know how to make and repair all kinds of instruments before you leave even if you intend to specialize in only one or two in the future. You will do EVERY step in the building process, Mark will be there to show what needs to be done and how, and will watch you to make sure youre doing it safely and efficiently, but you and your own two hands will build every instrument. You will also learn some of the minor nuances involved in running a shop like Marks. Every now and then, Mark even allows us to work on repairs that come into the shop, and while he insists he does NOT teach repair work, if you pay attention and get kind of nosy around his workstation you can learn some of the more delicate intricacies involved in more advanced repairs.Downsides to the full-time apprenticeship...There are honestly not many. Aside from having to occasionally deal with customers or answer the phone while Mark has left the building (is gluing something and cannot stop), or helping to clean the shop every couple weeks and vacuum up the dust storms that you will inevitably contribute to, there isnt much not to like. You can keep the first and last instruments that you make during the 3 year apprenticeship, which to some might not sound like a downside... and to those people all I have to say is that there are a lot of beautiful, world-class instruments youre going to make between the first and last, and you have no idea how hard it can be to let something go after you work on it everyday for 4-6 months. Another slightly more serious con to this type of apprenticeship is the price... but to be clear, I wont say the price is too high in and of itself. For me and my situation (having to move to york temporarily and rent an apartment nearby for what will be 3 years) the cost of the tuition on top of the smallest cost of living Ive been able to manage results in a much higher price to pay to be able to attend the apprenticeship like I do than someone local would need to pay. You will be expected to be in the shop for at least 25 hours a week while the shop is open (9-5:30 M-F) which can (in my case) inhibit finding a job to help pay for the apprenticeship. Another slight downside is that upon the completion of the apprenticeship, there is no formal degree of some kind. Marks apprenticeship is not a college program. That being said, it sounds a lot worse than it really is. Mark himself does not have a degree in luthiery, and now runs a successful storefront and has for over 30 years now, but its something to keep in mind.Would I do the apprenticeship again knowing now what I didnt know then?Absolutely, BUT definitely with a lot more money saved so I wouldnt have to rely on friends and family nearly as much as I do now to be able to afford it.

Amazing! Very talented Craftsman!

Great luthier!

Very interesting

Friendly staff

Bluett-made violin had excellent tone & craftsmanship. Good bow was reasonably priced. The man knows his violins.

Happy