K.C. Strings is the only American maker of professional level violins, violas, cellos and basses. We strive to unlock the secrets of producing the best possible sound and playability in instruments at every price level. Therefore, K.C. Strings has developed five lines of instruments that meet the needs of students, amateur players and professionals, with each group building upon the features of the group before it. We feel that these instruments offer the best performance for the cost at every price level.

The K.C. Series instruments raise the bar for student level instruments. They are carefully constructed to our specifications in our affiliated shop. This allows for a fine appearance, warm sound and easy playability, even in fractional sizes.

The Heartland Series instruments are graduated and fitted with an advanced bassbar. The instruments are treated with our sealer and varnish. These changes allow for greater projection and tonal resonance, suitable for advancing students and amateur adult players.

The Richard Williams instruments are made with a higher level of craftsmanship from European tonewoods. The instruments are tonally graduated and treated with our proprietary sealer and oil varnish. The acoustic effects of the wood and finish treatment allow these instruments to vibrate more freely for increased tonal maturity that is required by accomplished players.

The Williams and Krutz instruments are crafted entirely in K.C. Strings' Kansas City workshops by senior luthiers, many of whom learned the art of string instrument construction in Europe. All aspects of the making process are overseen by Richard Williams and Anton Krutz. These instruments utilize fully professional materials and precise specifications, which give them the strong sound and tonal flexibility desired by advanced students and rising professionals.

The Anton Krutz instruments bring together the best in materials, design and construction to create the powerful, expressive sound sought by soloists and professional ensemble players. Master Luthier Anton Krutz personally crafts these instruments, beginning with his selection of acoustically vibrant curly maple and spruce from K.C. Strings' carefully aged stock. His craftsmanship includes precise arching and graduations and a unique mineral ground and varnish treatment that gives each instrument its timbre and Bel Canto voice, similar to that of the fine Italian masters.

All K.C. Strings instruments are individually set up in our Kansas City area workshops. For the first year after purchase, all instruments are warrantied for quality of materials and construction.

K.C. Strings take seriously a commitment to customer satisfaction. Our knowledgeable staff strives to educate clients about all aspects of instrument construction, selection and care. We hope to be of service to you.

Please inquire if you have a something already in mind.  You can select in your price range and upgrade with a 100% trade-in on all full size instruments purchased from us.

Why a student instrument from
K.C. Strings is a better value

"The most important aspect to buying a student instrument is where you are buying it." You have to get instruments from a "Violin shop" that has a many years longstanding reputation, references and trade-in policy. K.C. Strings has all three.

1. Our shop has been featured in every major Kansas City newspaper and news channel.
2. Our many years in business lets you know the instruments we sell are high quality at good prices because professional musicians and their students are our clientele.
3. Our selection of upper level instruments and the ability to trade-up to them is an even more important consideration than the initial student instrument purchase.

Many music stores (that sell kazoos to drums) and dubious internet sites that sell string instruments are risky. We've seen many people waste their money on these outlets. Because there are dozens of factories throughout the world, each produces different grades of instrument according to their own individual standards.

Therefore there is no way to do comparison shopping because the instrument's quality cannot be determined by looking at it's description and pictures. Also, unlike brass or woodwinds, string instruments are not set up and ready to play at the factory. Unprofessional set up at the store they were first shipped to can make an instrument practically unplayable and can cost hundreds of dollars to be redone.

The knowledgeable luthiers (violinmakers) at K.C. Strings make sure there are high standards of quality for all our instruments. Top all that with the realization that you may be stuck with your instrument purchased somewhere else when it comes time to upgrade and it becomes clear why "The most important aspect to buying a student instrument is where you are buying it."