Classifieds
Ready to buy or sell an instrument? Post your ad or browse listings below. Note that we only list viols and viol-family instruments (vielles, lirones, etc.); other early music organizations have listings for other instruments.
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Jacob Meinertzen (1710) - 6-string bass viol for sale
Nov 28, 2021
Jacob Meinertzen, Berlin 1710. (6 strings) The ribs and the back are made of thuya. The head, neck and tailpiece were made by Francois Bodart (Belgium). The gamba is located in Ghent (Belgium) A certificate can be obtained, if necessary, from Benjamin Schroeder (Frankfurt) or from Tilman Muthesius (Potsdam). A similar instrument is in the Berlin museum of musical instruments. http://www.ifos-instruments.com/Buch.htm
$75,000
Ghent, Belgium
Bass Rudolf Fiedler Viol and Hard Wood Case
Nov 7, 2021
Rudolf Fiedler bass viola da gamba (2003) for sale. Instrument is in very good condition with a non classical shape. Spruce front with flame maple ribs and back. String length is 27 inches with total instrument length of 47 inches. Very resonantly loud small bass viol with new frets which stay in place. Strung with new sensicore synthetic strings. Very good instrument for an intermediate player and quite versatile given texture of sound. Bass viol price is $4,500. Hard wood case included. Pictures and sale references are available upon request
$4,500
Dayton, OH
6-string bass viol for sale
Apr 17, 2021
6-string bass viol after Richard Meares, made by Francis Beaulieu in 2010. 69 cm string length; carved head and pegbox. Pristine condition.
Additional pictures and sound clip available on request.
$16,500 CAD
Montréal, QC
Treble, Tenor, and Bass viols by Ingo Muthesius
Mar 3, 2021
Set of three vintage violas da gamba by the German maker Ingo Muthesius. Can sell together or separately. Please contact for further details and photos.
$20,000 au for the set of three
Sydney, Australia
Bass viol by Clifford Roberts
Jan 1, 2021
6-string bass viol by Clifford Roberts 1976, based on late 17th century Cremonese instrument. Matching inlaid fingerboard and tailpiece (design by Amati) by Warren Ellison. Played professionally by me all over the world for 40 years. I've upgraded to a 7 string. I'd like to see this instrument in good hands.
$5,000
West Palm Beach, FL
Tenor and bass viols by Daniel Foster
Jan 1, 2021
Daniel Foster tenor (1979) and bass viola da gamba (1982) for sale. Instruments are constructed in the Barak Norman style and are in very good condition. Strings length of instruments are 52 cm and 67.5 cm respectively. New frets, bridges, and strings have been placed on the instruments by master luthier Edward Maday. Sound is throaty for the tenor and dark and rich for the bass. Prefer to sell the instruments as a set. Tenor viol price is $5,000. Bass viol price is $7,500. Hard cases included. Pictures and sale references are available upon request.
$5,000 and $7,500
New York, NY
Treble viol by Wesley Brandt with Grabenstein bow
Jan 1, 2021
Treble viol by Wesley Brandt, 2005, with optional Harry Grabenstein bow and hard case; asking $11,000 for both or $9,000 for the treble by itself. Located in San Diego but willing to ship (at buyer’s expense).
$9,000/$11,000
San Diego, CA
Treble viol by Charlie Ogle
Jul 9, 2020
Strung in open gut, with the bottom four strings from George Stoppani, and it comes with a soft case.
$2,300
Bass viol by Charlie Ogle Workshop
Oct 7, 2019
Bass viol, Barak Norman model from Charlie Ogle Workshop, 2010. String length approx. 25 inches. Includes soft case in great condition, and bow (unknown maker) that needs to be rehaired.
$2,200
Philip Davis bass bow for sale
Jun 7, 2021
Bass viol bow stamped “PL Davis.” Fluted figured snakewood stick and frog, imitation ivory button. 78 grams.
$1400
Louisville, KY
Bass Viol Bow by Solange Chivas
May 19, 2021
A Bass viol bow by Solange Chivas (2019)
The stick/frog is snakewood and the screw is mammoth ivory.
Length: 72 cm,
Weight: 73.6 grams
$1,200
New York, NY
Marais bass bow by Harry Grabenstein
Feb 20, 2021
Beautiful "Marais" bass viol bow by Grabenstein that is not getting enough use. Figured snakewood. Willing to ship. Pictures upon request.
$1,500 or best offer
Philadelphia, PA
Treble viol bow by Harry Grabenstein
Jan 1, 2021
Treble bow by Harry Grabenstein in excellent condition. Willing to ship at buyer’s expense.
$2,000
San Diego, CA
Sheet Music
Sep 8, 2020
I have a ton of viol music to sell for 50% of original cost plus shipping. Highlights include complete 5 part Holborne and Brade; complete 4 and 5 part Ward; Coperario; East; beautiful Monteverdi book; and much more.
Walnut Creek, CA
Wanted —bass viol
Sep 30, 2021
Looking for a smaller 6 string (possibly 7 string) bass viol. I will also need a bow, but want to find the instrument first. Can travel to try out in the Southeast, and will be in other parts of the country occasionally.
Budget somewhere in the $3500 and up. And if you’d like to trade for a modern Otto Hoyer viola bow (with picture lens in frog!), that would be divine.
Nashville, TN
Stolen Grabenstein viol bow
Oct 5, 2021
I was the high bidder on a Skinner auction in June 2021 for the Grabenstein bow in the image. It was supposed to be shipped from Marlborough, Massachusetts to San Diego, California via FedEx by Global Pack Ship. The FedEx delivery person handed me a completely empty tube. Unbelievably, I could see straight through the empty PVC tube. If anyone has any information, please feel free to contact me.
San Diego, CA
Stolen: Viol bows
Two bows stolen from the Longy School of Music, Boston: (1) Baroque Cello/Bass Gamba bow 77.3 grams; stick highly figured snakewood stamped CF English and #345. Round stick, fluted 4.5 inches in grip area. Frog slides on Vuillaume style half-round track. (2) Baroque Cello/Bass Bow 79.5 grams; stick African Blackwood stamped #358 on stick under frog. Round stick fluted 4.5 inches in grip area Frog slides on Vuillaume style half-round track. Please notify Christopher English
Stolen: 6-string electric viol by Eric Jensen
On January 3, 2008, in UK: Dark rosewood instrument with a brace of aluminum and stainless steel. The reverse of the instrument has a tag that says "Jensen" and it was stolen in a black tubular case with a black preamp the size and shape of cobble. For pictures or to contact the poster please visit http://lorenludwig.com.
Stolen: Bass viol
On March 1, 2006, in UK: A 7-string viola da gamba, made in London in 1979 (maker's name not remembered) owned by the Birmingham Conservatoire in a black soft tight-fitted case with a bow by Roger Doe. It has orange yellow varnish and an intricatly carved head in the shape of a griffin, worn frets, and a great sound. Bow is a normal cello/gamba model with screw frog in dark wood. The case also had in it a Bolivian string bag. If anyone has any info please contact Henrik Persson, tel. +44 (0) 7812 050669.
Lost: Bass viol
I would like to report a viol gone astray (possibly stolen) while being shipped from Michgan to Pennsylvania in June 1998. Early (60's?) bass viol with hard case and bow, Shuster & Sons. Many signs of wear. Photos available. If anyone comes across it, please report its whereabouts to: Bob Purrenhage, 113 Central Ave., Berwyn, PA 19312; phone (610) 993-0936 or e-mail
Found: Bass viol
Found June 2018 in Durham NC. Six-string Chinese Song bass viol with carved head. Turned in at local guitar shop after being “found” in a dumpster.
Stolen: Treble viol
Treble viol by West Dean Workshop 1999/2000, stolen week of October 7, 2002; Viol bow by Roger Rose; Black hard case by Kingham. Please contact Alison Crum regarding this viol, +44 20 8452 3254, or email
Stolen: Tenor viol
A student-model, German-make, reddish tenor, with label "Buchstainer 1976" inside was stolen from Lucy Cross's apartment in New York on September 7, 2003. It's in a soft case with no handle (ripped off, and still in the apartment), with a bow by Uebel, extra strings (with Bill Monical's name on them), and a cake of rosin with thick wooden sides to it. The case is much too big for the instrument. If you come across this viol or hear about it, please contact the VdGSA webmasters.
Found: Treble viol
A treble viol made by Dan Foster in 1980 has turned up in the Chicago area under circumstances that suggest it had been stolen. If you think you may have information about this instrument or its last owner, please send an email to the VdGSA webmasters.