Our Violin Shop

For over 70 years our violin shop continues to meet the evolving needs of a diverse and growing musical community.

For more than seven decades Benning Violins has been serving the West Coast musical community at our celebrated shop on storied Ventura Boulevard in the heart of Studio City in Los Angeles, California.

Our unique and historic building was constructed in 1952 by our founder Paul Toenniges and called Studio City Music, which sold not only instruments crafted by Toenniges, but drums, brass, woodwinds and everything musical under the sun.

After Toenniges’ retirement in 1978, violinmakers Hans and Nancy Benning remodeled the building and retooled it as a violin shop focused solely on new instrument making and sales, repair and restoration of fine stringed instruments.

The climate-controlled studio was again renovated in 1999 with mahogany flooring. It features three inviting showrooms of over 500 fine stringed instruments, a retail space with a complete line of strings, cases and accessories, as well as two private rooms for examination and trial of fine violins, violas, cellos and bows for sale.

Walls are lined with unique stringed, bowed instruments as well as photos and portraits of celebrated artists who have been associated with Benning Violins including Ruggiero Ricci, Joshua Bell and Jascha Heifetz.

Our performance room seats 70 and features a Yamaha baby grand piano and raised stage. It has been used to stage recitals, clinics, exhibitions and master classes.

Our on-site, Old-World-inspired workshop features four workbench stations for new instrument making, repairs, restorations, and bow maintenance.