Local Music Stores

Kamimoto String Instruments 

Website: https://kamimotostrings.com/

Address: 609 N 4th St, San Jose, CA 95112

Phone: (408) 298-8168

Notes: Closed Sunday and Monday. Offer high quality bowed string instruments for rental and purchase, repair services, as well as instrument

 accessories. They also have bulletin boards with resources for local music teachers, camps, youth orchestras and programs. They are my first

 recommendation if you are looking to rent or purchase an instrument in the area. They can get busy on Saturdays. 

Link to rental information page & pricing: https://kamimotostrings.com/rentals/

J. K. White Violins

Website: https://jkwhiteviolins.com/

Address: 3911 Stevens Creek Blvd. Suite 203 Santa Clara, CA 95051 | 2nd floor

Phone: (408) 528-2595

Notes: Appointment only, easy to get an appointment. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Offers good quality, local repairs (closer to CHS than Kamimoto). No wait time due to appointment based model. They sell violins mostly (some violas and cellos), and do not offer rentals. They do sell some instrument accessories, and so does Starving Musician, which is just downstairs from J.K. White Violins. This is my recommendation for where to go for bow rehairs. 

Heaney Violins 

Website: https://www.heaney-violins.com/

Address: 1350 Grant Rd Suite # 13, Mountain View, CA 94040 

Phone: (650) 564-9013

Notes: Appointment only. They are open from 12pm-6pm Tuesday through Saturday. They offer high quality violins, violas, and cellos for rental

 and purchase, as well as instrument repairs and accessories. Heaney's and Kamimoto's provide the best quality rental instruments in the South 

Bay. Heaney Violins has also recently moved their teacher directory online; the directory includes a photo & bio of local teachers, as well as what

 area and instrument those teachers service: https://www.heaney-violins.com/resources/teachers

Scott Cao Violins

Website: https://www.scottcaoviolins.com/

Address: 1860 S Winchester Blvd, Campbell, CA 95008

Phone: (408) 364-1668

Notes: Offers high quality instruments for rental and purchase, as well as repairs and instrument accessories. They also have bulletin boards with

 resources for local music teachers, camps, youth orchestras and programs. 

Sonos Strings

Website: https://www.sonostringsinc.com/

Address: 171 E El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040

Phone: (650) 336-8993

Notes: Open 10am-6pm Monday through Saturday. "Specialty store buying, selling, renting, and repairing violins, violas, cellos, and double

 basses, plus accessories." They provide quality student level instrument and services. They also have a number of teachers who provide private

 music lessons out of their facilities. 

Music Village

Website: https://www.musvil.com/

Address 1: 2971 Union Ave, San Jose, CA 95124 (In the Union Plaza Shopping Center)

Phone 1: (408) 377-2504

Address 2: 5885 Santa Teresa Blvd, San Jose, CA 95123 (Located in Plaza del Rey)

Phone 2: (408) 629-1812

Notes: Both locations open 11am-8pm Monday-Friday, and 11am-5pm Saturdays. They are an excellent option for purchasing music books and

 accessories. Primarily specialize in student level band instruments - not many options for string instruments, however, they will carry basic string

 instrument accessories; I recommend calling ahead to confirm they have what you need. 

Ifshin Violins

Website: https://www.ifshinviolins.com/

Address: 6420 Fairmount Ave, El Cerrito, CA 94530

Phone: (510) 843-5466

Notes: Open 10:30am to 5pm Monday - Saturday.  Ifshin offers a large selection of high quality bowed string instruments, string instrument

 repairs, and string instrument accessories. This two story string shop is one of the largest and best in the Bay Area, and definitely worth the drive

 if you are looking to purchase a nicer quality string instrument.