About the Shop

Kamimoto String Instruments is a retail and repair shop committed to providing excellence in service for our community. We specialize in the sale of violins, violas, cellos, basses, and their accessories. In addition to our instruments for sale we also have a quality rental program for both experienced and beginning enthusiasts. The repair department is headed by maestro Jon Li who performs exceptional repair and restoration work on both new and antique instruments including those historic and much sought after Italian violins and French bows.

The History of the Shop

Kamimoto String Instruments has been serving customers in the San Francisco Bay Area for over forty years. It was founded in1967 by Hideo Kamimoto as a repair shop which specialized in both string and fretted instruments. The shop was originally located on 14th street in Oakland, California and has moved several times since --Harrison and Grand Avenue in Oakland, then to 5th and Jackson in San Jose, and lastly to our current location at 609 North Fourth Street in San Jose, California.

When Mr. Kamimoto was attending college at UC Berkeley, he first worked at a guitar shop in Berkeley, and then at J.N. Aschow Violins where he apprenticed under Stan and John Aschow. When the Aschow shop closed, he then decided to open Kamimoto String Instruments. Hideo combined his experience as a guitar maker and repairperson with his violin repair skills and, together with his staff, began to specialize in the repair of both fretted and string instruments. Over the years, Hideo has authored two books on guitar repair, presented guitar repair workshops, and consulted for violin and guitar companies in China.

A short partnership in 1990 with violin maker Scott Cao ultimately led to the decision to make Kamimoto Strings primarily a string instrument repair and retail center - the place we know and love today. To strengthen his skills in string instrument repair (and that of his repair staff) Hideo attended many violin repair and restoration workshops, including those of maestro Hans Nebel. In 2004, Mr. Kamimoto sold the shop to Jon Li, the head repairman at the shop. Jon has carried on the craft under the same name to honor Mr. Hideo Kamimoto and the work that has made Kamimoto String Instruments a respected name among local string musicians as well as on the international stage.

Hideo and his wife Sharon are now happily retired in San Jose. If you would like to contact Hideo, please contact the shop at 408.298.8168.