RENTAL SERVICES

GREAT SOUND

We set up each instrument with care, selecting strings and accessories to suit each specific instrument. We hope the warm, clear, and open sound of our rental instruments will inspire those who play them.

PLAYABILITY

TERMS

We adjust each instrument to make playing feel as natural as possible. All new rentals come with complimentary finger tapes to help beginners get started. The tapes are removable.

One automatic payment each month does it all. We value transparency in our interactions with customers.

About Us

The Upper String Shop Project

The Upper String Shop, LLC is a partnership between Joe McDevitt from Reading, PA, and Greg Glessner from State College, PA. In 2024, Joe and Greg realized they could team up to bring a wider selection of good and affordable string instruments to their communities. With their unique combination of experience and knowledge, Joe and Greg create a way for people to access not only great student rentals, but also an ever-growing collection of fantastic upgrades to keep pace with students as they grow in their musicianship.

Joe graduated from the North Bennett Street School in Boston, and has a passion for violin making and restoration. As the owner of Fegley’s in Reading, PA, Joe is renowned for his repair work and handmade violins. Greg graduated from Penn State with a master’s degree in violin performance, and built a rental program from scratch in State College. In addition to performing, he teaches a full violin and viola studio. Joe and Greg both serve student and professional string players in their respective communities with their expertise in string instrument set up and repair.