How It Works
① Sign up
Once you’re on our email list, you will be notified of upcoming offerings. Each offering will disclose the details of a single, specific instrument, including reports on condition and appraised value, provenance, as well information on the musician who will be playing it.
American Pops Orchestra concertmaster Regino Madrid, with his J.B. Vuillaume, c1845-50 (copy of the ‘Il Cannone’ / “The Cannon” Guarneri ‘Del Gesu’, 1743)
② Register and commit
When you see an offering you like, you will read the investment disclosures specific to that investment. You’ll register and complete an accreditation process online, and receive instructions on how to fund your investment.
Patron-investors will become part owners in an LLC that will acquire the instrument and loan it to the musician to play.
③ Observe the impact
We use the term “patron-investor” because investors through Strumenti.com are not just making a financial devision. Every violin or other instrument is matched with a specific musician to perform. As a patron-investor, you will receive updates on where you can hear the instrument in performance.
④ Hold until sale
Strumenti.com will decide when to sell the instrument, based on factors including market conditions, musician needs, and more. We expect to hold most instruments for 5 to 10 years or in some cases more. When the time comes to sell the instrument (usually 5-10 years), patron-investors each receive a share of the proceeds. (The sale might be to a third party, a new group of investors, or the musician for a fair price.)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make “shares” of a violin?
Each individual instrument will be acquired by a single limited liability company (known as a “special purpose vehicle” or SPV). When you invest, you will be purchasing a certain “member interest” in that SPV. You will literally own a portion of a company that holds the instrument. If the value of the instrument goes up or down, then the value of the SPV should change proportionately (net of fees and expenses).
Can anyone invest?
Unfortunately not at this time. To participate in current Strumenti offerings, you must be an “accredited investor” under SEC guidelines. You will need to provide documentation as part of the registration process. In addition, minimum and maximum investment amounts will apply for each offering and be listed in the offering details. Typically, the minimum investment will be $10,000.
What if the instrument is damaged?
All our instruments are subject to strict use and maintenance guidelines. Nonetheless, there is always a risk that an instrument gets damaged while in use with a musician. For this reason, every instrument will be insured and your investment will include expense allowances for maintenance and repairs. Read more about instrument maintenance.
When can I sell my stake?
Investors should view Strumenti offerings as long term investments, generally of 5-10 years or more. You should be prepared not to be able to liquidate your investment until we decide to sell the instrument. However, consistent with our mission, we will do our best to facilitate requests to transfer investments for charitable purposes, and/or to the musician playing the instrument. There may be costs associated with such transfers.
Does Strumenti.com get paid?
The specific terms may vary from offering to offering. Please read the disclosures on the specific offering. Strumenti will charge management fees intended to cover, among other items, the costs of administering the instruments, facilitating investor relationships, and coordinating our artist community. Strumenti will also take a share of any proceeds upon disposition of the instrument. We intend to donate a portion of Strumenti’s profits to charitatble causes relating to social justice and racial equity. Strumenti.com will be working to achieve a certification as a “benefit company,” which means we are legally required to consider the impact of our decisions on all of our stakeholders including not just our patron-investors, but also our recipient musicians, and the broader community. Read more About Us.