ABOUT US

Founded in 2001 by Bob Beerman, the Bass Violin Shop opened as a small double bass repair shop in Greensboro, NC. Over the years, double bass players from all over the country have placed trust in us to maintain their current instruments or help them find inspiration in a new double bass. In 2011 we purchased and renovated a 3,000 square foot building on the northwest edge of downtown, and are now staffed by five full-time employees. Our reputation has been built upon offering high quality instruments and repairs at affordable prices. We remain committed to first-rate repair work and customer service, which continues to be a central component of our business model and one that we take great pride in.

In addition to a large selection of carved, hybrid and laminate double basses, we also keep a broad inventory of double bass bows, strings, rosins, pickups and most anything else a double bassist might need.

Meet the Team

Bob Beerman

Before opening the Bass Violin Shop in 2001, Bob spent 25 years playing double bass, initially jazz and later, Classical. While playing an outdoor performance in 1995, Bob's bass was knocked over, breaking the bridge, which led him to Artley's Violin Shop in Gibsonville, NC. He became curious about how it was done, and asked if he could observe, and ended up making his own bridge while Dr. Artley showed him how. He was then able to apprentice with Artley and Fred Lail, who hired him that same year. That led to violin summer repair workshops at the University of New Hampshire and then Oberlin with the Violin Society of America, led by Vahakn Nigogosian, Chris Germain, and Rodney Mohr. It was in those workshops that Bob was able to greatly enhance his luthier knowledge and skills.

After setting up and repairing hundreds of violins, violas, cellos and basses at Artley's, Bob decided in 2001 to open his own shop in Greensboro to do what he liked to do best — setting-up and repairing double basses.

Teresa Rasco

Teresa is Bob's wife and business partner. They met at the University of North Texas, where Bob was studying jazz. She manages the books and helps with bass rentals, general inquiries, the webpage, and tries to keep some semblance of order amongst the creative crew. She took home a Shen 1/2 size bass a few years ago (if you can't lick 'em, join 'em) and still enjoys playing. She loves North Carolina mountain music, even without the double bass, and also plays the accordion.

Tony Morton

Tony Morton is a Greensboro, NC native. He began lutherie work in 2003 at Keith Roscoe's shop, crafting boutique, hand-made electric basses and guitars, before transitioning to working exclusively on double bass repairs, set-ups, and restorations at the Bass Violin Shop in 2014. With a wide range of lutherie skills, Tony does masterful neck grafts, neck resets, edge doubling, and all the other repairs that double basses may require.

He currently lives in Browns Summit, NC, with his amazing wife and three daughters in their country house surrounded by woods, Tony enjoys working in his garden and woodshop, and occasionally hiking to a nearby lake.

Cody Rex

Originally from Ohio, Cody holds degrees from Bowling Green State University, the University of Michigan, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. At the Bass Violin Shop, he manages double bass and bow sales, showroom inventory, double bass rentals, the BVS website, and is resident photographer for our social media pages. Most recently, Cody trained with Lynn Hannings at the University of New Hampshire Violin Craftsmanship Institute and is in charge of bow rehairs and repairs.

In addition to being an essential member of the BVS team, he is the Associate Principal Bass of the Winston-Salem Symphony, Assistant Principal Bass of the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. As a freelance bassist, he performs regularly with the North Carolina Symphony, North Carolina Opera orchestra, Charleston Symphony, and others.

Cody lives with his wife, Emily, and he can be found hiking and kayaking around North Carolina.