Ardsley Musical Instrument Service was founded in January of 1972 by Dr. Michael J. Pagliaro, at that time an instrumental music teacher in the public schools. His was an act of desperation, for he and his students had suffered twenty years with rental instruments that just did not work. It was time to remedy the situation, and he did. The philosophy of his new company would be to act in the interest of the consumer, i.e., the student and parent, and expect any financial remuneration only as the by-product of a job well done.

Ardsley Music, now operated by Michael Jr. and his sister, Christine, serves ten thousand customers a year with rental instruments which are immaculately clean and functioning perfectly at the time of rental. Repairs are performed by professionally trained technicians in a new, fully-equipped, on-site 2000 square foot repair shop. AMIS offers a variety of instrument rental programs, a discount instrument sales program which defies that of the biggest discount dealers in the country, an international Internet sales program which supplies the world with all band and orchestral instruments, and above all, a level of courteous service which transcends that of any other music company. For additional information on the Internet, check eBay under "Instrumentguy."

The staff at AMIS is composed of professionally trained music educators, technicians, and project administrators dedicated to the original business philosophy stated above that the primary function of a music education service business should not be to earn profit alone. Yes, profit is necessary for survival, however, profit which is a by-product of providing an on-going , high level service is greater and more enduring than that resulting from a "make a quick buck" attitude.

Our staff holds fifteen earned university degrees all related to music, education, business, and the music industry. Among these degrees are: five Bachelors of Arts; two Bachelors of Business Administration; three Masters of Arts; one Master of Business Administration; one Doctor of Philosophy in Education; one Doctor of Philosophy in Musical Instrument Manufacturing; one Doctor of Science in Musical Instrument Technology; and one Doctor of Philosophy in Information Systems. AMIS also holds membership in the National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians; National Association of Music Merchants; Music Educators National Conference; Suzuki Association of the Americas; New York State School Music Association; and National String Teachers Association.

In addition to all of the above, AMIS manufactures and distributes worldwide these products invented by the Pagliaros:

Peg Drops - A one drop solution to slipping pegs that is unsurpassed by any other product on the market

The Vio-Meter - The only accurate measuring device which can determine in seconds the correct size violin for a student

Bow Hair Rejuvenation Kit - A product which for a few cents will clean and rejuvenate bow hair. The process takes a few minutes, saves rehairing costs and the down time associated with the bow rehairing process.

Bridge Foot Powder - A powder which when applied to the feet of a bridge will prevent them from slipping on the smooth surface of an instrument.

AMIS also distributes two of what will eventually be seven books written by Dr. Pagliaro, available for perusal in the publications area of this web site.

Whatever your musical instrument needs, we have the service and experience to serve them.

AMIS, located at 219 Sprain Rd., between the village of Ardsley and the Edgemont section of Scarsdale, provides a safe, convenient setting for parents to bring their children to be outfitted for their music education needs.

Upon entering the office music students and parents will see on display a wide assortment of band and orchestral instruments. Always available to sample are many brands of flutes, piccolos, and clarinets. For the saxophone player the choices range from a durable student model up to a handmade special instrument finished with gold and ebony. Players of brass instruments such as trumpets and trombones will be excited by the opportunity to sample these instruments from many manufacturers.

Violins, violas, and cellos differ from band instruments in that each instrument has a personality of its own. Unlike other instruments, those of the violin family are constructed entirely of wood, a natural product rather than metal or plastic which are manmade. Since each tree is different, each piece of wood used will be unique, and each violin made from the wood becomes a totally individual instrument.

This being the case, AMIS offers a vast array of violins in all sizes from 1/16 to full. Always available in our inventory is a selection which includes everything from student level instruments imported from all countries to hand-crafted instruments made from start to finish by select luthiers in Italy, Poland, Germany, Romania, France, as well as other countries.

If you are not quite ready to buy an instrument, our musical instrument rental department offers all instruments (even pianos) for rental at rates guaranteed to be lower than those of any other service. You can choose from a number of rental programs ranging from a straight inexpensive rental to an upgrade program. A client can also select a rental with option to buy plan or even rent a professional quality instrument of choice through our Virtuoso program for the gifted.

Whether you buy or rent an instrument from Ardsley Music, you can be assured of having the support services needed to maintain that instrument. Every instrument is prepared by our staff technicians, and is then tested by a specialist to ensure that it is ready to be enjoyed by a new player.

Most important is the fact that AMIS has on premises a fully-equipped repair shop manned by trained and experienced technicians. We never have to send our repairs out for service. Specialty stations set up for different families of instruments include the woodwind station, where flutes, clarinets, oboes, and bassoons are serviced; a brass repair station equipped with the latest technology for dent removal, relacquering, soldering and slide repair; and a luthier’s bench, where instruments from the violin family are restored and maintained to the peak of their performance potential.

A comprehensive assortment of accessories, music supplies, and printed music is always available to assist in the learning experience. AMIS even stocks musical theme gift items for the holidays, graduation, or as a special thought for a teacher, family member, or friend.

If a parent or student has a problem or question related to music study, an experienced, licensed, music education counselor is always available.