Matthew Wyatt

Matthew Wyatt is a violin specialist, luthier, director of sales and co-owner of Wyatt Violin Shop, serving the greater Kansas City region since 2003. Working alongside his father, Allen Wyatt, he focuses on the acquisition, evaluation, restoration, and tonal optimization of violin family instruments and bows, with a reputation for practical expertise, market insight, and honest dealing. He and our sales staff help guide musicians of all levels and budgets to find “the right fit”.

Matt’s work today centers on sourcing & preparing instruments for our shop, as for well as educators, musicians, dealers, and collectors across a wide range of levels and price points. He regularly continues to travel to major instrument auctions, speaks with collegues, consults on estates and private sales, and maintains an active wholesale network within the trade. His approach blends hands-on bench experience with ongoing study of instruments, market trends, sales rrelated, and restoration practices—allowing him to guide clients with clarity on both playability and fair market value.

Raised in a multigenerational fiddle tradition, Matt’s foundation in music remains central to his work. Learning from his father, grandfather, and his great grandfather—and directly from respected Missouri fiddlers at an early age—shaped both his ear and his respect for the instrument. That musical grounding continues to inform his setup work, instrument selection, and ensuring that each instrument is evaluated not just structurally, but musically.

Matt holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Belmont University, where he studied violin with Elizabeth Small, Martin Norgaard and Buddy Spicher (among many others) His performance background includes appearances at the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium, as well as work with a range of country and acoustic artists. He has worked with the band Swing DeVille, based in STL, since 2006. The list of influences he has been lucky enough to have in the fiddle world, and the violin world are too numerous to mention.

While he remains connected to the fiddle community—occasionally performing, teaching a camp, playing in or serving as a judge for a contest—his primary focus has evolved toward the instrument itself: its history, setup and tonal work, restoration, buying/selling/trading, construction, condition, and value. This dual perspective as both musician and craftsman positions him as a trusted resource for players seeking not just an instrument, but the right instrument.

At the core of Matt’s work is a family-centered philosophy: building long-term relationships with musicians and families, supporting students from their first rental through professional-level instruments, and maintaining a shop environment grounded in trust, education, and continuity. Together, the Wyatt family has built a business that reflects both tradition and practical expertise—serving beginners, advancing players, and seasoned professionals alike.