I make violins for professional and advanced players who look for a powerful instrument with a full-bodied, complex voice. My instruments are based on the work of Guarneri del Gesu. These violins are known for their strong projection and have a complex and rich tone, that gives the player a great flexibility in creating their own personal sound. Their appearance has a direct and natural beauty. I work to create these acoustic and visual qualities in a modern instrument.
My approach to violin making is rooted in the tradition of the Cremonese makers of the 17th and 18th century. The instruments are made using chisels, gouges, knives, small planes and scrapers. I make the purfling from Poplar and hand-dyed Pearwood and cook my own varnish based on traditional recipes.
My goal is generally to capture the appeal and beauty of a 250 year old violin, so most of my instruments are antiqued in some way. Depending on the client’s preference, this can range from a more subtle effect to fully capturing the aesthetics of a well-played instrument. I can also create a violin with no antiquing if the client prefers.
The sound of a violin is influenced by the materials it is made from. I choose my wood for its acoustical and visual qualities. The spruce is harvested from the mountains of northern Italy, coming from logs that are very efficient in transmitting sound and well suited for violins. I also have a supply of old growth Engelmann spruce that can be used, depending on the needs of the player.
I was very fortunate to work with VSA gold medal winner Feng Jiang in Ann Arbor, Michigan as well as trained with Chicago-based maker Michael Darnton.
If you are interested in ordering a violin, please contact me to discuss your needs and current pricing.
I have two goals; to build beautiful violins that professional musicians want to play, and provide a good experience for my clients when purchasing one of my instruments.
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