Hermann Todt made this violin specifically for William Lewis & Son of Chicago in 1929. Todt was a violin maker from Markneukirchen. This violin was made with exceptional wood for the maker. The top spruce is very even with tight grain, while the maple has...
Read MoreCello progress! Finally! I never get to build instruments as much as my heart desires but I do love taking the time to bring old instruments back to life so someone can enjoy playing them again. So I guess the trade off isn’t so bad… But...
Read MoreSmall repairs can be as tedious as large restorations. The trouble is finding the perfect piece of wood to match the original 100-year-old violin top. Luckily when I removed the top to start the repair I found the old bass bar was carved into the top...
Read MoreI always seem to grow attached to my instruments as I build them, how could I not? I spend so much time focusing on every little detail that I get so use to having them around and working on them! But this violin is going...
Read MoreProper set-up goes a long way when wanting the best sound out of your instrument. It is important to keep a close eye on your bridge, sound post and strings along with a few other key parts on the instrument. You wouldn’t buy a brand...
Read MoreSharpen those gouges and get to work! A lot of people ask me how I carve my scrolls so I figured it would be much easier to show you pictures of some steps. This is a Stradivari Cello scroll. Stradivari had a...
Read More“Clyde” a nice Del Gesu’ violin copy that I recently made found it’s new home with a nice teenage boy. He is a very talented and humble young man. I can honestly say I feel very thankful I get to watch the partnership grow with...
Read MoreThe amount of steps I go through in order to complete one small step in the making process drives me crazy sometimes! Crazy I tell you! It’s one small step after the next and if the previous step wasn’t executed properly then it will have...
Read MoreA modern Cremona instrument made in 2003, this Trabucchi really has a brilliant look with a very wide flamed, one-piece back. Not your average modern Italian maker who would focus more on a tight, narrow flamed maple for the back of the instrument. Trabucchi’s work boasts...
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