V.com weekend vote: Does your violin equipment come from a country other than your own?
With the chaos over the last week regarding trade and tariffs, as well as the story about the Canadian Kun Shoulder Rest company being affected, I started thinking about how connected our musical world is, and how much of the equipment that I use (and love) comes from a country other than the one that I live in.
Putting aside my violin and bow, pretty much everything I use is imported: my strings are from Germany or Denmark (I switch around, but Pirastro, Thomastik, Larsen...), my rosin is from Australia, my shoulder rest is from Germany, my case is from Italy. The horse hair on my bow is likely from Mongolia. I have several mutes - my new Viowess practice mute is made in Oregon, the Alpine mute I use for orchestra is made in Germany. I live in the U.S., so I buy them from U.S. shops either locally or online (avoiding Amazon - I do want to support our violin shops), and having these quality products on hand of course their business.
Over a lifetime of playing this instrument, I've had the chance to try a lot of different products, and the ones that I use are the ones that have served me best. I would like to keep using them.
How about you? Aside from your instrument itself, what is the origin of your strings, rosin, shoulder rest, and other essentials in your case? Please participate in the vote, and then tell us in the comments about the origin of the equipment you use.
You might also like:
- How U.S. Trade Wars Could Affect Kun Shoulder Rests
- 27 Sets of Violin Strings Compared
- How strings are made: a tour of D'Addario Strings plant (2011)
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Replies
The only string company I know of in America is D'Addario, which is known more for their guitar strings than for their violin strings. Their violin strings seem to work best on electrics.
All my cases are Bobelocks. I believe they are made in the Philippines. Bernardel rosin is made in France. Kun shoulder rest (viola) is made in Canada. Everest shoulder rest (violin) is made in Taiwan. Pirastro Dominant strings (viola) are made in Germany. Thomastik Vision Solo strings (violin) are made in Austria. My violin (Wojciech Topa) was made in Zakopane, Poland. My viola (Daniel Foster) was made in the US (in Blacksburg, Virginia). I play Eastman Cadenza CF bows that were probably made in China. My Manhasset music stand was made in the US (in Yakima, Washington). I also have a K&M wire stand that was made in Germany, and a Peak music stand was probably made in China; Peak's website is cagy about the manufacturing location.
Presently, the most expensive part of my violin hobby, far and away, is private lessons. I take my lessons locally, here in Blacksburg. I have to say, though, that a 50% markup on strings would give me pause and make me wonder if I could get a few more playing hours out of the set I already have. I already bought my new viola strings a few weeks ago. They are Warchal Timbre strings; they were made in Slovakia. Another significant cost is sheet music. One of my go-to publishers is JW Pepper, which I believe is an American firm; they now own the entire Peters catalog. Henle and Barenreiter are favorites, too; they are German companies.
Luis...the El Argonauta bookshop in Madrid offers this on its website. I'm not sure it's the same book as the title is rather different.
Un saludo!
https://www.elargonauta.com/libros/los-problemas-del-sonido-en-el-violin/978-84-387-0540-7/
Larsen Strings are from Denmark. And I believe, but am unable to confirm, that Alpine mutes come from Britain.
My Gewa case says "German engineered" which I suspect means designed in Germany but assembled in the far east using component parts from all over.
My violin is an Eastman. I don’t know where it was made but I searched it up and it said that they are made near Beijing. My rosin is Carlton, which is made in Stouffville, Ontario, which is in the same province as me. I have a Kim shoulder rest and when I searched it up it said that they are made in Canada. My bow was also made in Canada. Therefore, most of my violin equipment comes from my own country.
Yes, most of it. String makers: Thomastik, Pirastro, Lenzner/Optima, Warchal, D’Addario. So 1 Austria, 2 Germany, 1 Slovakia, 1 USA.
Shoulder rests: 3 Kun, which is Canada; 1 VLM Diamond; 1 Mach One; 1 Resonans. Have used only Kun SRs recently and don’t recall offhand where Diamond and Mach One are from. Resonans: USA, as I remember.
Rosin: Jade, so that’s 1 France. Bow-hair: Siberia is what the luthier told me.
Very interesting vote and I have to admit that I haven't thought too much about where most of my stuff was made. 1.Cecilia rosin-New York & Leatherwood rosin-Australia. 2. Perpetual Cadenza strings-Germany. 3. Pedi Elegante shoulder rest-Taiwan. 4. WMutes-Spain. 5. Airturn Duo foot pedal-Colorado. 6.Tablet-Vietnam or Korea. This is the short list of items of course I also have a collection of shoulder rests of different makes from Germany and various music stands.
Hmm.
First, my viola, which is my primary instrument.
Viola: USA
Bows: both Germany
Case: South Korea
Shoulder rest: Slovenia (VLM Professional)
Strings: USA (D'Addario Kaplan Amo)
Mute: UK? (Alpine Shield)
Rosin: France (Jade)
Chinrest: USA (Frisch & Denig)
And my violin:
Violin: Germany
Bows: both China
Case: Philippines
Shoulder rest: USA (Performa)
Strings: Austria (Thomastik Vision)
Rosin: Greece (Melos Dark)
violin: USA (maker from West Ukraine and the wood used was probably from Europe...)
Chinrest: India (as stated on the label)
Shoulder rest: Canada
bows: USA and Switzerland (with pernambuco wood from Brazil)
Case: The Philippines
Rosin: France
Strings: Austria
Mute: Spain
I forgot about my cases. Apparently BAM cases are made in France, Thailand, and the US not exclusively in France. My Gewa case is from Germany and my ancient Bobeblock case is from the Philippines.
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April 6, 2025 at 05:02 PM · It would be a great service to your readers if you can provide us with a list of American companies that manufacture their products for string instrument players here in the United States. Thank you.