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V.com weekend vote: Have you met your (violin) maker?
Last week I had the wonderful honor of spending time with a group of violin makers who were showing their instruments at a special event at Metzler Violin Shop, in Glendale, Calif.. near where I live. They were so interesting that I made a video so you could "meet" them, too - find that here.
But it also made me think, how many of us violin players interact with violin makers? Certainly, I have colleagues who are very immersed in the world of their instruments, interacting with violin makers on a regular basis, commissioning instruments, etc.
But for those who are newer to the instrument, it's possible to buy it online and not to interact with a maker for a long time - perhaps until the violin needs a repair, or maybe never at all.
The first violinmaker I met was Rick Molzer, in Aurora, Colorado, who repaired my (very) humble violin and re-haired my bow when I was a child, treating my instruments (and me!) with complete respect, as if I'd brought in a Stradivari. (And he did work on Strads - Eugene Fodor's, specifically!) He was (and is) incredibly skilled, having learned the craft from his violin maker grandfather as well as violin making school. I was lucky to meet him, and he's been a lifelong friend.
Many years later, when looking for a violin I could afford, I traveled to Flagstaff to meet the violin maker Jeffrey Robinson, as I was considering commissioning an instrument from him. Due to things having nothing to do with his fine instruments (having babies, moving across the country, etc.) that didn't work out, but it was a positive and unforgettable experience, seeing his workshop in the mountains. He was also quite generous in sharing his time, talking with a young violinist and showing how he worked.
In the years I've been running Violinist.com I've been able to meet many violin makers, especially going to the Violin Society of America convention several times - that is a wonderful organization for makers.
Other notable violin makers - Dr. William Sloan, who started making violins very late in life and became quite accomplished at it. And right now, one of my adult students and his son have been making violins - what an exciting thing to witness!
What are your experiences, interacting with violin makers? If you have made a violin (whether as a seasoned professional or a beginner) please answer that you are a violin maker. Making even one violin is an enormous achievement. If you have "met your maker," please vote for that. And if you have make violin makers, but not the one who make your fiddle, then check that box. If you have never met a violin maker, I do hope you will get the chance to do so! Thinking about the "life" my instruments have had before they came into my hands - this lends an entirely new and interesting perspective to being a violinist!
You might also like:
- Talking with 10 Makers and Testing Their Violins and Bows
- Top Modern Violin Makers Honored in the 2024 Violin Society of America Competition
- Remembering Dr. William Sloan (1941-2025)
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Replies
My violin and viola were both made in the 19th century. If there is an afterlife, maybe I will have an opportunity to thank them for the wonderful instruments they provided.
I've met four. All from my area. All (I believe) were all VSA winners. I commissioned a violin from one of them, and that violin now belongs to one of my kids.
Two were a husband and wife team. The other two had a mentor/mentee relationship. The mentee has since come out on his own and just like his mentor, also became a VSA winner.
In my experience, it was very enlightening to be able to interact with them. You also tend to learn a lot from them because they have this vast knowledge that they're always willing to share. I don't know if all violin makers are like them (approachable, knowledgeable, ready to impart knowledge, etc), but to me, it is certainly a great idea if you can meet a violin maker or your violin maker.
side note: My main violin now was made by a 6th generation violin maker from the 19th century. But his modern day descendant, who was also a violinmaker, compiled a history of all the violinmakers in their family. It was fascinating to read about their family history, not only about the violins they made, but also the kind of life they lived through the centuries, through the wars, etc. Sometimes after practicing, I look at my violin and think about the maker and the life he's lived.
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March 15, 2026 at 05:49 PM · I have never met a member of the Gagliano workshop, but have met the maker of every other violin I use regularly. A few of the bow makers, also.