Lutherie
-
Premium ❘ FeatureBottesini’s bass makers: the Rossi family
The development of the double bass in 19th-century Milan owed a lot to the Rossi family. Thomas and George Martin investigate the lives of its members, and the innovations they brought to double bass design
-
GalleryGallery: ‘Save Newark Violin Making School’ challenge goes viral
The petition in support of the Newark School of Musical Instrument Crafts has reached almost 10,000 signatures
-
Premium ❘ FeatureTrade Secrets: Replacement of pearl eyes in a bow
Sarah Bystrom shares a method for a common task in bow restoration that respects the intention and style of the maker
-
NewsPetition launched to protest Newark Violin Making School changes
The school has announced that the degree programme will not be commencing for first-year students in the 2025-26 academic year
-
NewsNo degree course for Newark School of Violin Making students beginning in 2025
In a shock move, the school has informed foundation-year students that they will not be progressing to the degree course in the 2025–26 academic year
-
Premium ❘ FeatureMy Space: Wai Yong Tham’s Singapore workshop
Explore the home workshop near the centre of Singapore
-
Premium ❘ FeatureMaking Matters: Masonic symbols on 19th-century French bows
The frogs on 19th-century French bows feature several common motifs that recur in the work of several makers. Michel Samson shows how they correspond to the principles of Freemasonry
-
FocusMagnificently special: Philippe Quint’s 1708 ‘Ruby’ Stradivari violin
Our May 2025 cover star describes the instrument as the ‘most extraordinary Strad’ he has played on
-
NewsRecord breaker: Library of Congress acquires ‘Tuscan-Medici’ Stradivari viola for $30 million
The 1690 instrument is one of less than a dozen surviving violas by the master luthier
-
Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: A 1753 viola by Carlo Antonio Testore
Sean Bishop takes a look at a relatively rare example of an 18th-century Italian viola
-
Premium ❘ FeatureLeading the way: the ‘Baron d’Erlanger’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin 1732
Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ made the 1732 ‘Baron d’Erlanger’ violin near the start of his most productive period. Florian Leonhard explores how it shows the maker’s early style and reveals the history of its most famous owner
-
Premium ❘ Feature‘To my surprise I found it to be a splendid Strad’ - From the Archive: April 1925
In his recently published memoir, the Scottish instrument dealer David Laurie (1833–97) recalls finding a Stradivari cello in the attic of one of his friends, and obtaining it for a song
-
Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: A 1923 violin by Michael Dötsch
Rainer Michael Cocron examines an early 20th-century instrument by the German maker
-
Premium ❘ FeatureDual accomplishments: the makers of Markneukirchen
The workshops of Markneukirchen and its environs made thousands of violins per year – but many were crafted by true artisans. Bruce Babbitt explains how these violins became the basis for a new book and exhibition charting their evolution
-
Premium ❘ FeatureTrade secrets: External crack repair using silk
Sharon Que provides an innovative solution to a common – and tricky – repair problem
-
Premium ❘ FeatureMy Space: Bernhard Ritschard’s Lübeck workshop
Take a look around the northern German shop
-
Premium ❘ FeatureHard and fast rules: tonewood selection
What should luthiers look for when selecting spruce for their next violin top? Jiri Povolny examines the variables and discovers some useful guidelines to take out the guesswork
-
Premium ❘ FeatureMaking Matters: Making instruments with tulipwood
A case of mistaken identity left luthier Sibylle Ruppert with a batch of untested tulipwood – but a few experiments showed its high potential for instrument making
-
FocusA queen and a goddess: Arabella Steinbacher on her violins
Our April 2025 issue cover artist discusses her bow and instruments
-
Premium ❘ FeatureFranz Geissenhof: the Viennese Stradivari
Franz Geissenhof’s instruments have always been highly regarded, but how far was he influenced by his Cremonese predecessor? Rudolf Hopfner compares a typical Geissenhof violin with Stradivari’s work to find out
