EarlyMusicNews.org

“Matthew Farley is a luthier working in Cracow (Kraków), Poland. For four years he studied under master luthier Marco Salerno in his workshop in Zagarolo, Italy, assisting in the construction of over 100 instruments. Currently Matthew primarily makes bowed instruments for playing Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music. All of his instruments are carefully researched and designed in an attempt to approach the historical sound and appearance, while simultaneously taking into account the demands of modern musicians and modern concert venues.

Matthew builds each instrument of native European woods that are true to the materials largely available to and used by luthiers of the past. Starting from large billets of maple and spruce, he does all of the preliminary carpentry necessary to prepare instrument parts himself–thus allowing him to offer his instruments at a price reasonable for early music enthusiasts, as well as serious (but frugal) professionals. No part of his instruments is outsourced (save for the strings!), giving him the freedom to follow his own craftsman’s vision from the earliest stages to the final product.”

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Added on: Nov 08, 2012 | Hits: 1064

“My workshop is in north Wiltshire, England. In the 38th year of my career, I find my time roughly divided into three equal segments.

MAKING: I specialise in late Renaissance lutes, but I also make guitars and other instruments. All my instruments are custom made and I am particularly pleased with collaborations with players who have special requirements, such as tone, decoration, playing technique or RSI.

RESTORATIONS: I have done restorations on many old guitars, particularly those by Louis Panormo and have restored several 18th century English guitars (a type of cittern).

REPAIRS: I do repairs for local musicians. Many classical, steel string and electric guitars pass through the workshop.“

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Added on: Jul 16, 2011 | Hits: 969

“  I started making modern guitars in 1992. In 1994 I began a three year apprenticeship at West Dean College under the supervision of Martin Haycock and Roger Rose. During this time I acquired many skills and much knowledge in the making, history and styles of the lute family, renaissance and baroque guitars and other early plucked instruments.

        The majority of my time at West Dean was spent either working at the bench either making, repairing or setting-up instruments. I also spent time visiting museums and private collections both in the United Kingdom and Europe studying origina intruments.

        Most of my time at West Dean was spent working on new instruments, where a lot of attention was given to the playability and sound quality. However, I also had the opportunity of restoring an original 1721 Smorsone mandalino.   

        I have now setup my own workshop in East Sussex specialising in the making of fretted instruments, some of which can be seen on this web-site. I have also under taken repairs, alterations and restoration of lutes and 19th century guitars.

    All the instruments I make are based on instruments in museums or collections around the world and any repairs, alterations or restorations are made in sympathy with the style of the period. Where no instruments suvive then instruments are based on icographocal and other evidence plus skills acquired during the making of many instruments.”

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Added on: May 22, 2009 | Hits: 1024

“Luthiers Chris Allen and Sabina Kormylo are hurdy-gurdy and lute makers producing a wide variety of stringed instruments including Hurdy-Gurdies, Lutes, Mandolins and Viols. We also undertake repair, adjustment and modification of existing instruments.

Almost all of our instruments are copied from or based upon existing historic instruments. We make close examination of historic examples and pride ourselves on the faithful reproduction of both external and internal detail and design. The design and construction of bespoke instruments is also undertaken.

We provide a friendly and personal service and are very happy to discuss and accommodate the special musical needs of our customers. ..“

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Added on: Jul 29, 2009 | Hits: 1334

“ I have been making musical instruments since 1986. In 1988 I received a grant to study at the London college of Furniture / London Guildhall University and specialised in early stringed instruments, I graduated in 1993 with a degree in Music Technology. I have more recently experimented with making contemporary instruments including the electric guitar.“

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Added on: Jul 11, 2009 | Hits: 1164

"Date of birth: 1942
Perse School, Cambridge: 1953-1960
University Library, Cambridge, Assistant: 1961
University of Exeter, B.A.(Hons) First Class, English Literature. 1962-1965
University of Exeter , English Prize: 1965
University of Exeter Summer School [E.F.L.] Tutor: 1965
University of York, Research in 17th Century Literature: 1965-1968
Made my first lute, advised by Ian Harwood: 1967
University of York, Teaching undergraduate seminars: 1967-1968
Herefordshire Technical College, Lecturer in English Literature: 1968-1970
Studio School, Cambridge, EFL Lecturer in English: 1970-1971
Slough College of Technology, Lecturer in English Literature: 1971-1974
Open University, Tutor and Counsellor, 1973-1974
Open University, Summer School Tutor, Keele University: 1973
Manor Farm, Bramfield, Suffolk. Formed commune in derelict farm and started
lute making professionally in a converted pig sty: 1974-1978
Lowestoft Technical College, Part-time Lecturer in English Literature: 1975-1978
Workers' Educational Association, Part-time Lecturer: 1975-1978
Elected to Crafts Council Selected Index as a lute maker 1977
Moved to Norwich and set up as a full-time lute maker: 1978
Norwich City College, Part-time Lecturer in Humanities Dept.: 1978-1979
Teaching private evening class of instrument making: 1979-Present "

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Added on: Aug 04, 2008 | Hits: 1021

“George Stoppani inherited his Italian name from his Venetian grandfather, Pietro Faustino, who came to London in the early 1900s. George's father and mother were respectively a painter and a sculptress. George studied English and Related Literature at York University, graduating in 1972, but a few years on turned to instrument making. Circa 1977 he began an association with Northern Renaissance Instruments in Manchester where he developed an interest in historical matters and string making. He made a large number of period instruments but then began to make modern orchestral instruments as well.

Real Guts Strings started out purely on an experimental basis - to make strings for period instruments where what was currently available did not seem either satisfactory or even historically credible. Naturally, replacement strings were needed and friends of customers also wanted these strings and the enterprise gradually expanded to meet the demand. Baroque violinists Oliver Webber and Stephen Rouse take part in the making sessions and it is run in the spirit of a musicians cooperative. ..“

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Added on: Jul 14, 2009 | Hits: 1075

“I have been a professional lute builder for almost 30 years.

Having started to play the lute as in the early seventies I decided to become a professional instrument maker. I completed a five year apprenticeship in the Dolmetsch workshops in Haslemere, where I learnt viol making under Roger Rose. In 1979 I established my first workshop in London and specialised in lute making.Since then I have made instruments for professional and amateur musicians In Europe, North America and Japan. Until 2002 I was Senior Lecturer on the Early Strings course at former London College of Furniture.“

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Added on: Dec 27, 2009 | Hits: 1657

“

I first got interested in playing the guitar when I was 17. I liked ragtime/country blues (anyone remember Rev. Gary Davies?) and John Renbourn, though I never owned a steel string guitar. I taught myself to read music and started to explore the classical guitar repertoire. Then I went to college and got the chance of free(!) guitar lessons every week with Julian Byzantine, who taught me a lot about music as well as the guitar. My left hand underwent some pretty thorough training.

The next decisive moment was (about a year later) attending a lecture-recital given by Anthony Rooley in 1973. He was really friendly and enthusiastic and from that moment on I realised I had to play the lute. Being an impoverished student it took me some time to get around to buying a lute, and it wasn't until the end of my doctoral studies (1979) that I finally acquired a lute, aged 24 (me, not the lute). I filed off my nails, changed my right hand to "thumb-inside", put the guitar in its case and that was that.

In 1980 I attended my first Lute Society Summer School at Cheltenham. I was particularly impressed with Chris Wilson's recital of early 16th C music and went off to make myself a 6c lute. I subsequently had further lessons with Chris in London and continued to explore Spinacino, Capirola, Francesco, etc. My first concerts on the lute were around this time. I also met Stewart McCoy, and we've been playing lute duets ever since.

I made several more lutes for my own use, then started to take commissions in 1988. One of the first was from a lady called Claire who was looking for both a lute and an accompanist for lute songs. I made her a nice lute and she became my wife! ..“

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Added on: Sep 20, 2009 | Hits: 1359

“I am passionate about hurdy gurdies and have been a player for over 20 years.

I initially studied instrument making with Zachary Taylor at West Dean College and then spent 3 years at the London Guildhall University on their Musical Instrument Technology course.

I have been making hurdy gurdies exclusively for the past 12 years and also give playing tuition, individually or in workshops. ..”

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Added on: Jul 29, 2009 | Hits: 1189

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Added on: Jul 29, 2009 | Hits: 901

"Lutemakers working in central London, Stephen Barber and Sandi Harris make a range of instruments of the lute family, including renaissance lutes and baroque lutes, along with archlutes, theorbos, chitarroni, baroque guitars, vihuelas of all types, specialising in fluted-back vihuelas.

Long-established, our combined experience of lute making exceeds fifty years, during which time we have made approaching one thousand instruments; Stephen made his first lute – a copy of an original Venere lute owned by Robert Spencer – in 1972, and Sandi made her first lute in 1983, under Stephen's guidance.

We went on to form a unique, highly-successful and very efficient equal working partnership, and we usually produce around 30 instruments between us in a typical year. Our workshop in Peacock Yard was established in 1980. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 06, 2008 | Hits: 1366

"I have spent over twenty-years working with harps. I began studying harps from home on the early 1980s, later deciding to study Musical Instrument Technology at the London College of furniture. After which, I then spent nine years managing the workshops of a leading harp business. At this business I carried out numerous repairs, restorations and the production of my first replica 'Welsh Triple Harp'. Since January 1998 I have been running my own workshop in sunny Devon.

My love is for the recreation of historical harps. Keeping very much to the original design, great accuracy is spent to ensure the instruments are both pleasing to the eye and ear. When making commissioned pieces every care is taken to ensure the customers individual requirements are met. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 18, 2008 | Hits: 1236

"I trained at the Newark School of Violin Making after a career in education, I prefer to work with more unusual instruments copied from the originals or derived from other information.I have now retired from full time making but specific commissions for particular purposes are welcomed. Naturally repairs or modifications to the many instruments already in circulation will be undertaken. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 20, 2008 | Hits: 1064

"Welcome to vihuelademano.com - home of the fluted-back designed and made by Alexander Batov Luthier ... with the ultimate purpose of recreating of the art of making the fluted-back vihuela as is so explicitly manifested in one of the finest surviving instruments of this kind, made by the Belchior Dias, Lisbon 1581 " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 10, 2008 | Hits: 1376

“Harps, Hurdy Gurdies, and Bowed Psalteries. There's nothing more magical than music made on these ancient instruments. Whether finding an honored place in your home or becoming a lifelong travelling companion, We make all our instruments with you in mind. Instruments should inspire the player..... bring out the magic in your hands.“

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Added on: Mar 30, 2010 | Hits: 1559

"I started out (age 13) as a guitar player (electric and acoustic).

Later on, I focused on classical guitar performance and composition (CALARTS, Valencia and California State University, Northridge). My first encounter with the LUTE, was listening to Hopkinson Smith playing Weiss over the waves, as I was driving to school. From then on, lute became more than an interest, it became my passion.

Parallel interests in sculpture and poetry, along with repeated sojourns in Europe in my 20s, led me to a violin maker’s door in Bourges, France. That moment my professional life took a different path, as I stayed and apprenticed with Master Luthier J. Gonthier, for the next three years.

Back in the United States, I built and restored violins for a number of years, while privately pursuing lute playing. My dissatisfaction with my first lute motivated me to start building my own instruments. Encouragement and advice from performers and teachers (chronologically, Pat O’Brien, Edin Karamazov, Hopkinson Smith, Olav Chris Henriksen) led to my turning into a full time lute maker.

While respecting historical building techniques and materials, I strongly believe that lute making is a living art. Clearly, the construction of the instrument evolved continuously over the centuries, driven by new musical styles and performers’ needs to adapt to them. As part of this evolutionary process, I’m always searching for the “ideal” sound, and I try to achieve that with every new instrument I build. I believe—as the late Robert Lundberg put it—that lute making is a way of life. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Aug 06, 2008 | Hits: 1065

"The bow I make for your instrument incorporates the finest of materials and quality workmanship. In order to insure the quality of materials, I travel to Brazil for pernambuco wood, to Spain for blackwood and Paris for mammoth ivory and abalone. Acquiring materials, learning their characteristics, interacting with musicians, and studying bows in collections and museums are all integral factors in my personalized approach to bow making.

I began developing my skills in 1981 with a two year apprenticeship in the French method in Portland, Oregon with Robert Shallock. In 1984 and '85 I attended workshops with William Salchow, Fullbright Scholar in bow making. On invitation in 1996, I attended the Oberlin Bow making Workshop, sharing in the collective knowledge of some of the best bow makers of this generation. I work in my studio in Port Townsend, Washington, using time-honed skills and giving attention to every detail needed to achieve artistry and excellence in every bow I make.

You may try my handmade bows on an approval procedure. You will know which bow is best for you and your instrument by testing them in in your specific contexts. I will be happy to provide you with a finely crafted bow that will enable you to reach your optimum potential as a musician. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 26, 2008 | Hits: 1148

" From my most early studies of violin making I gravitated towards instruments intended for historical performance practice, making my first baroque violin in 1973 when I was still a student. About that time I began to research early instruments and set up, spending time in museums with as many unaltered instruments as the curators would allow. In the late 1970s I came to the conclusion that our early instrument reproductions would not work to expectation with the gut strings that were available at the time and I started to study the properties of historical strings based on old extant samples that I had taken out of violin cases over the years, historical descriptions of the string making process and early comments on the nature of strings. This led me to the conclusion that the only way to make authentically styled historical strings was to make them myself. The string making process does not lend itself to making just a few strings when needed, so I found myself developing a new business that developed into Gamut Musical Strings.

My interest in lutes began while I was at college in London where I became friends with several of the lute players and makers in the early 1970s. I began to study these instruments and make reproductions in 1977 and they have been part of my catalog ever since. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 23, 2008 | Hits: 1216

"I began making violins in 1979 at the Violin Making School of America. After graduating from there in 1983, I moved to New York City to work with William L. Monical, where I stayed for four years. While in New York I took advantage of many opportunities to examine, both inside and out, a spectrum of very fine modern and historical instruments. Since 1987 I have lived and worked in Seattle, Washington. I continue to study instruments often and to participate in ongoing professional violin making forums. Taking opportunities to examine fine instruments continues to be invaluable toward developing insight into classical construction techniques and tonal characteristics.

I build violins, violas and cellos for musicians specializing in modern performance practices. I also build instruments in an historically informed manner for musicians specializing in period performance. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 26, 2008 | Hits: 1347

“After many years spent first building a hurdy-gurdy from a kit and then building several more hurdy-gurdies from scratch, we collected a catalog of parts, both metal and wood, crafted here in our own shop.

Visiting with hurdy-gurdy players at festivals and on line we discovered that hurdy-gurdy players are an independent and talented lot. Most are tweakers and many have attempted to build their own instrument with varying degrees of success. All have faced the problem of finding or building some of the more difficult parts.

Here at Hurdy-Gurdy Crafters, we would like to offer as much help as you need in the form of parts, plans, and kits based on the lessons we have learned. We also build finished hurdy-gurdies which are ready to play (except for a little tuning). At present we offer Symphonies and guitar bodied hurdy-gurdies.“ 

Added on: Sep 20, 2009 | Hits: 1146

"OMI is made up of Alden and Cali Hackmann. We are the only workshop in North America dedicated exclusively to building hurdy-gurdies. We have been building them since 1988, when we began building a kit instrument that inspired us to build a more advanced model. We presently have several models available, and we offer repair and restoration services, as well as a range of other products related to the hurdy-gurdy.

We are located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, from which we get our business name. Our town is Indianola, which is on the shore of Puget Sound with a view of Seattle. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 26, 2008 | Hits: 1195