Friends, Violinists and Violin Makers,
Welcome to our workshop and our publications!
Nearly anyone can make a satisfactory violin, given the motivation, tool skills, and good information (although making a master instrument is not so easy!). These books are written for and used by professional violin shops as well as student or amateur makers. But there is an important difference between working on one's own new violin, and working on someone else's violin or one with artistic or historic value. Violin Maker's Notebook, in particular, describes some conservative repair procedures, but be aware that professional expertise is not learned from books alone. Heed Hippocrates and "First, do no harm."
Having said that, there are many of you who are well beyond the amateur level and will be interested in my brand new book. It is really unique as a detailed "how to" for the operation of a small (or not so small) violin shop business. It is interesting and enabling. For more information, please go to My Real-World Violin Shop.
The adoption of these books by makers and students has been gratifying. I am honored to have been a silent partner at so many workbenches, a responsibility I do not take lightly in providing reliable, time-proven information. I try to keep these books accurate and up to date by revisions at reprinting time. Useful Measurements for Violin Makers, the most referred-to book of its kind, now has a Fifth Edition. (Our German edition of Violin Making, Step by Step as Geigenbau, Schritt für Schritt. is out of print, sorry.)
You will notice on the front page some new sections, including one about our local violin shop. And Interesting Instruments, for example, will be added to from time to time, with descriptions and striking photographs. No, we are not trying to sell you these antiques. There's also an article on Young Person's Guide to String Instrument Care and a short checklist on Adjusting a Violin.
So yes, we still have a busy commercial violin shop too, twenty years at the present location, and doing more business than ever. But please telephone first - we are in the Salem yellow pages. I am pleased to announce that my son, Henry Strobel Jr, has joined as a partner. A recent graduate of Western Oregon University, he is shown here making his first violin. See how he varnished it!
Now I have the further pleasure of introducing My younger son George as a partner in the business. (Click on the small picture to enlarge it.)
(Actually, that's a little dated now (2005). George has "escaped" to his chosen career in computing, but comes back to help occasionally. He still plays the violin, and was concertmaster in the Salem Youth Symphony 50th Anniversary Alumni Concert this year. Henry Jr remains my indispensable business partner. And Susan is still the boss.)
The latest news is our
publication of Setup and
Repair of the Double Bass for Optimum Sound.
Thanks for your interest; here's wishing you the best!
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Copyright © 1996-2005 Henry Strobel. All rights reserved.