This book is written in a practical way so that it's easy for the beginner to understand! There is an immense  amount of information from making to restoring. There are over 300 pages in 54 chapters plus appendixes that give you step-by-step instruction.  The making section is taught in the same order as a major violin making school. Chapters include all the different parts of Building the Violin, Varnishing, Bow repairs and rehairing, Set-Up and adjustment, and more advanced repairs such as  bass bar,  crack repair, bushings, button graft, fingerboard, shims, cleaning and so much more! This book also has a reference of tools needed, measurements, patterns and templates, and materials needed. Both version, an E-book and a paperback version with a Lay-Flat spiral binding, are available.

I created it with the novice violin maker in mind, after teaching over 15 people how to make an instrument, I learned how to do it so that they would understand. This is a great tool for the person that may want to consider this as a vocation and would like to get a taste of what it's like, or for the player that simply wants to make a violin for their own use. This is NOT a manual for someone to quickly hack out an instrument. If the goal is to become a professional violin maker, this will also not replace studying at a professional violin making school, see Links Page for a list of US violin making schools.

The violin making section of the book should be read before the repair section, even if all you want to learn is about repairs, as many of the descriptions and information on Violin Making (such as the use of tools and procedures) will not be discussed again in the Repair section.

Some of the required tools can be made, while some must be purchased in order to get the accuracy needed to make a decent quality instrument. The cost of tools and materials is still significant as many professional quality tools are needed for the accuracy required to complete a quality finished product. 

Read More About My Book - see some screen shots and the full Index of the book.

Some of My Instruments