Hidden inside the top, the bass bar is one of the elegantly sculpted parts of the violin. One day, from curiosity I mapped out how … Read more »
Michael Darnton is a violin maker, restorer, writer and teacher who lives in Chicago...
Recent Blog Posts
1/8-size Cello Accident
While on the topic of the sufferings of rental instruments: When we started a rental program, a friend warned me that I'd regret … Read more »
Making a Viola
This step-by-step photo-essay is possibly the most extensive photo set of the violin making process on the web. Here you can see the entire process starting with the form all the way through the final assembly. I set up a camera and tripod in my shop and shot this series back in 2003.
Learn Violin Making at the SCVMW
Every year in June, I conduct three weeks of workshops on violin making and setup at the Southern California Violin Making Workshop in Claremont, organized and hosted by local violin maker Jim Brown. All skill levels are welcome and participants can sign up for one, two, or all three of the week-long sessions. Read more »