• Jonathan uses only the best, aged wood and materials for his violins. He has amassed a collection of wood over the years from other violinmakers, some of which has aged for over 70 years. Generally, the older the wood, the more beautiful the tone.

  • Every aspect of the violinmaking process is done with a purpose. With each violin I seek to find the best tone possible.

    I have played on hundreds of violins in my short lifetime. The tone of each violin is unique and special, if made with any sort of care. However, there is a tone that I long for more than others, and that is one that is dark, rich, broad, complex, sweet, and powerful. Violas and cellos naturally possess these qualities. I strive to achieve a similar tone for my violins.

  • A violin’s most important quality is, above all, to possess a beautiful tone. The second most important aspect - to look good. A violin, with all its beautiful curves and lines, naturally looks artistic and appealing. However, a lot can be done to personalize each instrument. Much time has been spent experimenting with different varnishes and techniques. A quality varnish will go a long way in establishing a transparent and attractive color. If a violin is commissioned, the client may have some freedom to choose different aspects of the construction and appearance of the violin.

 

I do respect and I do love trees. They are alive, powerful, and some may argue, even sentient. At the same time, it is also a fact that tonewood, wood used to make musical instruments, is a necessity to make violins. Over the years, I have been collecting very sought-after tonewood from other violinmakers. The wood in my collection has aged for decades, some from trees cut down just after the 1940s and 50s. Therefore, by using aged, old wood, not only are these materials superior tonally, more trees need not be cut down, and thus a more environmentally friendly approach is pursued.”

(In the world of violinmaking, two types of tonewood are primarily used - maple and spruce. The most sought after tonewood is from the forests of Northern Italy, Bosnia, and surrounding areas. The wood seen here is aged spruce, some of it cut down as far back as the 1940’s.)