Links to Wholesale Violin and Bow Makers Suppliers

This Page lists resources for violin and bow makers and, includes suppliers of tools, tone woods, bow woods, varnish materials, fittings, general supplies, etc. It will continually be updated...so check back again.

If you are a supplier of tools or materials for violin or bow makers please let me know.  I would prefer to focus this list on wholesale and retail suppliers for makers rather than discount string and accessories mail-order houses directed more towards the general public.

SUPPLIERS OF TONE WOOD

• Orcas Island Tonewoods
  Bruce Harvie
  679 Roehl's Hill Rd.
  Olga, Wa. 98279
  ph: 360 376 2747
  fax: 360 376 4080
  E-mail: tonewoods@rockisland.com
  Mills wood specifically for the violin family. Engelmann, Red, and Sitka spruce, Bigleaf and Red maple, willows and poplars.
  
  

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• Mountain Voice Soundwoods
  Gordon & Ann Carson are suppliers of fine Engelmann Spruce.  Their wood is cut from high elevation spruce forests in Northeastern British Columbia.  Standing dead trees are often selected for better aging and stability.
  Box 441
  Valemount, BC V0E 2Z0
  Phone and FAX: (250) 566 4628
  
  

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• Alpentonholz Pahler - Alpine Tone Wood
  Andreas Pahler is a specialist in European spruce (Picea abies) grown on the upper slopes of the Alps, in mixed and protected forests at about 1000 m above sea level, as well as in maple (Acer pseudoplatanus).
  Im Gries 26
  D-82481 Mittenwald
  Saw Mill located at:
  Westerholzhausen 10
  85229 Markt Indersdorf
  Tel.: +49 162 56 33 926
  Fax: +49 8136 229 129
  email: info@alpentonholz.de
  

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• Markus Morscher
  Supplier of Fine European Tonewoods
  32215 8th Avenue South
  Roy, Washington 98580 USA
  (360) 400-1730
  Supplier of European maple and split spruce. Call this guy!
  
  

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• Oyster River Tone Woods Homepage includes price list.
  Suppliers of West Coast Canadian Big Leaf Maple, Engelmann and Sitka Spruce for Violin and Guitar Makers. Sets for other instruments are available and may be custom cut to your specifications! Mail Orders and GLOBAL SHIPPING.
  Toll Free Telephone number in North America: 1-888-871-7111
  FAX: 1-250-923-7050
  E-mail: bwilliam@luthierwoods.com
  
  

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• Battenkill Tonewood
  Box 10 Stanton Road
  Shushan, New York 12873
  Robert Crosby - (802) 375-9965
  Suppliers of tonewoods native to the Adirondacks and Green Mountains that "... meet the standard which its European twins established in the early history of instrument making". Specializing in maples, acer saccharum and acer rubrum.
  
  

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• Baron Log Construction
  Rick Baron
  242 Iroquois Street
  Laurium, Michigan 49913
  Telephone: (906) 337-4217 or (906)-231-1432
  E-mail: rbaron4217@up.net
  A wood supply company for stringed instrument makers stocked with several species of aged wood, primarily North American, in many different sizes and characteristics.
  
  

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• Fritz KOLLITZ
  Kairlindacher Strasse 2
  D-91085 WEISENDORF, Germany
  Tel.: 0049-9135-2804
  FAX: 0049-9135 2904
  Supplier of wood.
  
  

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• LE BOIS DE LUTHERIE
  Suppliers of European maple, spruce, fruitwood and boxwood for Violin, Viola, Cello, Guitars, Harpsichord, Bagpipes, etc.
  Bernard Michaud
  25 330 Fertans France
  Phone: +33.381.86.555.5
  FAX: +33.381.86.555.6
  e-mail: info@bois-lutherie.com
  LE BOIS DE LUTHERIE Homepage
  
  

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• RIVOLTA s.n.c.
  di Andrea Rivolta & c.
  via Vittorio Veneto, 7
  20033 Desio (Mi) Italy
  Tel. +39 0362 621608 or +39 0362 303659
  Fax +39 0362 300734
  E-mail: info@riwoods.com
  Rivolta Homepage
  A supplier of fine European Maple, Italian Spruce, and Exotic woods for instrument makers.
  
  

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• Tonewood St. Moritz
  Tonewood AG
  ia Mezdi 3
  7500 St. Moritz
  Switzerland
  E-mail: info@tonewood.ch
  Tonewood Homepage
  Specialists in European Spruce (picea abies).  All tone woods are harvested from managed Forests.
  

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• The Wood Well
  PMB 258, 2023 East Sims Way
  Port Townsend, WA  98368-6900
  toll-free number: 877- 440 - 2643
  FAX: (360) 765-4145
  Supplier of Northwest Big Leaf Maple and Engelmann Spruce.
  
  

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SUPPLIERS OF VARNISH MATERIALS

• Daniel Smith
  PO Box 84268
  Seattle, WA  98124-5568
  1 (800) 426-6740
  E-mail: dsartmtrl@aol.com
  Suppliers of fine artist materials.  Has a good catalog.
  
  

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• HAMMERL GmbH & Co KG
  Hauptstrasse 18
  D-91081 Baiersdorf, Germany
  Tel.: 0049-9133-2330
  FAX: 0049-9133-5171
  Supplier of oil and spirit based varnishes, gums, resins, oils, balsams and stains.
  Hammerl GmbH & Co. KG Homepage
  
  

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• KREMER PIGMENTE Inc.
  D-88317 Aichstetten
  Germany
  Tel.: 001.49.7565.91120
  FAX: 001.49.7565.1606
  &
  228 Elizabeth Street
  New York, NY 10012
  Tel.: 212 219-2394
  Orders: 800 995-5501
  FAX: 212 219-2395
  Supplier of Raw Materials For Fine Arts, including pigments, oils, resins, balsams, raw mineral powders, etc.
  Kremer Pigmente Homepage and Catalog



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• Magister Varnish Products
  Historical products for musical instrument coatings
  Koen Padding
  Charles Weddepohllaan 8
  3739 LE
  Hollandse Rading, The Netherlands
  e-mail: magister@classicalvarnish.com
  Phone & Fax. + 31 35 577 22 85
  Koen Padding researches and manufactures historical varnishes and varnish related products that were in use from the Medieval period through to the Renaissance, Barock and Rococo. His company focuses on those coatings that are generally known as "classical violin varnish" most of the products can also be used for other musical instruments as well as in various related arts and crafts.
  Scott Studios is the North American Distributor of Magister Varnish Products.
  
  

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• Northern Renaissance Instruments
  6 Needham Avenue, Chorlton-cum-Hardy
  Manchester M21 8AA, U.K.
  Partners: Ephraim Segerman [USA], Yvonne Segerman
  e-mail: post@nrinstruments.demon.co.uk
  Phone & Fax. +44 (0) 161 881 8134
  NRI Varnish Materials Webpage
  
  

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OLD WOOD Colours & Varnishes SL
Santiago Bernabeu,10 – 3C
28036 Madrid, Spain
FAX: +34 91 564 6635
Email: customer@oldwood1700.com
Old Wood's aim is to supply makers and restorers of stringed instruments with a complete range of top-quality finishing products to bring out the light, warmth and natural beauty of wood, while enhancing its acoustical properties.


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• Sinopia Pigments and Materials
  321 Seventh Street
  San Francisco, CA 94103
   phone: (415) 824-3180
  fax: (415) 824-3280
  E-mail: sinopiasf@sinopia.com
  Artist's supplies offering an array of hard to find traditional materials for artists, plasterers, violin-makers, sculptors, conservators, restorers, faux finishers, interior decorators... etc.
  The Sinopia Products Directory
  
  

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• Violin Varnish Ltd.
  Joe W. Robson
  14 Prospect Street
  Trumansburg, New York  14886
  Telephone: (607) 387-9280
  FAX: (607) 387-3113
  E-mail: joe@violinvarnish.com
  ViolinVarnish.Com Homepage
  Joe W. Robson sells a variety of ready-made varnishes and natural colors that quite a number of violin makers have used successfully.  These varnishes dry to the touch in a warm atmosphere in 2 to 3 hours.
  
  

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• Alchemist Paints & Varnishes
  P.O. Box 11177
  Greenwich, CT 06831
  Phone: (203) 531-3249
  E-mail: alchem@amberalchemy.com
  Supplier of amber varnish made by traditional methods as described in 16th and 17th Century manuscripts.
  
  

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• WoodFinishing Enterprises
  Dale Przybyl
  1729 N. 68th Street
  Wauwatosa, WI 53213
  Telephone: (414) 774-1724
  E-mail:  woodfin@wi.rr.com
  WoodFinishing Enterprises Homepage
  WoodFinishing Enterprises has been supplying specialty and hard to obtain traditional finishing products to amateur and professional woodworkers and musical instrument makers since 1980.  It is sometimes difficult to reach this Dale, but the effort is worth it.  He sells high quality  resins, gums, oils and varnish coloring agents.
  
  

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SUPPLIERS OF BOW MAKING MATERIALS

• BowWorks
  The Supply Source for Makers, Restorers, Repairers and Maintainers of Bows.
  P.O. Box 263
  44419 Little River Airport Road
  Little River, CA 95456
  (707) 937-0570
  (707) 937-2485 (FAX)
  E-mail: catalog@bowworks.com
  Supplier of a full line of materials for makers and repairers of bows. Including hair, wood, wrap material, a wide variety of shell, etc. BowWorks is the US representative for the Lucchi Meter. Visit the BowWorks On-Line Catalog, or call or write for free catalog.
  
  

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• Lynn Armour Hannings
  Bow Making Tools and Supplies
  403 Hodsdon Road
  Pownal, Maine 04069
  Phone (207)688-2251
  1-800-488-9717 (USA & Canada Orders Only)
  Lynn Armour Hannings' Bow Making Supplies Page
  E-mail: lahbows@nlis.net
  
  

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• Peter M. Freudenblum e.K.
  Fine Chinese , Mongolian and Argentine bowhair in all lengths.
  Special Brushes for Violin & Bowmakers.
  Ebeersreye 112
  D-22159 Hamburg, Germany
  Phones 49- 40- 668 10 84
  Fax 49- 40- 668 12 51
  E-mail: freudenblum@t-online.de
  
  

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• Michael T. Sowden & Sons
  A Family business committed to producing the worlds finest quality bow hair
  King Street Mills
  Drighlington, Nr. Bradford
  West Yorkshire, England BD11 1EL
  Phone +44 (0)1132 854 287
  Fax. +44 (0)1132 853 456
  
  

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• Vann Bowed Instruments Ltd
  Supplier of Fine Mongolian Horsehair
  841 Canso Drive. P.O. Box 126
  Gabriola, B.C.
  VOR 1XO
  Telephone (250) 247-8030
  Fax Line (250) 247-9411
  1-800-650-BOWS (Order line only)
  
  

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SUPPLIERS OF VIOLIN AND BOW MAKING TOOLS

• Alberti Design
  Precision Tools for Luthiers, Violin Makers, and Bow Makers
  728 SW Wake Robin Ave.
  Corvallis, Oregon 97333
  (800) 982-4464
  Alberti Design Website
  Manufacturer of a very fine hand powered disk sander that has to be seen to be believed, beautiful strong and lightweight precision quick setting clamps, sets of the finest peg shapers I've ever seen, and a peg shank skiver that violin makers have been waiting for far too long for someone to come out with.  Impeccable work!
  
  

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• Bradley Engineering
  Don Bradley
  P.O. Box 141
  Forestville, Ca 95436
  (707) 887-9746
  E-mail: sonomadb@sonic.net
  Manufacturer and supplier of signal generators for use by luthiers for Chladni Testing, Plate Tuning, etc.
  
  

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• Croen Purfling Tool
  6 Abbey Court
  Walnut Creek, CA 94595
  Phone: (925) 280-9011
  E-mail: Croenini@comcast.net
  The Croen Purfling Tool Homepage
  Tom Croen is one of the most inventive violin makers around. He is marketing the neatest purling gizmos the violin making community has seen to date. It attaches to and becomes one with a standard Foredom™ flexible shaft power tool and hand piece and is used with precision carbide bits to excavate the purfling channel quickly and accurately.  This tool not only saves time but saves wear and tear on your body.
  
  

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• Diefenbach Workbenches
  P.O. Box 370043
  Denver, CO 80237
  Phone 303-693-4625 or 1-800-322-3624
  E-mail:  sales@workbenches.com or gabi@workbenches.com.
  Diefenbach sells very nice, heavy, German made workbenches of European red beechwood.
  
  

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• Diefenbacher Tools
  Ron Diefenbacher
  Fine edge tools from U.S., Austria and Germany
  Retail mail and internet sales
  12132 Old Big Bend Rd.
  St. Louis, MO 63122
  Phone: 1-800-326-5316
  E-mail: ron@diefenbacher.com
  Diefenbacher Tools Homepage
  
  

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• D.S.B Outillage
  Fabricant d'outils pour la dorure sur bois, la sculpture & la lutherie (pardon my French)
  Suppliers of luthier and sculpture tools. On-line catalog in French.
  3, impasse grand champ
  61260 LE THEIL SUR HUISNE
  FRANCE
  Phone : 033 02.37.49.77.99
  Fax: 033 02.37.49.69.69
  E-mail : dsb@dsboutillage.com
  D.S.B Outillage Homepage
  
  

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• Hock Handmade Knives
  Ron Hock
  Maker of Blades and More for Planes and Such
  Toll Free: 1-(888) 28-BLADE
  16650 Mitchell Creek Dr. Fort Bragg, CA 95437
  (707) 964-2782
  fax (707) 964-7816
  Email: ron@hocktools.com
  Manufacturer and supplier of quality plane blades and knives handcrafted to satisfy the demands of the most discriminating professional. Will custom make blades and knives to your specification... including toothed fingerplane blades.
  
  

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• The G.LUCCHI Elasticity TESTER
  "The serious and precise collaborator that you always looked for to resolve the problem of material selection for violins, bows, guitars, pianos, flutes, reeds for clarinets and oboes, etc. It will help you in your search for the ideal varnish, though it won't open a competing workshop or steal your professional secrets."
  
  

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• Lie-Nielsen Toolworks
  P.O. Box 9
  Warren, ME 04864-0009
  Telephone: (207) 273-1520
  FAX: (207) 273-2657
  E-mail: toolwrks@lie-nielsen.com
  Lie-Nielsen Toolworks began in 1981 as an effort to make top-quality hand tools and to revive discontinued  designs.
  They make over two dozen types of planes and saws.  These tools are made from Ductile Iron and Bronze for castings and A-2 steel for the blades ( which are much thicker than any production planes) and are machined and finished to a very high standard.
  



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• FRANK MITTERMIER, INC.
  Supplier of fine German carving tools, particularly the Dastra carving tools [my personal favorite].
  P.O Box 2
  BRONX, NY 10465-0002
  (718) 828-3843
  1-800-360-3843 
  FAX: 1-718-518-7233 
  E-mail: info@dastrausa.com
  
  

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• Monster Ball Vise by Semmel Enterprises, Inc.
  An amazingly strong ball vise particularly well suited for working on cellos and basses, allowing you to move and rotate your work to the angle  most comfortable, convenient, safe and expeditious for you.  Various plates and jigs can be attached to the vise. It's great for for positioning your work for arching, scraping, graduating and varnishing, among other things.
  Semmel Enterprises, Inc.
  3268 South 31st Street
  Lincoln, NE 68502
  (402) 730-4590
  E-mail: SemmelEntVP@AOL.com
  
  

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• Scott Tool Company
  7520 White Birch Lane
  Erie, PA 16509
  Telephone: (814) 868-9737
  FAX: (814) 868-9931
  Custom maker of precision tools for violin and bow makers.  Manufacturer of custom stamping dies for underslides, name stamps, microchip stamps, gluing cauls, finger planes, and cryogenically hardened black oxidized steel cutting blades for their planes and custom fitted tool designs for individual needs..
  

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