Each instrument created is an individual project.The customers requirements influence construction and design,neck and fingerboard measurements, stringing, calibration of the tuning pitchand last but not least the sound character.
We also do a lot of restoration work, and two aspects of musical instruments often clash in conservation work. On the one hand there is the original material, which I allways try to sincerely preserve. On the other hand my intention is to restore good playing condition and sounding qualities.
Regarding the location of the shop, here are some tips… The lutemakers of Füssen were the first in europe to establish a guild for their profession in 1562. According to their statues they set up principal standards for education and regulated the number of practicing masters of their art in town. These stringent regulations lead to the emigration of a great number of instrument makers, especially across the alps to Italy. The roots of most famous "Italian" master-luthiers can be found in Füssen. (Tieffenbrucker, Sellas, Railich, Frei, Techler, Buechenberg, Gerle...) 150 jears later the violin makers faced the same situation. Geissenhof went to Vienna, Edlinger to Praque, Fent to Paris and London.
The making of stringed instruments in Füssen fell into a profound sleep in the 19th. century.
In 1982 Pierre Chaubert revived violin making in town. In 1992 I started a plucked instrument division for the manufacture, conservation and repair of concert guitars and mandolins and today we run two workshops under the roof of a historical building in the towncenter of Füssen.
