Vans Violins

My name is Van.  

I began my interest in the violin after a hillbilly band played at my grammar school and I told my mother I wanted to learn to play the fiddle.  So what did she know?  She borrowed a violin from a neighbor and hauled me off to the local university for violin lessons. 

She kept with me even though my father said he remembered hearing a cow die by the tune I was attempting.  I learned that violins are made of wood and glue after we left the borrowed instrument in the back of  our car one summer day.  That also removed some of the mystery from the violin and gave me a latent interest in learning how to apply the glue myself.

Although I have continued to play all these years including in orchestras and quartets, i never thought I could make a living playing music.  I drifted through college, got a PhD in geology, made a living, raised a family, and retired.  

 What began as a lifelong hobby has turned into a serious business.  I studied bow rehair/repair at the University of New Hampshire violin craftmanship  workshop.  Over the years, I accumulated perhaps 50 instruments from antique shops and flea markets.  

With a little coaching, I learned to repair cracks and glue seams.  I had always attended geology and mining society meetings, so I joined the Violin Society of America and attended VSA meetings.  These meetings are always educational.  I met vendors who imported instruments from all over the world.  I met luthiers who built very fine instruments.  I purchased tools and materials for any sort of repair work.  

I hand selected instruments for my business at VSA meetings.  As a player, I could select the best instrument from 20 or 30 a vendor might have on display.  I'll write a little more about a few vendors on another page.