omo

The Romance & Reality of violin makers

About the show

We cover the lives of violin makers, their best parts and worst parts, yesterday and today. Historical stories, interviews with experts and makers in the field. Omobono Stradivari was the least liked son of his father, Antonio, he was remembered in Antonio's will as a screw up. He is our north star. We are all part of this. We all belong exactly here.

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Episodes

  • Episode 19: Body Ruin

    December 11th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 2 mins
    bass, body ruin, body wear, cello, luthier, orchestra, pain, scars, viola, violin, violin maker, violin making

    What happens when the work you love endeavors to cripple you? How do luthiers maintain when the work they love is excruciatingly painful?

    Ryan Davidson and the legendary David Wiebe weigh in.

  • Episode 18: St. Omobono Confessionals at the VSA

    November 27th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  43 mins 28 secs
    bass, cello, confessional, luthier, orchestra, st. omobono, viola, violin, violin maker, violin making, violin society of america, vsa

    Chris, Jerry, and Rozie report on the Violin Society of American Convention in Dallas, luthiers confess to St. Omobono

  • Episode 17: Is The Violin Evil?

    October 30th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  31 mins 3 secs
    bass, cello, devil, fiddle heads, gypsy, haunted violin, haunting, jancsi rigo, luthier, orchestra, paganini, romani, romani legend, thomas brown, viola, violin, violin maker, violin making

    The violin has a dark side, so much so that there are legends it was a creation of the devil. Chris and Rozie explore the Romani tale of the creation of the violin. Ben Hebbert shares dark stories in violinmaking history. Special thanks to Glen Gaudin for calling in with his haunted violin story! In the coda, Chris, Jerry, and Rozie tell the weirdest fiddle head they've ever encountered.

  • Episode 16: Rise of the Machines with Greg Sapp

    October 2nd, 2019  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 6 mins
    bass, cat calls, cello, greg sapp, industrial, jigs, life balance, luthier, mental health, milling machine, orchestra, restoration, strings, technology, viola, violin, violin making, violin restoration, wood shop, wood working

    How much advanced technology is acceptable in instrument making & repair? Greg Sapp and Jerry Lynn disclose some of the machinery they work with and get jiggy. In our listener feedback segment, Chris, Jerry, and Rozie do a mental health checkup, followed by some incredibly appropriate Luthier Cat Calls.

  • Episode 15: VSA Past Present & Future with Marilyn Wallin

    September 18th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  58 mins 25 secs
    bass, cello, eating a strad, luthier, marilyn wallin, master & apprentice, orchestra, viola, violin, violin maker, violin making, violin society of america, vsa, vsa convention

    Marilyn Wallin joins us for a guided tour of the Violin Society of America - sharing her early years submitting some of her very first instruments for judging, to later becoming the president. Also - what makes a healthy master/apprentice relationship? Chris, Jerry, & Rozie share some thoughts and look forward to hearing from you. Come see us at the VSA Conference, November 8 & 9, in Dallas TX.

  • Episode 14: Next Generation part two: Mohr and Mohr and Mohr

    August 21st, 2019  |  Season 1  |  55 mins 3 secs
    bass, ben hebbert, bow making, cello, learning trade secrets, luthier, luthier books, next generation, orchestra, viola, violin, violin maker, violin making

    How do we pass on our training to the next generation, today? Join us for a chat with Ben Hebbert, and following an interview with Rodney Mohr and his daughter, Kate Mohr. In our listener feedback segment, we cover: what are the top 5 books for a beginner luthier to own?

  • Episode 13: Next Generation with Sofia Vettori

    August 7th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  41 mins 27 secs
    bass, cello, italian luthier, luthier, orchestra, sofia vettori, viola, violin, violin maker, violin making

    We chat with a 3rd generation Italian luthier, and take a listener question: what were your early fears in starting in this career?

  • Episode 12: Love, Oberlin

    July 17th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  49 mins 18 secs
    bass, cello, learning trade secrets, luthier, oberlin, orchestra, viola, violin, violin maker, violin making, violin restoration, woodworking

    Rozie reports live from the Oberlin Ohio restoration workshop, chatting with luthiers from various parts of the world.

  • Episode 11: Luthier Vs. Luthier - The Quiz Show!

    July 3rd, 2019  |  Season 1  |  34 mins 34 secs
    bass, cello, guadagnini, luthier, orchestra, quiz show, trivia, viola, violin, violin maker, violin making

    We take Luthier vs. Luthier one step further - in Guadagnini Trivia. Guests Chris Ulbricht and John Thorell battle for dominance. Who will tell us the five cities Guadagnini lived in? Who knows how many strings a viola d'amore has? Who will win the genuine St. Omobono thimble from Cremona?

  • Episode 10: Luthier Vs. Luthier

    June 19th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 38 mins
    beau hannam, guitar making, guitars, luthier, matt eich, violin making, violins

    Chris and Rozie interview major contributors to this field: guitar luthiers. We celebrate our similarities as wew welcome Beau Hannam, custom guitar and Uke maker as well as Matt Eich of Mule Resophonic Guitars.

  • Episode 9: Listener feedback: Grab bag edition

    June 5th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  58 mins 50 secs
    bass, cello, freemans auction, learning trade secrets, luthier, orchestra, river fiddle, vintage violins, viola, violin, violin maker, violin making, violin restoration

    How is the River Fiddle restoration going? What is it like to attend a violin auction? What's the scoop taking classes at Learning Trade Secrets? We catch up at cover listener questions.

  • Episode 8: Women at the Bench

    May 15th, 2019  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 3 mins
    bass, cello, luthier, orchestra, viola, violin, violin maker, violin making, women, women woodworkers, workbench

    Interviews with awesome female luthiers in the field.