How did I get here?
In the early 1980s I studied guitar making at the London College of Furniture (subsequently absorbed by Guildhall University). I returned to the South West of England full of the ambition to spend my life making musical instruments. I soon realised that with my limited resources this was not going to be the road to riches – or even to a decent wage! Subsequently I spent time designing and making furniture and was later employed by a local company to set up their drawing office. By the time I left a few years later, I was the design and production manager, had more than 50 people working for me and had all of the associated problems and headaches. This was not the career or life I had planned! I moved to a much less politically charged and much more enjoyable and fulfilling position designing architectural joinery at a practice in Bath. The work developed across the breadth and span of domestic architecture and I went on to qualify as an Architectural Technologist with the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists, setting up my own private practice in the year 2000.
This wasn’t enough for me! In 1999 I had started to play the fiddle and this has blossomed, I play rather a lot of music – With Mitchell and Vincent I released three albums and played three Glastonbury Festivals, many folk festivals and at folk clubs across the UK.I now play with Glorishears and at a lot of sessions. I was making and repairing violins in my spare time and I realised that the love of making instruments was still present. Violins are now my main focus. I couldn’t be happier!
I use a lot of reclaimed timber and source materials locally whenever possible, more than 20 of my violins have been completely vegan with no gelatine glue – talk to me if this is important to you.
My violins are not copies of any individual violin or maker. I make violins to my own pattern and I’m impressed and influenced by some of the splendid and rather individual C18th English makers – who were, in turn, most influenced by Amati.
I make violins constantly and try to always have something in stock, although that’s become increasingly difficult as I have now have a waiting list for bespoke work. If you’d like to know what’s available get in touch and also have a look at my store. I keep my prices fairly low compared with many makers and I’m able to do that as I work quickly and freely. My violins are finished in my own boiled oil varnish and fitted with quality strings. Sign up to my mailing list if you want to get a quarterly update on what’s available and a short “newsletter”.
Prices are from £2,500 – for a lovely, simple, professional instrument – and upwards to around £10,000 depending on specifications, timber etc.
I’ll leave you with the wonderful Rosie Hood Band playing “A Furlong of Flight”.
I made both of the violins in this video.
Feel free to get in touch, Graham.
Every year I give a violin away at the New Year.
I run a violin making YouTube channel and to go some way to compensate for the time I spend doing that, I have a Patreon page.
Every dollar given in support gives one entry to the annual violin giveaway. If that’s something that interests you and you’d like the chance of winning one of my handmade violins, here’s the link to my Patreon page: graham vincent violin maker
Graham Vincent Violins 