Luthier:
Violins, Violas, Cellos & Bows

Are you looking for a violin, viola, cello, or bow?

I have a selection of violins from 1/16 size to full size, violas of all sizes, cellos from 1/8 to full size, and bows for all of the instruments. I also sell everything you need to go with them, including cases.

Full size violins starting at $5,000.00.

Violas in most sizes, starting at $2,000.00.

Full size cellos starting at $3200.00.

Pernambuco violin and viola bows starting at $300.00.

Pernambuco cello bows starting at $600.00.

Call the shop at (651)698-4692
or

About
John Waddle

John Waddle is a luthier (violin maker), and dealer.

The word luthier comes from the European tradition of lute making. The earliest violins, violas, and cellos were made in northern Italy and Germany.

Once violins became more popular than lutes, more people started making violins and lute making gradually became less profitable.

Traditionally, the art of violin making was passed down within families. Only if no family members wanted to take up the craft, would a master pass on the knowledge to someone outside of the family.

Now, there are schools where violin making is taught.

The Violin Making School of America is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The director of the school was a graduate of the Bavarian State Violin Making School in Mittenwald Germany. He chose to emigrate to the U.S. and opened his own violin shop and violin making school so he could pass on his knowledge.

John graduated from the violin making school in Salt Lake City in 1981, and went to Los Angeles, where he worked in the violin shop of Hans Weisshaar, author of the book “Violin Restoration for Violin Makers”.

John opened his own violin shop in 1986 in his current location where he continues to develop his skills.

Are you looking for a better violin, viola, cello, or bow?

Instruments and bows for people who love to play. Below is a list of just some of the violins, violas, cellos and bows that are available at the John R. Waddle’s shop. For more information and listings, call the shop
at 651 698-4692.

John Young

1997
Salt Lake City

Arnold Anderson

1979
Minneapolis

Arlie Moran

1990
Los Angeles

Ben Ruth

1997
Boston

Geary Baese

1993
Ft. Collins

William Scott

1994
Minneapolis

C.A. Miremont

1868
Paris

Arlie Moran

2008
Los Angeles

Otto Schenk

1979
Bern

John Waddle

1985
Minneapolis

William Scott
& Mathias Dahl

1970
Minneapolis

Paul Mangenot

1910
Mirecourt

Eustachius Stoss

1790
Vienna

Pio Montanari

2007
Genova

Stefano Marcolini

2004
Milan

Cellos

Bows

Violas

Violins

Brian Skarstad

1985
Pleasantville, NY

Raymond Melanson

1986
Boston

Stefano Gibertoni

2006
Milan

Mathias Dahl

1961
Minneapolis

Pietro Trimboli

1999
Bologna

Dan Arlig

2018
Minneapolis

David Rubio

1997
Cambridge

Edwin Halloran

2019
Chicago

Alkis Rappas

2019
Kingwood

Mathias Dahl

1970
Minneapolis

Charles Peccatte

Violin
Paris

Mathias Dahl

1942
Minneapolis

W. H. Hill and Sons

Violin
London

Mathias Dahl

1954
Minneapolis

Roger Zabinski

Violin
Minneapolis

Paul Hart

1986
Salt Lake City

Garner Wilson

Violin
London

Douglas Raguse

Violin
Chicago

Roger Zabinski

Viola
Minneapolis

Lee Guthrie

Viola
St. Paul

Martin Beilke

Viola
Minneapolis

Roger Zabinski

Cello
Minneapolis

David Forbes

Cello
Gaineseville, FL

Emmanuelle Begin

Cello
Montreal

Martin Beilke

Viola
Minneapolis

Contact John

Are you looking for a better violin, viola, cello or bow?

I am a violin maker and dealer. I have a wide selection of instruments and bows available. Only some of them are listed here. My inventory is constantly changing.

Let me know what you are looking for. I will be happy to help you. You can use this contact form to send me a message, or call me at (651) 698-4692. This is a land line, so texting won’t work. If you call and I don’t answer, you can leave a message and I will get back to you.