ST PAUL, Minn. — Will Bartruff began work on his first violin at the age of 10. Half-a-century later he did one better. The master luthier took on a 9-year-old protégé. “Hey kiddo,” Will says as Ben ...

The violin as we know it today dates back to 16th-century northern Italy. The region spawned dynasties of violin makers, whose names are still synonymous with quality: Giuseppe Guarnari, Antonio ...

Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Sam Zygmuntowicz, 50, the subject of John Marchese's book, "The Violin Maker," lives and works on a quiet street in ...

John Jordan’s garage is overflowing with the bodies of unfinished violins. Some look like tapered chunks of maple or redwood. Others are closer to completion: sticklike necks with one swooping curve ...

CONCORD — Despite the fact that John Jordan is building a legend in his quiet, unassuming Concord garage, he’s not a publicity seeker. “I did get approached by a TV producer planning a reality show on ...

DEL MAR — When the violin makers set up shop in a cool, quietcorner of the San Diego County Fair, it’s hard to predict who willwalk up and ask to play. “Sometimes, you’ll get a kid who is the lead ...

The phone rings and the doorbell chimes as Roger Foster, 65, rushes around helping customers in his violin shop. Still, a “for sale” sign has been posted near the curb of the converted home on Olive ...

CHICO — While Bob Scoville was busy running his own insurance company in Marin County, he discovered what he really wanted to do. He had inherited from his father a violin, a family heirloom, and it ...