Howery Violins

Welcome to Howery Violins.

Will Howery is a violinmaker and luthier working and living on Amelia Island. He also plays violin with the Amelia Island String Ensemble.

Hand crafted Violins and Violas direct from the maker that you can afford. Please look at the Rental/Purchase information!

My Violin Studio is at my residence. When you plan to visit, please make an appointment via The Shop Appointment Calendar. Thank You.

Will’s Blogs

Violin Karl going to his new home with Sara. Sara is a promising violin student who will play Karl for the next year. I’m thrilled to loan Karl to Sara, helping her have a better instrument while she continues her studies. If you know other serious violin students who need a better instrument, please contact me. I have a few more that I’d be happy to loan aspiring violinist!

Violin Karl going to his new home with Sara. Sara is a promising violin student who will play Karl for the next year. I’m thrilled to loan Karl to Sara, helping her have a better instrument while she continues her studies. If you know other serious violin students who need a better instrument, please contact…

February 6, 2017
Amazing day and amazing positive energy for our future! So glad Sinda and I were her to be part of real American patriots demonstrating the greatness of our Republic! Back at Amtrak for our journey home

Amazing day and amazing positive energy for our future! So glad Sinda and I were her to be part of real American patriots demonstrating the greatness of our Republic! Back at Amtrak for our journey home. #womensmarchonwashington

January 22, 2017
We’ve arrived in DC. Marching today, and home on the train tonight

We’ve arrived in DC. Marching today, and home on the train tonight. #womensmarchonwashington

January 21, 2017
On the train to the D.C. Women’s march. Marching for women

On the train to the D.C. Women’s march. Marching for women. #womansmarchonwashington

January 20, 2017
A new Cherry Chin rest. I never imagined how much my downshifts were affected by my chin rest. This one fits perfectly, so comfortable, so confident

A new Cherry Chin rest. I never imagined how much my downshifts were affected by my chin rest. This one fits perfectly, so comfortable, so confident. #violin #Violinmaker #luthier #saintaugustine #jacksonville #savannah

January 9, 2017
Viola Leonora, Plates roughed on the edges. (Named in tribute to Leonora Jackson McKim, 19th century solo violinist from Boston) Now to gouge them down to within 1/2 mm from final thickness, then file to edge perfection. Oh the joy of hand craftsmanship

Viola Leonora, Plates roughed on the edges. (Named in tribute to Leonora Jackson McKim, 19th century solo violinist from Boston) Now to gouge them down to within 1/2 mm from final thickness, then file to edge perfection. Oh the joy of hand craftsmanship.. #viola #violin #violinmaker #jacksonville #savannah #saintaugustine #violaleonora

January 6, 2017
A new Cherry Chin Rest

A new Cherry Chin Rest. #jacksonville #saintaugustine #savannah #luthier #violinmaker #violin

January 4, 2017
Violin Ivan, Played today for the first time. Very satisfied with his sound

Violin Ivan, Played today for the first time. Very satisfied with his sound:-) #violinivan #violin #luthier #violinmaker #jacksonville #savannah #saintaugustine #fernandinabeach

December 29, 2016
Our Florida Fall (post solstice) Colors

Our Florida Fall (post solstice) Colors!! #ameliaisland

December 23, 2016
Viola Leonora, ribs glued up

Viola Leonora, ribs glued up:-) #jacksonville #savannah #saintaugustine #violaleonora #luthier #violinmaker

December 20, 2016

Will’s Blog Posts:

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Violin Onalee: sinking the edges and feathering into the arching. The top of the plate(to the left) is well under way. The edges on the bottom of the plate are rough just after glueing in the purfling. Working in near darkness provides focused light to illuminate the Violins gentle curves, and mostly importantly any bumps

Violin Onalee: sinking the edges and feathering into the arching. The top of the plate(to the left) is well under way. The edges on the bottom of the plate are rough just after glueing in the purfling. Working in near darkness provides focused light to illuminate the Violins gentle curves, and mostly importantly any bumps……

November 15, 2017
Violin Onalee: cutting out the Sound holes. One of the most identifying elements of a violin is the sound holes; the layout, shape, and execution. Before I start the process, I drink a nice cup of Kava Kava tea, play some meditative music, mellow centered and a steady hand

Violin Onalee: cutting out the Sound holes. One of the most identifying elements of a violin is the sound holes; the layout, shape, and execution. Before I start the process, I drink a nice cup of Kava Kava tea, play some meditative music, mellow centered and a steady hand… #violinonalee #orchestra #fernandinabeach #ameliaisland #brunswickga #staugustine…

November 11, 2017
Violin Onalee: Drawing the sound holes. Templates may be faster, but I like the process of laying out the upper and lower eyes then connecting all this curves with a pencil (and a fair amount of erasure, until it looks just right

Violin Onalee: Drawing the sound holes. Templates may be faster, but I like the process of laying out the upper and lower eyes then connecting all this curves with a pencil (and a fair amount of erasure, until it looks just right…). #violinonalee #orchestra #fernandinabeach #ameliaisland #brunswickga #staugustine #stmarys #jacksonville #jaxsymphony #unfmusic #jumusic #luthier #violinmaker…

November 3, 2017
Violin Onalee: Graduating the plates. The beam caliper is similar to what Stradivarius used. I use carving gouges until I’m within .5 mm, then finger planes and finally scrappers. Also, the modern dial caliper is used when within .5 mm, It’s more accurate than the beam calipers, but takes a bit more time. How do I know when I’m done? First the plate weight then the modal tone frequencies. The frequencies are a function of the plate density which is a function of weight and volume. Every piece of wood from every tree is different, making the measurements mandatory for high quality tone. And the really cool thing is— every violin is a unique creation

Violin Onalee: Graduating the plates. The beam caliper is similar to what Stradivarius used. I use carving gouges until I’m within .5 mm, then finger planes and finally scrappers. Also, the modern dial caliper is used when within .5 mm, It’s more accurate than the beam calipers, but takes a bit more time. How do…

November 3, 2017
Violin Onalee: gluing the linings. Linings provide structural strength to the violin ribs. Weight is the enemy of good tone, the entire violin system vibrates contributing to or diminishing an instruments tone. The linings 1.5mm thick and 8 mm high help hold the violin together with minimal vibrational attenuation

Violin Onalee: gluing the linings. Linings provide structural strength to the violin ribs. Weight is the enemy of good tone, the entire violin system vibrates contributing to or diminishing an instruments tone. The linings 1.5mm thick and 8 mm high help hold the violin together with minimal vibrational attenuation. #violinonalee #violin #chambermusic #orchestra #fernandinabeach #ameliaisland…

October 26, 2017
Violins Nicolo and Maude. Enjoying the Florida Sunshine! Those light cages work, but oh the joy of the real source of light:-). Now their singing in the sun, soon they will be singing on stage with their future players

Violins Nicolo and Maude. Enjoying the Florida Sunshine! Those light cages work, but oh the joy of the real source of light:-). Now their singing in the sun, soon they will be singing on stage with their future players! #violinmaude #violinnicolo #violin #chambermusic #orchestra #fernandinabeach #ameliaisland #brunswickga #staugustine #stmarys #jacksonville #jaxsymphony #unfmusic #jumusic #luthier #violinmaker…

October 24, 2017
Violin Maude and Nicolo in their light cages. Maude, the darker violin with 10++ coats of Cochineal varnish is in the UV light. Nicolo with Balsam varnish #2 ground is in a full spectrum grow light cage. The balsam ground varnish goes into the cells and pores of the wood to reflect light, and protect the wood from other substances penetrating the cells. The full spectrum light looks cooler, but will be upgraded to UV lights for better tanning and resin curing. I get my varnishes from Joe Robson

Violin Maude and Nicolo in their light cages. Maude, the darker violin with 10++ coats of Cochineal varnish is in the UV light. Nicolo with Balsam varnish #2 ground is in a full spectrum grow light cage. The balsam ground varnish goes into the cells and pores of the wood to reflect light, and protect…

October 23, 2017
Violin Onalee: rib set ready for the linings. I pre-bend the linings and clip them to the ribs on the form to dry before glueing. I do this to avoid the linings having any distortion on the ribs. If they are formed and dried on the mold them everything goes together smoothly when the glue comes out

Violin Onalee: rib set ready for the linings. I pre-bend the linings and clip them to the ribs on the form to dry before glueing. I do this to avoid the linings having any distortion on the ribs. If they are formed and dried on the mold them everything goes together smoothly when the glue…

October 19, 2017
Violin Nicolo: Scraping a living, Scraping by; thoughts that swirl through my mind as I work the minute pieces of wood removed or smoothed in the scrapping process. Micheal Darnton stated that violin making is the process of picking the biggest tool that will do the job, up until the point where you are going to mess things up badly. Then pick a finer tool. Scrapers are not the last items in our toolbox. From scrapers we go to Equisetum a plant that contains tiny bits of silicon on its stocks, and then we move to dry stiff brushes. Successive refinement

Violin Nicolo: Scraping a living, Scraping by; thoughts that swirl through my mind as I work the minute pieces of wood removed or smoothed in the scrapping process. Micheal Darnton stated that violin making is the process of picking the biggest tool that will do the job, up until the point where you are going…

October 5, 2017
Violin Nicolo: trimming the purfling grove corners. I work with enlarged photos of Stradivarius’ Messiah which you can see in the background. The Messiah is the most pristine example of Antonio’s work. Passed pretty much un-played from Antonio’s Son Paolo, to Count Cozio Di Salabue to Luigi Tarisio, to Jean Baptiste Vuillaume, to W. E. Hill, and now on display at the Ashmolian Museum in Oxford. I work slow and patiently ever striving to come closer to the masters craftsmanship. Every violin I make a bit finer in craftsmanship and better in tone and playability. Antonio made the Messiah in 1716 at the age of 72. He started his apprenticeship in his teen years, so doing the math, I’ll won’t live long enough to gain the experience he acquired, however I due have a clear goal and example through his work

Violin Nicolo: trimming the purfling grove corners. I work with enlarged photos of Stradivarius’ Messiah which you can see in the background. The Messiah is the most pristine example of Antonio’s work. Passed pretty much un-played from Antonio’s Son Paolo, to Count Cozio Di Salabue to Luigi Tarisio, to Jean Baptiste Vuillaume, to W. E.…

October 3, 2017