David W. Chandler – Violin and Fiddle maker

Made one at a time in the manner of the old masters

STYLE -- Made the old fashioned way, from blocks of wood with hand tools. I build both the Stradivari or “Strad” AND “Guarnari” designs. The Strad is more intense and brilliant in sound, and the Guarnari has a darker and more powerful sound. I use quality maple and Spruce for my instruments, although I have made a few using some fairly unremarkable wood, and they sound just as great, but cost $hundreds less.

MAKING A VIOLIN -- Making a violin from its basic components takes 200 to 300 hours or more, and it can take a month or so just getting the final varnish finish completed. The parts cost between $250 and $400 depending on the quality of the wood, fittings and strings. I use high quality professional level strings, usually Obligato or Dominants which can cost $60-75 per set. Then, I like to play my violins for a few weeks before I’m satisfied with the sound-post placement and bridge adjustments. Being a member of the local orchestra, I get lots of opportunity to put in a few hours on each instrument, and ask other players their opinion on the sound.

WARRANTY -- 30 day “no questions asked” return policy with full refund (except shipping) as long as its returned in the same condition it was purchased. All my instruments come with a life-time warranty (my lifetime that is, so hurry up!). You can bring it back for any issues that may arise from the construction. I’ll always give you credit for the purchase amount if you decide to trade up to another of my violins of greater value, presuming the condition is within normal range for age.

Violins Available

Photo Gallery

SERVICES -- Minor repairs, set-up, string changes, new bridges cut, fingerboards fitted, new pegs fitted, clean and inspect.

BUYING -- Buying old string instruments no matter what condition. Trade-ins considered.

ABOUT ME – My family arrived in the area known as Ivy Gap, between Mars Hill and Burnsville, in the early 1820s, coming by way of Tennessee. During the civil war, my great-great grandfather, John Wesley Chandler, disappeared and his widow and children turned up in the area of Flag Pond near Erwin Tennessee to be near her kinfolk. During the depression, my grandfather left the area for the coal fields of West Virginia and then Ohio where I was born. I began playing piano at age 5, and switched to the violin at age 9, with Edward Silvers (a survivor of Buchenwald) of the Santa Clara Symphony as my first teacher, and then was later the student of retired professional Cellist, Walter Gras, of the Chicago Symphony. In my early teens I was nominated to play with the California Youth Symphony every year through High School, and was voted “most talented” in my class. Although my playing was interrupted by a 27-year military career, my love of fine art and music continued, as landscape painter and fine art importer throughout the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. I’m a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel, Vietnam and Gulf War veteran, and hold a BS degree from the University of Tampa, and MS from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey California. I am now a violinist with the Toe River Chamber Orchestra. I make violins, both the Stradivari and the Guarnari designs, at my workshop on the banks of the South Toe River in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, about an hour from Asheville.

I TAKE VISA AND MASTERCARD, AND CAN SHIP WITHIN 24 HOURS

Member – VSA - Violin Society of America

Member – VMAAI - Violin Maker Association of Arizona, International

Mail inquiries to David Chandler, 201 River Links Drive, Burnsville, NC 28714

Or call David at 828-675-0449

david@ccvn.com