Violin making started out as a fascination for Rodger Stearns as a boy of fourteen, when he made his first violin under the direction of a master craftsman. Throughout the ensuing years this unique craft has been developed through study and diligence in applying the age old secrets of the fine masters. Today Mr. Stearns is, himself, a master of the fine art of violin making.

Classic restoration and instrument repair are an important part of the daily activity in the violin shop. In the summer of 1987 Rodger Stearns was accepted into the Violin Restoration Workshop at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music to study restoration with some of the finest restorers in the world. Over the course of six summers he studied violin restoration with such masters as Vahakn Nigogosian, Horacio Pineiro, Louz Belini, Hans Weissharr and Kenneth Meyer, and bow repair and rehair with Yung Chin.

Through these studies Mr. Stearns has developed keen insights, and skills necessary for high quality restoration work, and new making of fine instruments.

Well adjusted, good sounding student instruments have been a vital part of the vision of Stearns Violin Shop from its inception. It is our goal to place instruments into the hands of both students and professionals that respond well, and are easy to play. This high ideal is accomplished on a daily basis by giving close attention to detail in the set up and tonal adjustment process. We work with many school orchestra programs as well as a host of professional string players.