Burns Violins

03/01/2023

We have some excellent new instructors and dance callers this year as well as our beloved tried and true staff. Some updates to the hvac system at the school will also provide much welcomed comfort for our students! Looking forward to this!

Registration opens TODAY at 9am! Come make some music with us this July!

https://wvmusicalliance.org/fiddlecamp-2023/

12/22/2022

Anyone have a double bass stolen recently (or perhaps not so recently) in the Puget Sound area? I received a phone call yesterday from the Silverdale police who had recovered one from a storage unit full of stolen goods and they are looking for the owner. I know police departments are usually spread really thin when it comes to stolen property, so I was pleased to see them making such an effort to find the owner of the bass! Please help spread the word.

Silverdale P.D. (360) 337-5636

12/09/2022

After our transition to Northeastern Oregon that seemed ridiculously lengthy, and the snow and cold have settled in and put the pause button on any outstanding outdoor projects, I have finally gotten back to the workbench several days a week- and boy have I missed it. I have been working on a few customer repair jobs, a not so glamorous ”convert a not very worthy cello into a small bass for my own kids” job, and getting many instruments ready for my next festival in February at Wintergrass in Bellevue, WA. (The line-up is cajun heavy with a respectable dose of oldtime and it’s impressive- check it out!) I have sent a couple instruments recently to new homes but still find myself with a robust and growing inventory of great sounding instruments both new and vintage. Please contact me if I can help you find that perfect instrument or if your current one needs some special attention! Wishing everyone a happy holiday season and a Merry Christmas!

09/22/2022

Appreciation in the arts community! Thank you Wallowa Valley Festival of the Arts, jurors, and judge Barbara Jaenicke. I am honored to be included in this great event with some very talented artists!

09/22/2022

Hey folks! I’m going to be at the Tygh Valley Bluegrass festival this weekend at the Wasco County fairgrounds with some excellent old fiddles looking for new homes. I hope to see some of you there for some sweet melodies and even sweeter harmonies!

09/14/2022

Art or Craft? Local violin maker ensnared in Art Show debate!

I am proud that one of my violins has been chosen for the 40th Annual Wallowa Valley Festival of the Arts juried exhibit. Come hear it played this Saturday afternoon! I will be present at the friday night opening reception at 7 pm, and the Burns Family Band and Friends (with Amy Fairchild and Laura Skovlin) will be performing from 4-7 on Saturday.
https://josephy.org/festival-of-the-arts

This violin is for sale! Many thanks for the demonstration video by the esteemed Grand National Fiddle Champion Andy Emert!
It is a 7/8 size violin (341mm body length) based on a 1566 Andrea Amati pattern- Small in size, but big in sound!

05/03/2022

This old German violin came to me because it was extremely difficult to play. The neck was warping and the fingerboard scoop/relief was egregious but the fingerboard too thin to plane the scoop out. So a new fingerboard was called for. The old one fought me hard. But… the neck angle was too high as well which can be really problematic for the tone of the instrument due to excessive downward pressure. So a reverse neck wedge was made to reduce that neck projection angle. Coupled with a new soundpost, new pegs, and new bridge, the end result is spectacular in both tone and playability and this violin is ready for its next 100 years. This young player is going to be thrilled.

03/28/2022

Idyllic yes, but this is also my heat and dark dingy basement neutralizer. New shop space on the not so distant horizon!

03/22/2022

i treated myself… a little bit. gosh, i’m so excited.

03/09/2022

I want to give a big thanks to all those who came by my booth last weekend at Wintergrass to say hello and try out my instruments. And a HUGE thanks to all those that bought instruments and bows and continue to support me in this endeavor I love so much. The music will live on. I got to play a few tunes with Julie Campbell after she bought one of my handmade instruments - the last one made in Tacoma 2021. What a treat!
See you all at Weiser in June!