Selected Reviews of the Strobel Violin Books

(Cello Making, Step by Step) "The energetic Mr. Strobel is now onto his sixth handbook, and this modest volume contains a wealth of valuable information for the novice and, I would guess, not a few professionals as well. . . . Strobel's motivation in publishing these handbooks from his delightful country workshop is punrely and simply to help someone out here to share in the great pleasure of building an instrument to be proud of. I am sure he has already succeeded many times over."

"All (of his books) are thoroughly illustrated . . . replete with bibliographies, annotations, and indices . . . The Art & Method of the Violin Maker is . . . a very personal account, written with great erudition and insight . . . All of these titles are recommended to anyone with even a passing interest in violin literature."

(Violin Making, Step by Step) ". . . is clear, systematic, and full of good information and advice."

(Cello Making, Step by Step) ". . . deals with the special problems of the cello, a table of nominal measurements (quite complete), lots and lots of drawings and patterns, and full explanation of everything that is different about making a cello. Useful directions and photos of moulds, cradles and clamp setups. This is a very good shop manual . . ."

(Viola Making, Step by Step) "Highly recommended."

("Watch Me Make a Cello, Step by Step" -VIDEO) This is organized to be useful to the first-time cello maker. Strobel shows both traditional hand tool methods and techniques using the "not too expensive power tools" found in most of our workshops. With ideas also for the advanced or professional maker, this video displays ways to plan and organize to do "good honest work."

(Useful Measurements for Violin Makers) "I hardly know another book where a maker can find all the important measurements in such a clear order . . ."

(Art & Method of the Violin Maker) ". . . a long-needed breakthrough in explaining the essentials of the violin as an instrument to violinists . . ."

(Art & Method of the Violin Maker) "It is such a pleasure to read something sensible about the violin and its world . . . It is also refreshing to read literate English on this subject . . ."

(Viola Making, Step by Step) "You keep coming out with these marvelous books that are so full of common sense and real facts . . ."

(Health of the Violin, Viola, and Cello) ". . . a great wit and humor about it . . . Strobel's translation is wonderful . . . In addition to his other talents as engineer, luthier, scholar, and author, I believe there must also be something of the poet . . ."

(Violin Making, Step by Step) "If a beginner could own only one book . . . I'd have to recommend this one above all the others."

(Viola Making, Step by Step) "As always, I recommend Henry's books without reservation."

(Violin Making, Step by Step) "It looks like the premier book for beginning violin makers . . ."

(The Series) "Si tratta di volumi che hanno una finalità practica, di ausilio al lavoro del liutaio. . . L'intera collana rappresenta una interessante initiativa editoriale, che ha in più il vantaggio di prezzi modesti."
(I translate: ". . . These books are for the practical assistance of the working luthier. . . The whole series represents an interesting publishing venture, with modest prices as well.")

(How to Improve the Resonance Conditions of Musical Instruments by Vibration Dedamping) "Violin makers and players have long believed that violins, both when new and after long repose, need playing in. In this short book Gerhard von Reumont explains his method for quickly doing this by means of a mechanical device attached to the bridge. . . covers some fascinating territory and proposes what may well be a valuable workshop tool."