VOSSLER & SON
Instruments of Legacy
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Master luthier workshop — violin being crafted by hand
Est. 1887 · Cremona Tradition

Where Spruce
and Maple
Find Their Voice

Four generations of master luthiers,
each instrument born of ancient craft
and unwavering patience.

137 Years of Mastery
Scroll

Four Generations
of Devoted Craft

In 1887, Heinrich Vossler arrived in Cremona as a young apprentice, apprenticed to the great masters of the Italian tradition. He carried back to Germany not only the knowledge of Stradivari's woods and varnish, but the soul of the craft — the understanding that an instrument must speak as much as it must sing.

"An instrument is not made. It is coaxed from the wood, the way a melody is coaxed from silence." — Heinrich Vossler, 1921
1887
Heinrich Vossler

Founds the atelier in Mittenwald after seven years of study under Cremona masters. First violin completed for the Munich Philharmonic.

1934
Karl Vossler

Second generation expands to cello making; develops the house varnish recipe — a proprietary amber formulation still used today.

1971
Georg Vossler

Third generation introduces viola commissions; instruments reach soloists in Vienna, London, and New York. International recognition achieved.

2009
Thomas & Elena Vossler

Fourth generation. Thomas upholds traditional bench work while Elena leads material sourcing — selecting tonewoods from age-old Alpine forests.

Now
A Living Tradition

Over 340 instruments in active concert use worldwide. Waiting list of three to five years. Each instrument signed and individually registered.

Crafted to Sing

Vossler handcrafted violin — fine detail
String Instrument
The Violin
  • European spruce top, Bosnian maple back & sides
  • Proprietary amber oil varnish, 7 coats
  • Guarneri-influenced arching profile
  • Hand-cut ebony fingerboard & tailpiece
  • Individual acoustic voicing & adjustment
From CHF 38,000
Commission a Violin
Wood workshop tools for instrument making
String Instrument
The Viola
  • 15.5″ to 16.5″ body length, custom fitted
  • Stradivari-pattern molds, adapted for power
  • Warm, penetrating C-string response
  • Pernambuco bow included on request
  • 18-month build from commission to delivery
From CHF 44,000
Commission a Viola
Cello scroll detail — master luthier work
String Instrument
The Cello
  • Full-size Montagnana-pattern model
  • Aged Alpine spruce, book-matched maple
  • Resonant, full-bodied lower register
  • Customisable string length & neck angle
  • 24-month build; soloist consultation included
From CHF 65,000
Commission a Cello

Seven Steps
to Perfection

From forest to concert hall, every Vossler & Son instrument follows an unbroken lineage of technique refined over 137 years. Each step is performed entirely by hand, with tools passed down through generations. No shortcuts. No compromise.

01
Wood Selection

Personally sourcing seasoned spruce and maple from Alpine forests; aged 20–40 years minimum.

02
Carving & Arching

Top and back plates carved to precise arching profiles using traditional gouges and thumb planes.

03
Assembly

Hot hide glue joins all components. Linings, blocks, bass bar and soundpost fitted with micrometer precision.

04
Varnishing

Seven coats of the house amber varnish, each dried in UV light, hand-polished between coats.

05
Stringing

Fingerboard planed, bridge cut and fitted, pegs hand-reamed. Strings tensioned to concert pitch.

06
Voice Testing

Played and evaluated over two weeks. Soundpost adjusted until the instrument's full voice emerges.

07
Delivery

Personal presentation to the soloist; case, bow and provenance certificate included. Lifetime support.

Instruments of Distinction

Musician performing with Vossler violin
Violin
Commissioned 2019
The "Amber Dusk"
Commissioned by Isabelle Fontaine-Renard
Principal Soloist, Orchestre de Paris

A full-size violin with Guarneri arching and an unusually powerful G-string voice. Premiered at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in 2020. Now used in over 180 performances annually.

Concert performance in classical music hall
Cello
Commissioned 2021
The "Montagna"
Commissioned by Rafael Dąbrowski
Solo Cellist, Berlin Staatskapelle

A Montagnana-pattern cello built for maximum projection in large concert halls. Exceptional depth in the lower register. Used in Dąbrowski's critically acclaimed Elgar recording.

Classical music hall architecture
Viola
Commissioned 2023
The "Golden Hour"
Commissioned by Yuki Tanigawa
Principal Viola, NHK Symphony Orchestra

A 16.5″ viola with Tertis-pattern outline for maximum resonance. Built to Tanigawa's precise ergonomic specifications. Debuted at Suntory Hall, Tokyo, November 2023.

Visit the Workshop

Our atelier in Mittenwald, Bavaria is open to prospective patrons by private appointment. Witness the craft firsthand — from raw tonewood selection to the final voicing session. We welcome serious musicians, collectors, and institutions.

Request a Visit

The Soloists Speak

"When the 'Amber Dusk' arrived, I played it for six hours without stopping. It has a singing quality I have never encountered in a modern instrument — not merely powerful, but deeply human."

I
Isabelle Fontaine-Renard
Principal Soloist, Orchestre de Paris
Vossler Violin, 2019

"Thomas spent two full days with me before building began. He listened to how I play, where I travel, the halls I perform in. The 'Montagna' is not just an instrument — it is a collaboration."

R
Rafael Dąbrowski
Solo Cellist, Berlin Staatskapelle
Vossler Cello, 2021

"Elena selected the wood herself from the same forest her grandfather used. That continuity of material, of touch — you hear it in every note the 'Golden Hour' produces. It is irreplaceable."

Y
Yuki Tanigawa
Principal Viola, NHK Symphony Orchestra
Vossler Viola, 2023

Begin Your
Instrument's Journey

Every commission begins with a conversation. We need to understand you — your repertoire, your physique, your aspirations, and the halls where your music will live. Only then does the wood selection begin.

  • Personal consultation with Thomas or Elena Vossler
  • Acoustic profiling and player assessment session
  • Tonewood selection from our aged stock inventory
  • Quarterly photographic progress reports
  • Final delivery and voicing session at the atelier
  • Lifetime maintenance and adjustment support
  • Provenance certificate and individual serial number
Visit the Atelier First

Commission Enquiry