Vessel Mandolins and Violins

11/26/2024

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rFnU1iZ9HWs&pp=ygUfb3VyIHNwaXJpdHMgZG9uJ3Qgc3BlYWsgZW5nbGlzaA%3D%3D

Christians are cultural terrorists!

[Video]: Curated Excerpt from 2008 Documentary “Our Spirits Don’t Speak English: Indian Boarding Schools”https://richheape.com/boarding-school.htm[Speaker]: ...

11/11/2024

I’ll be in Indianapolis next week at the Violin Society of America new instrument exhibit with my latest violin. Please come by and say hello.

06/27/2024

New A model for sale. Engleman spruce top, American maple back, sides and neck, radiused fretboard, EVO frets, Rubner tuners, James tailpiece, varnish finished. With Crossrock case. $5800

06/08/2024

This new A model will be making its debut at the CBA Fathers Day Bluegrass Festival next week. I’ll be in the luthiers pavilion with all sorts of wonderful instruments. Please stop by.

04/16/2024

I propose sainthood for all violin teachers! They certainly are doing the lords work.

03/15/2024

When the local retired anthropologist pretends he’s a violin maker….

01/23/2024

In the next few days I’ll be transferring my phone service . Hopefully my phone number will not be shut off for any length of time. But you can always reach me via email if the phone isn’t working.
[email protected]

01/01/2024

Last instrument of 2023.

12/12/2023

Don’t forget, Stradivari made mandolins too!

12/11/2023

Recently sold violin! Congratulations to the new owner. More to come in 2024!

09/09/2023

Frank Solivan was kind enough to let test drive a Darth model Toneslab pic a couple of weeks ago. The tone was exactly what I’d been looking for. I’ve since ordered this pic with my flowerpot logo. This is the mini tri,1.4mm. I can’t say enough about their quality of finish, and TONE! This pick increased the quality of tone in the upper register and made the bottom end more powerful. Basically the perfect balance. I will be including an engraved flowerpot logo Toneslab pic, of the customers choice, with every new Vessel mandolin purchase.

06/03/2023

I’ve been very very busy for about 3 solid years. But since the first of the year I’ve managed to get 3 instruments built, 4 if you count a gourd banjo. This F5 was planned to be ready for the Fathers Day Bluegrass festival in Grass Valley in a couple of weeks. Come check it out if you’re going to be there. It comes with a legendary Paganoni case, an exact replica of the cases that accompanied the Lloyd Loar signed Gibson F5 mandolins. Paganoni made excellent mandolins too, and it’s an honor to be able to include it with my latest work. These cases are no longer in production.

06/03/2023

I don’t build guitars. There are so many incredible guitar builders already. But my eldest son asked me to build him an acoustic bass guitar. So, I happily(finally) finished it. Great respect for the small shop guitar builders out there!
This one is going to be just fine.
Pau Ferro back and sides, Adirondack top, African mahogany neck.

01/01/2022

Thank you to everyone who helped make 2021 a huge success! Since August of 2020 the shop has been busier than ever before. Since the beginning of 2021, in spite of COVID, my business has grown ! I’m extremely proud to be a part of my hometown music environment, both as a violin maker and musician. I’m also very grateful for new opportunities throughout the United States from an ever expanding list of clients. I appreciate the trust you have in me to help you find the right instrument or to restore your beloved instrument so it may bring more years of joy. These past two years have been challenging for everyone but it also has revealed our need for community and art, in any form. I have great hope for 2022 that we will all have more opportunities to enjoy playing, listening and creating in this wonderful world of music!
Happy New Year!

08/18/2021