luthier in indiana

jrice · #1 05-08-2007, 03:39 AM

Hello, just wondering if anyone can recommend a luthier in the mid to northern indiana area. I live almost directly in the middle between ft. wayne and indianapolis. Thanks

**Jeremy Allen** · #2 05-08-2007, 08:26 AM

Hopefully some of the Indianapolis guys will chime in (Joel? Jack?), but I do know that one can get work done at Frank's Violins in Broad Ripple (east side of Indy, also a Shen dealer incidentally) and I think maybe a lot of people go to the Indianapolis Violin Shop (I don't much about that place).

There must be somebody in Ft. Wayne, because there are a lot of string players there, but I don't know who it is. I live in Bloomington, and although there's a good all-purpose luthier here (Stephen Schock) for the small things, I take the bigger issues to Cincinnati. A dedicated bass luthier could do a ton of business in central Indiana.

John Sprague · #3 05-08-2007, 09:51 AM

I looked on my map, and in the Strings Magazine Buyer's Guide, and came up with nothing close to you. Besides the ones mentioned already, Alex Levand of the Violin Shop of Old Carmel may be a whisker closer, and there's a shop in Lafayette called Allegro Violin Shop. Other than that it looks like nothing but crops.

Did you check Bob G's huge listing of bass luthiers?

joel kelsey · #4 05-08-2007, 10:43 AM

I take my bass to indianapolis Violins for small stuff. They are very nice guys and do pretty good work. I have them fix seems and make bridge adjustments and things of that nature. They are not bass peeople though and I have never had any major work done there. They replaced the bass bar on a local players bass. The old bass bar was cracked and carved in, so they carved it out and made him a new bass bar. He is very happy with his bass last I heard. It seems like they can do major repairs, but I go down to Cinncinnati for those.

brianh · #5 05-08-2007, 01:39 PM

There's a guy named Gary Visocki in Carmel, Indiana (essentially the North side of Indianapolis) located at about 126th and Keystone. He runs a violin shop out of his house and like most repair guys, does a lot of non-bass repairs (not that this really matters) . I've never had anything big done there (I usually go to Bill Lakeberg in Cinci) but Gary has gotten me out of a few binds and I know of a few bassists who have had some major work done there in the past. These days I believe he is mostly making violins.

Look him up in the Indianapolis phone book or PM me for a number. If he doesn't answer, keep calling...im not sure if he has an answering machine.

There's another guy named Kaylon Watkins (sp?) who in the past has done some great work for me in Indianapolis. He used to have a place called Seasoned Scrolls in the Irvington neighborhood on Indy. I havent been able to get in touch with him for many years and stopped trying a long time ago. If you're compelled to try, he should be in the phone book. If you do get him...let me know, he does great work.

ArenW · #6 05-08-2007, 02:21 PM

I live a few miles north of Ft. Wayne and a lot of players in the area take their work to Kevin Flannery in Grand Rapids, MI. It is a bit of a drive but the guy does amazing work. I have been making the trip up pretty frequently to study with him (I'm making my first bass!!!) and the IPFW bass teacher/Ft. Wayne Philharmonic Co-Principal takes work up quite a bit as well. Kevin does great work and is reasonably priced. PM me if you want any contact info.

Good luck!

Wyzird05 · #7 06-27-2007, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArenW

I live a few miles north of Ft. Wayne and a lot of players in the area take their work to Kevin Flannery in Grand Rapids, MI. It is a bit of a drive but the guy does amazing work. I have been making the trip up pretty frequently to study with him (I'm making my first bass!!!) and the IPFW bass teacher/Ft. Wayne Philharmonic Co-Principal takes work up quite a bit as well. Kevin does great work and is reasonably priced. PM me if you want any contact info.

Good luck!

I took my bass to him a few years ago (life got busy with my other passion, entrepreneurship, so I haven't had time to play in the past two years), but I just wanted to echo ArenW. Kevin does great work and is very reasonably price.

el_mariachi · #8 06-28-2007, 05:26 AM

Depending on where you are at (Muncie perhaps, my college stomping grounds) I'll echo others here and say that you could also make the trek in the other direction to Cincinnati (only about 2 to 2.5 hour drive from Muncie) to Nick Lloyd's shop. I've heard good things about him and you'll see him now and then on these forums. his website is http://www.nicklloydbasses.com/