The workshop where Ben Mason hones his craft is located in Kre8Now Makerspace, a beehive of creative energy. In various shared workspaces, machines are running, and makers are busy working on any number of projects, from 3D printing to metalwork to producing podcasts. But up the stairs and down the hall, Mason’s light-filled studio is a beacon of calm, patient energy – the same energy Mason brings to his work as a violin maker. Chisels, clamps, gouges and saws are hung in an orderly fashion. Drawings depicting the serpentine lines of his latest designs are displayed on his work surface. Wood shavings pile next to a vise holding a block of wood that Mason is lovingly hand carving and shaping into a violin.
Watching him work, one can spot similarities between the rhythmic strokes of his gouge and chisel and the music that will someday come from the finished piece. Along with reflecting the craftsmanship of the maker, every instrument will have its own individual sound, and you’d be hard pressed to find a musician who didn’t pick an instrument based on a unique tone they were looking for. As Mason points out, tone is everything: Getting the shape, depth and resonance just right are essential, and only certain types of woods will do. Mason prefers European spruce and maple for their proper densities and acoustical properties, often finding the special woods he uses from estate sales of retired violin makers.
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Ben Mason turned to violin-making after originally pursuing a career in graphic design and realizing he would prefer a creative job that allowed him to work with his hands. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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Ben Mason turned to violin-making after originally pursuing a career in graphic design and realizing he would prefer a creative job that allowed him to work with his hands. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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Ben Mason turned to violin-making after originally pursuing a career in graphic design and realizing he would prefer a creative job that allowed him to work with his hands. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
“It’s a privilege to be able get the wood from any of the violin makers who have been doing this long before me,” he said.
Coming from an artistic and musical family, Mason grew up drawing and painting, surrounded by relatives who played music.
“I don’t remember a time there wasn’t art in my life,” Mason recalled, referencing jam sessions with family and painting lessons with his grandmother. He took up the cello in middle school and still has a great affinity for the instrument but shifted his concentration to sports in high school while music took a back seat for a time.
Mason graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in integrative strategic communication from the School of Journalism and Media and worked for a while as a graphic designer after college.
“I wanted a creative career, but I pretty quickly realized that I wasn’t going to be happy sitting at a computer all day. I wanted to find something that would use my love for music and working with my hands – violin-making was a great fit,” Mason said.
Several years into his career, he’s still happy with his choice.
“I consider violin-making as the best career in the arts. My woodworking experience at the time was limited, but my years of graphic design, photography and drawing became very useful for having a critical eye for detail.”
Mason works full time repairing instruments at Old Town Violins, located in downtown Lexington, and feels like he’s still evolving as an instrument maker. As a musician himself, he appreciates the many fine points of what makes an instrument special and focuses on the wood, the tone and, of course, the workmanship.
“I’m drawn to the process of making — the hours fly by as I am fully absorbed and focused on my work,” he said. “The reward, of course, is hearing the instrument for the first time and seeing it played in a performance.”
The time and effort he dedicates to his craft has not gone unnoticed by local instructors, professors and musicians. Sila Darville, assistant professor of violin and viola at Eastern Kentucky University, has sent students to Mason.
“His instruments combine artistic elegance with a powerful sound,” Darville said. “He’s very talented. He’s sure to make an impact in contemporary American violin-making in the near future.”
Mason considers himself to be on a mission.
“I want to make finer instruments accessible for Kentucky musicians. Often locals have to go to New York or other cities to find an instrument that is a perfect fit. I’d like to think I can provide that level of fine violins here in Lexington and provide the relationship with their instrument-maker going forward.
“There are always helpful adjustments to be made as you work with your instrument, and I’d like to provide that for musicians here, locally,” he added.
Mason’s Instagram page, @masonviolins, offers opportunities to see his process in both pictures and videos.
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All pieces of Mason's violins are painstakingly handcrafted, cut and gouged, from the bridge to the body to the scroll. Photo furnished
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All pieces of Mason's violins are painstakingly handcrafted, cut and gouged, from the bridge to the body to the scroll. Photo furnished
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All pieces of Mason's violins are painstakingly handcrafted, cut and gouged, from the bridge to the body to the scroll. Photo furnished
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All pieces of Mason's violins are painstakingly handcrafted, cut and gouged, from the bridge to the body to the scroll. Photo furnished
Writer Celeste Lewis recently visited with the violin-maker to learn more.
How did you get started in violin-making? How did you get introduced to it and how did you come to pursue it as a career? Did you start with other forms of woodworking? I got into violin-making about a year after graduating from the University of Kentucky in 2013 while revisiting my lifelong passions for art and music.
I began with a lot of research and contacting violin-makers to discover the different possible ways to pursue this career, including schools and apprenticeships. Connecting with a father-and-son violin-making duo in New York City solidified my interest; and following their guidance, I began planning to attend violin-making school in [Salt Lake City] Utah.
Tell me about your studies, finding the school in Salt Lake City and your experience there. I studied at the Violin Making School of America in Salt Lake City in 2015 under the guidance of the highly skilled maker Aubrey Alexander. In that time, I worked on building two violins and learned a lot about the construction and history of violin-family instruments. While I enjoyed living out west, and I appreciate the experience and gained friendships, I was ready to move back to Lexington to contribute to our vibrant, creative community.
Do you feel like violin-making has changed and modernized or is it still very rooted in traditional instrument-making? Methods have modernized with the use of power tools and technology, but my process is still very similar to traditional methods. The only time I make use of modern technology is to design my instruments on a computer and to make quick cuts on a bandsaw. Beyond that, my work is done entirely by hand using planes, chisels, gouges and knives.
Many people are surprised to learn that the thin black and light trim around the edge of the instrument is painstakingly inlaid, not drawn on. This level of detail is in contrast to many of the mass-produced instruments made quickly overseas with the aid of CNC routers [computer-controlled machines], and the difference in sound can be significant.
How do you continue to learn and hone your craft? When I finish an instrument, I like to leave it for some time before taking an objective look at it and making a list of areas to improve on. I also carefully track the data for every instrument for reference and greatly value the feedback of skilled musicians to inform my making.
Tell me more about your connection to music. I started cello lessons when I was 8 years old, while we were living in Fairfax, Virginia. Some of my favorite childhood memories revolve around music, from casual family jam sessions to performing in school orchestras to attending formal symphony concerts. At the time, living near a relative who performs in a professional symphony provided wonderful experiences in the greater Washington, D.C., area. I remember seeing Yo-Yo Ma perform and attending many other great concerts.
Tell me about the space you work in. How important are workspace and tools to what you do? I currently rent a space inside the amazing new facility for Kre8Now Makerspace, a member-supported workshop offering access to a variety of tools, machinery and classes.
My new workshop is set up to be functional and comfortable, and two of my favorite projects have been magnetic tool boards and a large UV light chamber I built for tanning instruments and curing varnish. For comfort, I love having surround sound and a couch for customers or the occasional nap.
What do you do that you feel like is your signature style? I’m still working toward developing a signature style, but for now I’m having fun exploring a variety of styles and using those to eventually inform my own designs. I believe true mastery of this trade lies within gaining enough insight from many styles in order to take unique pieces of wood and work them into a desired sound, which can take years to truly master and understand.
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Mason largely follows a traditional path to creating his instruments, using modern technology only when designing his products on a computer. Photo furnished
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Mason largely follows a traditional path to creating his instruments, using modern technology only when designing his products on a computer. Photo furnished
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Mason largely follows a traditional path to creating his instruments, using modern technology only when designing his products on a computer. Photo furnished
What advice would you offer anyone wanting to become a violin maker? My advice to anyone interested in making violins is to get online and research the abundance of information out there and to buy the few essential tools. There are a number of schools, workshops and apprentice opportunities out there to find the right guidance. There’s no definitive career path for this, but I’d say it does require a lot of patience and a never-ending desire to learn.
Is there a go-to place in Lexington that fuels your creativity? Before the pandemic, my creativity was fueled by live music — either a local band at The Burl or a symphony concert at the Singletary Center. Recently, I’ve found inspiration through some of my favorite artists’ live-streamed performances, but I look forward to when we can all gather again safely to enjoy and support our community of performers.
What’s an activity outside of work that you love to do? I should really take more time outside of work to explore other activities, but my favorite things to do are go camping, fishing or on long hikes to recharge.
What is your ultimate career dream? My ultimate career dream is to make and sell fine instruments to discerning musicians, locally and nationwide. It’s common for makers to send their instruments to shops around the country for consignment, but I currently prefer selling local. This allows me to build good relationships with my customers – and to their benefit, I’m easily accessible anytime they need something, which becomes more complicated when an instrument is purchased in a big city like Chicago or New York.
I think it’d be cool to someday have people travel here to try an instrument and experience some of the beauty that the Bluegrass has to offer.
Have you ever had a disaster? A super tough project that almost didn’t work out at all? Yes! Quite a few, but I’ve learned to use these mistakes as an opportunity to learn a new repair or improve a particular method. The most challenging process for me has been making and applying oil varnishes. Preparing a varnish can be a month-long process and is something I continually experiment with and improve.
How do musicians in need of a violin find you? How do you market your work? Social media? I’ve sold the majority of my instruments through word of mouth, and I have some really great advocates who have promoted and helped me get established here. I stay in touch with former classmates to exchange ideas and share experiences. I’m also fortunate that my recent instruments sold shortly after completion, and I hope that continues as I increase my production.
For social media, I use Instagram and Facebook to share and educate my followers about the process from start to finish.
Do you have a favorite violin and violin maker? I’ve taken a recent interest in the Italian maker Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (1711-1786). Although his career had its challenges, including being cast in the shadow of the legendary Antonio Stradivari, I think there’s potential to make a great-sounding violin using some of his ideas.
Who would you most like to see with one of your violins in their hands? My cousin, Ellen Troyer, plays with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. I would really like to make a violin for her. Growing up she was such a musical influence and inspiration, and it would be great to pay that back.
What would be a dream vacation? To visit Cremona, Italy, where violin-making got started and where the famous Stradivari is from.
Mason’s studio is inside Kre8Now Makerspace, a shared space for makers that recently relocated to Codell Drive. Photo by Emily Giancarlo