Strings: The (Often) Forgotten Accessory

from his 2008 GAL Convention lecture

by Fan Tao

Originally published in American Lutherie #101, 2010



Joseph Curtin: Some of you already know Fan as the person you talked to at D’Addario after you built a custom instrument and then realized the strings for it don’t exist. He’s also become something of a violin-string guru and a major figure in the violin world, since he not only builds violin strings at D’Addario, but is also a very passionate amateur violinist. Fan started as an electrical engineer at Cal Tech, then got drawn into violin research through his job at D’Addario. Fan started the Oberlin Acoustics Workshop, which is one of the most exciting things that’s happened in instrument research, bringing makers and researchers together. He also started the first Violin Society of America Innovation Exposition, which was a big success and really got people thinking more about innovation. He’s a wonderful person, as well.

Fan Tao: Thank you. This is the first convention I’ve attended that represented lots of guitar makers. The most exciting things about working with violin makers are their passion for their craft, their creativity, and their wide range of interests. It’s good to find those same traits among guitar makers.