Vladimir Pilar

He was born in 1926 into a well known Czech violin making family. His son, Tomas, learned violin making from him, and now his grandson, Jan is also learning the craft too under him.

Vladimir Pilar successfully participated in various international violin making competitions and was active as a judge in many international contests.

For his instruments he uses expensive resonance woods, that is, spruce-fir and maple which are somewhat more than 35 years old. He follows the traditional ways set out by the old masters but, being aware of at the same time all the new methods that modern science and research have brought about, he applies them as much as possible to his work. Through this it is possible to discover and prove in detail all the characteristics of the woods used for the masterpiece instruments and using a matching construction method, to make new masterpiece instruments with a more powerful sound quality.

Regarding the conditions surrounding the manufactures in the former communist countries, no particular mention is needed. By now no less than 70 of his violins have been brought into Japan.