In search of that special sound: Master violin maker Lukas Kehnen
To create an exceptional violin body, Lukas Kehnen not only needs perfect craftsmanship and the very best material, but also
a great deal of time and dedication. We visited the young master violin maker in his workshop and had the opportunity to get to know him and his work for a day.
The first thing you notice is that modern technology is hardly to be seen. All the tools, the materials, the manufacturing steps – practically nothing has changed in the sophisticated world of violin-making since the days of Stradivarius. “An instrument with a special character can only be made by hand,” says Lukas Kehnen.
„An instrument with a special character can only be made by hand.“
It all starts with the right wood.
Each violin body is made of very special types of spruce and maple wood. The ideal woods come from high alpine regions where the summers are shorter, which causes the annual rings to grow more evenly and densely, an essential factor for the quality of the instrument.
Lukas Kehnen purchases the wood for his violins from a tonewood merchant, who cuts up selected trees according to a special procedure and dries them under controlled conditions for at least 5 years. From growth to storage – it’s time that makes the wood sound so special.
A violin is only finished when it's finished.
Around 150 working hours go into manufacturing a top-class instrument – and sometimes even more. “The most important thing is not to be in a hurry,” says Lukas Kehnen, “as that only disturbs the concentration.” Cutting out and fine planing the body requires a great deal of dedication and patience.
Measuring, tapping, and sanding – the same working steps are repeated over and over. Lukas Kehnen becomes completely engrossed in his work and sometimes even forgets the time around him. His own experience and feeling tell him when a workpiece is finally finished – and not a technical device.
The color also helps to make beautiful music.
When making the lacquer, Lukas Kehnen only uses substances that the old Italian masters formerly worked with: Natural resins with illustrious-sounding names such as shellac, mastic, sandarac, and manila copal. It can take time to find the right mixture, particularly when restoring an old instrument.
In no other working phase is Lukas Kehnen so focused as when concocting and applying the various layers of lacquer. At some point, however, he does take a look at his watch: A MeisterSinger N° 01 with a brown suede leather strap.
10 Questions for... violin maker Lukas Kehnen
MeisterSinger:
Mr. Kehnen, what does perfection look like in your line of work?
Lukas Kehnen:
That’s hard to say. I can simply hear and feel it when something is perfect.
MeisterSinger:
How do you feel in general about quality?
Lukas Kehnen:
Normally I’m no friend of mass products, but fast food is ok every once in a while.
MeisterSinger:
How often do you look at your watch during work?
Lukas Kehnen:
Every now and then to bring structure into my day. When I’m completely absorbed in my work I just use my internal clock.
MeisterSinger:
How do you manage not to chase after each second?
Lukas Kehnen:
I focus on the things that lie in front of me. And block everything else out as much as possible.
MeisterSinger:
In which moment do you most like to forget time?
Lukas Kehnen:
While whitewater canoeing, preferably on the river Soča in Slovenia.
MeisterSinger:
To whom would you give 100 hours if you could?
Lukas Kehnen:
To my family, whom I’m very grateful to for a lot of things.
MeisterSinger:
And for what would you like to steal 100 hours?
Lukas Kehnen:
For wine tasting in Cremona, the centre of Italian violin making.
MeisterSinger:
How many watches do you own?
Lukas Kehnen:
A simple Pegasus Quartz and, as of recently, a MeisterSinger No 01.
MeisterSinger:
What do you like in particular about the MeisterSinger concept of this one-hand watch?
Lukas Kehnen:
I like the tidy design. But also the idea behind it; to not let yourself be rushed.
MeisterSinger:
What time is it now?
Lukas Kehnen:
4:05 pm
Typeface designer Lukas Schneider
„Taking time, approaching the optimum organically, that’s all part of the art.“