"John Larrimore holds a maple board between his thumb and finger. He taps it. The best pieces of wood ring like a bell. When he hears that clear, pure sound, Larrimore knows that he can begin.

"In simple text and striking full-color photographs, The Master Violinmaker captures a skilled craftsman at work. Using traditional tools and methods that have been handed down for hundreds of years, Larrimore cuts and planes and carves, turning a few pieces of carefully chosen maple and spruce into a graceful instrument that sings with a strong sweet voice. Here is a vivid and satisfying introduction to a very special art."

" With a thin-bladed coping saw, he carefully cuts the outline of the violin from the wood."

"He cuts graceful, curving f-holes into the top of the violin. A violin is just a wooden box with strings. When a musician bows the strings, the air inside the box vibrates with sound. The f-holes allow the sound to come out."