Instruments by Anton Krutz

The Anton Krutz instruments are the top line of instruments crafted at K.C. Strings. Master luthier Anton Krutz constructs these instruments with the help of the best makers at K.C. Strings. Only the highest grade European and American maple and spruce are used for these instruments, and are carefully selected by Krutz. The wood is then aged for five to ten years before the instrument making begins. Each instrument is professionally set-up by Krutz and his staff. These instruments are played by advanced students and professionals throughout the U.S. and Europe.

The uniqueness of the Krutz instruments comes from Anton's proprietary sealer and varnish. These produce the same quality of sound as the fine Italian instruments of the old masters.

From Anton:

The gut wrenching music of Tchaikovsky and other Russian composers appeal to me the most. Both my father and mother are classical musicians and I heard this music from day one. Maybe it's because of my own Russian blood, but the ideal sound to me is similarly one of power, and emotion. I make my instruments with that ideal in mind. The instruments require more effort but in return allow you to dig in with all your heart and feel unfulfilled because there is still a reserve left. If that matches your desire then your at home here.

My new instruments have three "Base" characteristics of sound: Buttery richness with a backbone Gutsy, powerful projection Evenness across the strings Most old instruments have these "Acquired" characteristics: Tight, focused sound Dry, smooth sound Quick ease of response

An instrument that is good or bad will develop these as it gets played-in.

The "Acquired" characteristics are related to feelings of control and comfort in the players hands. The "Base" characteristics are what the audience hears and the ones that touch the soul.

Many musicians test instruments in a room. This has often misleading results. What you hear under your ear in a room where sound doesn't have to travel far is not what you will hear when someone else is playing the instrument for you from a stage while you're in the back of the hall. When playing the instrument yourself you are partial by unconsciously judging how comfortable you are with this new sound in relation to the sound you're used to. The hall is used because it is impartial and will bring out the smallest of differences in instruments.

A lot of times instruments that sound loud under the ear turn out to have an intense shrill sound that could pierce a tank when hearing it at the end of the hall. The reason for this is the lack of overtones. The greater the prominence of (especially lower) overtones in each note, the more the sound is described to have "richness" and "color". That is the essence of a string sounding more like a voice and therefore more pleasing to the ear. Overtones are controlled by an instruments graduations, ground, and varnish. Sometimes an instrument has a colorful sweet sound under the ear but sounds quiet and almost muted at the end of the hall. This is a problem with projection, which is controlled by the instrument model (outline) and the shape of the arches. So all this leads to the question: To keep improving my instruments, how do I decide what aspect to change, which way to change it and by how much?

Violinmaking is not only part craft and science but also part intuition. It is that intuition that provides answers above all else.

Anton Krutz Signature Violins:
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