Roderick R Ward Violins, Violas and Cellos

Rod Ward has been a professional luthier since 1976 and the growing number of professional players, students and amateurs fortunate enough to own one of his instruments is testimony to his success. His aim is to produce instruments in the style and finish of the old masters, and which possess their own similar vitality and tone to make them classics in their own right in years to come.

Rod Ward's violins, violas and cellos are constructed from carefully selected old materials, occasionally using native woods such as pear and willow, as well as the more traditional maple for back, ribs and scroll. A wide selection of wood is always available for commissioned work, from his ever growing stock of fine timber.

The instruments are finished with a particularly beautiful oil varnish made according to 16th century recipes, and very similar in composition to the old Italian varnishes. This varnish has great suppleness and visual depth, and is coloured with genuine madder pigments made in the workshop.

The sound produced by Rod Ward instruments combines warmth and depth with projection and evenness. It is always responsive to the player, and it continues to develop and improve for many years.

Some opinions from the last 25 years ...

Rod Ward violins are, in my opinion, among the finest sounding
instruments, old or new, that I have had the pleasure of playing on.
Michael Thomas, former leader, Brodsky Quartet

I recently had the pleasure of trying two of Rod Ward's violas, a smaller Gasparo model, and his larger Gasparo based model. Both instruments were remarkable for their responsiveness, and the rich characterfulness of their sound, and both were very even over the range. I thought these were most impressive instruments.
Paul Silverthorne

I derived no little pleasure in playing your viola ...
 Considering how recently it was made it seemed
  to me to have striking potential and I only wish
   I had the privilege of playing on it for a longer
    period.
    William Primrose

I felt that I must write to thank you for showing me your latest cello.
"Open" and "free" have become clichés but are truly apt when
describing an instrument so effortlessly resonant with so large and
warm sound ... I was genuinely impressed.
Anthony Pleeth