Philip Soltis Violins

Exceptional
Craftsmanship for Aspiring Professional Musicians

Raised on a dairy farm in rural Minnesota, Philip never imagined that his life journey would lead him to violin making. After serving in the military, Philip worked as an auto mechanic and married a pianist from Japan. Their daughters grew up playing violin from a young age, and Philip fell in love with the sound of string music that filled their home. Philip began working in 2000 as an apprentice of renowned luthier David Folland in Northfield, Minnesota. For twelve years, Philip assisted David in the daily life of a violin shop: prepping instruments by flattening the plates, thinning out the ribs, and roughing out the graduations and the arches of the instruments. In time, Philip began making instruments from start to finish under the guidance of Mr. Folland.

During this time, Philip also attended several summer violin making institutes at the Violin Society of America Workshop at Oberlin College. In 2012, after more than a decade of serving as an apprentice, Philip became an independent violin luthier.

Philip’s dedication to the craft of violin-making and his obsessive attention to detail has served him well, and he has became a beloved luthier among college students and string players throughout the Midwest. His personal integrity and salt-of-the-earth character makes him a joy to work with, and his instruments produce sounds of exceptional depth. After more than two decades of experience, Philip is dedicated to creating exceptional quality violins, violas, and cellos that are also affordable for serious young players.