Steve Rossow
Steve Rossow’s work as a professional luthier is grounded in a love of music, a knowledge of stringed instrument history, structure, and physiology, a commitment to excellence in design and function, and a creative drive to explore and innovate.
Background
Steve began his career in the early nineties as a woodworker, designing and building custom furniture. An avid acoustic finger-style guitar player, he initially explored stringed instrument construction as a hobby. After making several instruments on his own, he was hooked. He decided to pursue lutherie full time and enrolled in the guitar, violin, and archtop construction and repair programs at Minnesota State College Southeast in Red Wing. After graduating from the Red Wing programs, he apprenticed with luthier John R. Waddle, under whom he studied violin making and restoration. Steve is a member of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers.
Instructor
Steve returned to the Red Wing programs on several occasions over the years as a visiting instructor, teaching topics ranging from acoustic guitar construction to violin ebony work. He has designed a curriculum for incorporating CNC work into guitarmaking and has taught advanced acoustic guitar construction and computer-aided drafting in the Red Wing guitar program since 2010. He is now the lead instructor in the Violin Repair and Making program at MSC Southeast.
Invention
Steve has always been fascinated by innovative design and by inventions that can streamline and improve creative processes. As a luthier, he has been involved in the development of cutting-edge technologies in the stringed instrument world. Using his CNC machine for the CT re-creations of famous violins, as described in the May 2010 article in The Strad magazine entitled “The Progress of Progress” (PDF)
Today
Steve’s home and workshop are located high on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in Saint Paul, Minnesota. In addition to his lutherie and teaching, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter.
Background
Steve began his career in the early nineties as a woodworker, designing and building custom furniture. An avid acoustic finger-style guitar player, he initially explored stringed instrument construction as a hobby. After making several instruments on his own, he was hooked. He decided to pursue lutherie full time and enrolled in the guitar, violin, and archtop construction and repair programs at Minnesota State College Southeast in Red Wing. After graduating from the Red Wing programs, he apprenticed with luthier John R. Waddle, under whom he studied violin making and restoration. Steve is a member of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers.
Instructor
Steve returned to the Red Wing programs on several occasions over the years as a visiting instructor, teaching topics ranging from acoustic guitar construction to violin ebony work. He has designed a curriculum for incorporating CNC work into guitarmaking and has taught advanced acoustic guitar construction and computer-aided drafting in the Red Wing guitar program since 2010. He is now the lead instructor in the Violin Repair and Making program at MSC Southeast.
Invention
Steve has always been fascinated by innovative design and by inventions that can streamline and improve creative processes. As a luthier, he has been involved in the development of cutting-edge technologies in the stringed instrument world. Using his CNC machine for the CT re-creations of famous violins, as described in the May 2010 article in The Strad magazine entitled “The Progress of Progress” (PDF)
Today
Steve’s home and workshop are located high on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in Saint Paul, Minnesota. In addition to his lutherie and teaching, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter.