Roger Zabinski, bow maker, is a favorite of Minneapolis area professional violinists and in fact I have been lucky enough to try three of his violin bows and one of his viola bows. These bows play and look beautiful, and Roger Zabinski is trulysuch an expert at his craft that he can make to order a bow that will have the playing characteristics desired by the purchaser. His bows go for between $2,500 to $5,000, depending on the fittings. Although Pernambuco wood is in short supply (you may notice many of the modern “pernambuco” bows sold today have become quite thick due to a shortage of higher quality wood), Zabinski’s wood is still of the highest quality and I have seen a recent flamed wood bow with an ivory frog and gold fittings recently commissioned by a colleague that was just stunning. His wood tends to have a slightly reddish appearance and is fairly light in color.

About Roger Zabinski

Born in 1950, Roger Zabinski earned a Bachelor's Degree in Music History and Literature in 1973 from the University of Minnesota.
 
During his studies there, he met Vaido Radamus, who trained him in violin making and introduced him to making bows.
 
About the time of Mr. Radamus' death in 1976, Roger met Martin Beilke, an internationally known bowmaker who worked in Minneapolis. Roger studied with him until Martin's death in 1979. In the summer of 1984, Roger attended the New Hampshire bowmaking course, learning the French methods of bow making there from William Salchow.
 
In 1985, Roger was elected a member of the American Federation of Violin and Bowmakers; a year later he received his journeyman's certificate from that same institution. In May of 2011 of he was elected a member of the Entente Internationale des Maitres Luthiers et Archetiers d’Art.
 
In November of 1986, Roger was awarded a Gold Medal for his violin bow at the Violin Society of America International Competition. He has also received numerous Certificates of Workmanship from the VSA. He presently lives and works in Minneapolis, Minnesota.