From David Ludwik Chrapkiewicz , www.fineviolinsbydavid.com , Award winning violin maker, February, 2006. He writes:

I've enjoyed using your extra thick and dark amber varnish for the past four years on my award winng violins and violas. Thanks for doing the tedious and dangerous work that results in such a fine violin varnish.

An added plus is that it is perfectly compatible with the resin varnish I cook up every 7 years or so. I'm able to achieve the desired optical effects, the desired colors by interlayering glazes of transparent lake pigments, and keep the total varnish layer under 0.06mm in thickness. Also with the help of driers (5 drops per 2.5 ml varnish) and a UV light box, I can "bake" the varnish for 5 days in UV light to render it unimpressionable to fingerprints or case marks. Bravo! and Thank you!

Read the article in Frederick magazine , October 2005 (PDF format).

David Ludwik Chrapkiewicz
Rapkievian fine violins
David Ludwik Crapkiewicz, Award winning violin maker
2002: Silver medal for tone Viola Violin Society of America
2000: Violin Certificate for tone Violin Society of America
1982: International competition for violin tone

From Hannah Mayne , bassmaker www.basshouse.com , January 2006. She writes:

Donald C. Fels jr. ( Alchemist Inc.) has created a superior amber oil varnish. A perfect combination of gem like beauty and durability. Having experienced various other oil varnishes I can not imagine a better varnish to use for my instruments. Fels' varnish makes my work better in the end.

Photo Credit: Piro Patton

From Tom King, violin maker at www.FiddleHeadStrings.com , April 2007. He writes:

Donald Fel's 'Dark Amber Varnish' is, in my experience, an excellent violin varnish. It is very easy to work with, and the final results are satisfying. A property I particularly like is the very long open time, making it easy to spread thinly and evenly. Although it is not intensly colored on its own, it takes color well. It dries well and polishes well. I am very impressed.