Welcome to my workshop
In my workshop, instruments are made in a completely traditional way—just as they were crafted by the great classical and Baroque masters: A. Amati, A. Stradivari, Guarneri del Gesù, G. Guadagnini, F. Ruggieri, and many others. Each instrument is built individually, with a specific musician and their needs in mind. It is a process that requires time, focus, and mutual understanding.
When a musician receives an instrument from my Atelier and discovers that it meets all their expectations—playing comfort, proper fingerboard setup, the curvature of the fingerboard, and the precise fitting of the bridge, strings, and pegs—I know the work has achieved its intended result. Yet above all, one thing matters most: sound. It is the sound that determines whether an instrument is alive, inspiring, and truly individual. If I manage to achieve a tone that moves the musician and becomes part of their artistic expression, I feel that I have fulfilled my role as a luthier.
Process
The process of building an instrument also involves an extraordinary attention to detail—one of the most important aspects being the selection of wood. Its hardness, weight, elasticity, origin, the altitude at which it grew, and the season in which it was cut—each of these elements has a direct influence on the character of the future sound. This is why every top and back plate is chosen with the utmost care.
The instruments created in my workshop possess a distinctive, elusive character. Their sound is subtle, rich in color, floral, yet at the same time powerful and full of volume. They are comfortable, dynamic, and responsive, which is why they are chosen by soloists, concertmasters, and musicians seeking exceptional instruments.
The Atelier is located in the picturesque village of Kościelisko, at the entrance to the Kościeliska Valley. It is a place of shifting winds, extraordinary light, and mountain silence. The Tatra Mountains inspire, uplift the spirit, and make working on an instrument not only a craft, but also a form of contemplation.
About me
I am the owner of the workshop and my name is Andrzej Bobak-Grapny. I owe my luthiery roots to the Antoni Kenar High School of Fine Arts in Zakopane, where I began my path in the luthiery department. I gained experience in the workshops of master luthiers from the Podhale region. For over thirty years, I have been shaping my own approach to the art of instrument making. My most important teachers have been practice, working with wood, and music—alive and authentic.
I play the violin, viola, double bass, and traditional Podhale basses. This skill is invaluable for a luthier—it allows me to evaluate an instrument not only with a craftsman’s eye, but above all with a musician’s ear. Thanks to this, every instrument I create is shaped by intuition, sensitivity, and technique.
My instruments have gained recognition among violinists, violists, and cellists in Poland and abroad. They are valued both by professional instrumentalists and by musicians from Podhale, who pay particular attention to sound, playing comfort, and craftsmanship style.
I believe that an instrument should have a soul, and that soul is born from the combination of tradition, experience, and passion.
