I import cellos mostly from Beijing from a luthier shop that does great work. I set the cellos up and put great strings on them, typically Larsen soloist A and D and Spirocore Tungsten G and C as well as carbon fiber endpins, a new tailpiece and bridge as needed to meet my specifications. I've sold many cellos with many very satisfied clients.
SOLD This is a great cello for the price. It's an Amati model from 2009. I played a cello at a music store in the local mall that was $1700 and it was plywood. This is solid spruce and maple and sounds 20 times better than the mall cello IMHO. Comes with bow and fabric backpack style case. Super deal.
Cello in the Montagnana style. Slightly wider body, deep rich tone. This new cello is 4/4. It is hand made and has beautiful tonewood of solid spruce, maple and ebony. I set it up with Larsen soloist A and D and Spirocore Tungsten G and C strings. (Retail for strings is over $500 alone.) It has a Belgian style bridge and carbon fiber endpin. It plays exquisitely. All my customers have been very satisfied with their instruments. This would make a perfect graduation gift. If the ad is up, I still have it. I get to the Twin Cities often so call me if you want me to show it to you in the metro area. I just sold one recently after we met at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie to try it out.
I built this so I could practice while on a motorcycle trip the week before a symphony gig so I could practice. You can break it down to fit in a pack or suitcase. They did think it was a weapon at first when I was trying to cross the border into Canada. My biker buddy/pastor convinced them I was a cellist. It works great. $1500
5 String with low F string (Could be strung with High E). Sometimes you just need those lower notes! Because I was concerned with the added tension of a 5th string, I modified this cello by removing the fingerboard and inlaying two carbon fiber bars to reinforce the neck.
Worked great. This is a super deal.
This new cello is 4/4 in a Strad pattern. It is hand made and has beautiful tonewood of solid spruce, maple and ebony. I set it up with Larsen soloist A and D and Spirocore Tungsten G and C strings. (Retail for strings is over $500 alone.) It has a Belgian style bridge and carbon fiber endpin. It plays and sounds fantastic with a full warm and powerful sound. This is a serious instrument at a great price. This is a perfect graduation present for a cellist who has been renting a school instrument. All my customers have been very satisfied with their instruments. If the ad is up, I still have it. I get to the Twin Cities often so call me if you want me to show it to you in the metro area. I just sold one recently after we met at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie to try it out.
I do stringed instrument repair. Guitars, violin family, banjos, etc. Anything with strings. Fret dressings, set ups, pickup wiring and mods. Custom speaker cabinets. If you need something done, just ask:) I don't do plumbing....i.e. woodwinds or brass.
Hey, I'm happy to be of Finnish decent. Suomalainen means Finnish in Finnish. Sound is left over from when I used to do sound and it's my registered name with the state of Minnesota to whom I have to pay sales tax. The fish symbol means I like Jesus, who liked to cook fish on the beach for his guys. The Eskola Duluth, MN is the brand I use now that I'm an LLC and It's way easier to spell than Suomalainen. Our mailing address is 5017 Arnold Rd. Duluth,MN but technically we now live in the new City of Rice Lake, MN. Duluth is easier to write than writing out "the City of Rice Lake" all the time. Perhaps I am a pragmatic minimalist? Life is sometimes complicated:)
Selection of Violins
I build custom barn doors and furniture furniture to your specifications. Here are a few examples of what I have done.
We will design and create your custom doors or furniture or whatever you like.
Call or email me if you want something built or restored. I've restored instruments from violins to a Steinway Piano, motorcycles, cars and trucks. I just love to build and fix stuff!
This is the completed project for a happy owner and happy insurance company.
After being an orchestra conductor for most of my adult life I retired and my first job in the real world was managing the renovation of a warehouse in Duluth. It worked out well. Music and building have amazing similarities especially if you approach it as a composer or orchestra conductor.
Back in the day when I taught orchestra, we did a concerto concert every Spring. We did six to eight movements from a Tschaikovsky, Mozart, Sibelius, etc. Violin Concerto as well as Viola, Cello, Bass and brass and woodwind bits. Also there were a lot of Beethoven Piano Concerti through the years. My last year, one fellow who was playing a piano solo, was not happy about the look of our piano. So I said get some kids together and I'll show you how to fix it. I asked him to organize a crew as there will be LOTS of sanding. We got it into the theater scene shop worked after school and weekends and got it done. His dad even helped when we sprayed it with black hydro lacquer. They learned some good lessons besides music.
The school district didn't have money for this so we found a way.
Here is a list of the current guitars I have. Check back as changes in inventory occur.
New Fender Tele Squire all set up and ready to play. Amazing guitar for the money.
Used MINI Fender Starcaster Great for a child guitar. Shorter scale but big sound. I'm the cool grandpa when I rip off some licks through a good amp and scare the grandchildren with this guitar.
Used Gibson/Baldwin Electric Guitar Set up well. You wont find a better one at this price point.
Used full size Fender Squire Strat. Fun to play. Great guitar for the money. Set up and ready to rock.
Used 70's YAMAHA FG-75 Parlor Guitar Red Label. Fantastic parlor (smaller) guitar. Sounds and plays well. Love this guitar!
I got this neck from my 9th grade English teacher in the 70's. He had tried to dress the frets and messed them up and ordered a new neck back in the day. When I was a young adult, I fixed many of his Strats in his guitar collection and he said he had this neck if I wanted it. Duh? I took it and in the 80's did a proper fret job and made a body out of some wood I was reserving for a cello neck...but it was so cool, I made it into a guitar body. The black dove inlay is from a cello fingerboard. ( I like cellos!) The tailpiece is fixed for maximum sustain. This is the sweetest guitar I have.
Current inventory of basses. Check back as inventory changes occur.
I built this bass in the 80's. It's the only one in the world. Plays and sounds great. I made it the way I wanted a bass at the time. EMG P-Bass style pickup. Passive. Simple bass elegance.
Ibanez SR505 5 String Bass with Bartolini pickups and active EQ. I love the neck and sound. Also has gorgeous wood.
Juzek String Bass 3/4 from 60's with Marvin tailpiece and pickup.
Plays and sounds great. Call or email for details.
Here's what people have said about my work:
Connecting with you via craigslist was a fortuitous event! Four of my students have your cellos now and I’ll have more coming.
It’s a pleasure to do business with you. I know you’re representing your instruments with attention to detail, integrity and honesty.
Abby had tears in her eyes when she said she didn’t feel ‘worthy’ of this cello. Your response was perfect – thank you.
Hanging on to these wonderful end of summer days,
Linda
I custom make guitar straps. $80 but worth it! I like a wider strap to displace the weight and minimize slipping and fatigue. I make them to fit the person. Call for details.
I buy great leather and custom make straps for guitars, basses, etc.
I write and arrange music for performance, film or commercial use. I have a studio and am looking to do more composing after teaching band and orchestra for 34 years. Now I can do what I want:) I teach at the MRC (Music Resource Center at Sacred Heart Music Center 4th St and 2nd Ave W. Duluth, MN) Tuesdays, Wednesdays from 4-6 PM. It is an after school music program for grades 6-12 with lessons on instruments and theory as well as recording studio time. It is sponsored by the Armory Arts and Music Center of Duluth.
Set up to play well at great prices.
Great sounding and playing Sigma Banjo. Call or email for details.
Fender 5 String Banjo. Plays well. Call for details!
Fender Rumble 150 combo bass amp and 15" speaker. Great bang for the buck.
SOLDUsed Crate 212 GFX Guitar Amp. Sounds great. Has chorus, reverb, delay and flanger effects. Two 12" speakers.
Fender Mustang Amp with digital effects: verb, overdrive, chorus, etc. Great little amp! SOLD
Periodically I get a keyboard in my shop. This is the current inventory.
Original Hammond M100 Organ. Old school but nice. Could be chopped for road use but it's in very nice shape. Classic Hammond sound.
GUITARS
