Jeff has returned to his workbench
and is making select instruments on a limited basis.

1994 VSA silver medalist



Jeff Lee Manthos viola / violin ensemble

Manthos - viola / violin ensemble

Essentially unchanged for over four hundred years, the tradition of violin making continues to be an endeavor of painstaking patience and attention to detail. Jeff Manthos has dedicated himself to this pursuit. Jeff weds proven acoustic concepts with personal artistic style, creating beautiful instruments that are a pleasure to play.

After studying music and viola performance at the University of Northern Colorado and obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree, Jeff enrolled at the renowned Violin Making School of America. Following four years of intensive study, including violin construction, varnish, instrument identification and violin history, he began work at the Thomas Metzler Violin shop in Los Angeles, continuing his study of master instruments, repair and restoration techniques.

Jeff later moved to Portland Oregon, joining the staff of the David Kerr Violin Shop. He continued repair and restoration work, and began learning the business side of running a large shop, ultimately becoming shop manager. Since opening his own studio, Jeff devotes all his time to instrument making. Using traditional tools, his hands-on approach yields genuine character and artistry, and avoids the excessive use of machine tools, which sacrifice individuality for expediency. Jeff takes as much time as needed to fully realize the potential in each select piece of wood. He makes his own varnish from traditional compounds and carefully applies it by brush. In the final phase of set-up, Jeff draws upon years of shop experience to render the instrument responsive and easy to play.

"I feel privileged to have found my life's work in violin making. With inspiration drawn from Brescian, Cremonese and Venetian makers of the past, I strive to bring something personal and unique to each instrument. I look forward to continuing the tradition in the new century." Obtaining an instrument from Jeff Manthos guarantees you expertise, quality and authenticity.

 

Member:
American Federation of Violin & Bow Makers, Inc
Violin Society of America

















(photo by J.L.Manthos)

Current News

April 2011
Annual Instrument Show Northwest Musical Instrument Exhibit: Saturday and Sunday, April 30, 2011 - May 01, 2011 Marylhurst University, near Portland, Oregon.
February 2011
Jeff has recently finished radiation treatments for his 3rd relapse of lymphoma.
He is completing a 16 1/4” viola and will soon begin a 15” viola of his own design.
August 2010
Jeff has moved! His new contact information: 2635 SW Fairmont Drive
Corvallis, OR 97333
New e-mail:   jeff@jeffleemanthos.com
May 2010
Jeff was the keynote speaker at the Modesto, California, Doctors Medical Center cancer survivor celebration of May 15th.
November 2009
Jeff is the featured cancer survivor in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Horizons newsletter, Volume 6, Number 3. Contact Jeff for a free print copy, a limited number are available.
March 2009
Jeff's interview about his Sea King helicopter adventures with aviation historian and journalist Tamas Szorad has been published in the March, 2009 issue of the European aviation periodical Aeromagazin of Budapest, Hungary.
February 2009
Jeff's short story The Warrior's Song was published in Perceptions, Mt Hood Community College's magazine of the arts this spring. (http://www.mhcc.edu)
May 2008
Steel Beach has been selected by a Florida High School history class as literature of the Vietnam War era.
April 2008
Latest manuscript- Planet Chemo completed and submitted to agents and publishers.
December 2, 2007
Finalist in the Oregon Book Awards for creative nonfiction. Literary Arts
April 2007
Published release of Steel Beach
(Inkwater Press ).

Contact information

Street: 2635 SW Fairmont Drive
City/State: Corvallis, OR 97333
Phone: 541-754-7645
E-mail: jeff@jeffleemanthos.com