Biography

My name is Gary Komoski, and I have been building musical instruments for over 40 years. I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I worked as a gas utility serviceman for 34 years, during which time I built guitars and violins as a hobby. I am now retired and build instruments full-time. I was first inspired in the mid-70s by a piano repairman, Kusti Pikkarainen, who built classical guitars as a sideline.

I started building violins in the early 1990s and then attended a Chimney workshop to learn more about the acoustics of the craft. I then became interested in the mandolin, which aligns nicely with the same building techniques and wood as the violin family. The instrument wood I have acquired over the years has been seasoned for over 30 years. This is an important factor in ensuring a stable instrument for years.