ISI has been building exquisite violins, violas, cellos, mandolins and custom guitars for more than 40 years.
Instruments from ISI feature the finest tone woods, the highest quality fittings and hardware & the unique ISI Pickup System.Although amplified acoustic instruments are ISI’s specialty,our pure acoustic instruments are unsurpassed for tone & playability.
Introducing the Redesigned ISI Pickup
In response to my customers, who loved the amplified sound of my standard pickup and who were asking for a system that had negligible effect on the instrument acoustically, I have redesigned the standard pickup to have a narrower foot width and a more solid structure .
Using high quality bridge blanks and well aged Bosnian bridge wood, the top portion is carefully mortised and firmly fixed into the base which houses the two sensors. This two-piece construction enables me to place the pickups exactly where I want in relation to the feet, giving the best response and most open tone while still holding up acoustically.
Our Instruments
Instruments from ISI feature the finest tone woods, the highest quality fittings and hardware & the unique ISI Pickup System. Although amplified acoustic instruments are ISI’s specialty, our pure acoustic instruments are unsurpassed for tone & playability.
What’s New at Ithaca Stringed Instruments
Recent projects, information and blog posts
“The Lady” 6-String Violin
I have been building to commission for some time now and it is rare for me to have an instrument available for sale immediately. However, at this time, I do have a 6 stringed [...]
7-String Mezzo Violin
Some cleaning up to do, but today I close up the new 7 string Mezzo violin.
Articles
Announcing the new Pickup/ Mic system for violin
After a couple of years of experimentation I am ready to announce my new pickup/ mic system for violin. This simple, reliable and great sounding dual system fits to any violin with no extra clamps [...]
5 course Florentine Mandocello completed
Sophia fingerboard inlay Koa Koa back and sides sophia
Pre-amps Now Available
these grace design preamps are the best thing I have heard in a long time. can't recommend them enough. both the Alix and felix are in stock also I do love this LR Baggs Venue [...]
“I have been looking for years for a 5-string violin that sounds good acoustically and that sounds closest to a real violin when used with a pickup . This new 5-string made by Eric for me is exactly what I was looking for so many years, an instrument that sounds great in both contexts.”
Jean Luc Ponty
French virtuoso violinist and jazz composer
“I keep my ISI real handy, all the time.”
David Torn
Guitarist, Producer
“When I got my first NV, a process began that allowed me to reach sounds I had been trying to express for years.”
Zack Brock
Violinist