Tony D. Balleck was an American luthier who made 53 violins and 1 viola between the late 1940s and the late 1990s. He was a farmer and rancher near Craig, Colorado who built them in his spare time. Tony was an old-school craftsman who hand carved instruments according to the old, time-tested methods. He also was a fiddler who played in barn-dance bands from the 1920s until the 1960s or 1970s.
The first violin he built was carved with hand-made tools. He broke plate glass until he had a piece with the proper radius. Later he began acquiring and using the specialized tools of the luthier trade.
Tony died on February 4, 2005, two weeks before he and his twin, Joe, were to celebrate their 92nd birthday. He was a wonderful person who always had a warm smile and kind word for people, strangers and old friends alike.
