Andrew Dipper, born in London in 1949, holds a degree in Fine art sculpture from the Central School of Art and Design, London. He first studied instrument making with his family and worked in the workshop of Tony Bingham in London (1966-1975). In these early years he collaborated with his brother, Colin who is now a maker, musician, and restorer of free-reed instruments.
In 1975 he went to Cremona to study violin making. Here he came under the influence of his friend the Italian violin maker Francesco Bisolotti and became a member of the Association of Cremonese professional luthiers A.C.L.A.P. He studied for one year under professor Monterosso at the University of Pavia’s Scuola di Paleografia Musicale and then taught restoration for the region of Lombardy and violin making at the International School of Violin Making in Cremona. From 1975-78 he and Cristina Rivaroli translated from Italian and edited S.Sacconi’s book The “Secrets” of Stradivari. Andrew moved to Taynton, Qxfordshire, in 1980 and continued specializing in the restoration of historic musical instruments. In 1986 he worked with his colleague David Woodrow to translate and publish the notes of the great 18th century Italian violin collector Count Cozio di Salabue. Other publications in which he has taken part include re-publication of 18th century works on varnishing and gilding, the first edition of the English catalog of the Stradivari museum collection in Cremona. His articles have appeared in The journal of the Violin Society of America , the Italian journal Liuteria Musica e Cultura, and the Strad Magazine. He is now publishing his translation of the violin making notes of Nicholas Lupot, re-publishing his book about the geometry and placement of violin sound holes, and working on his latest book concerning the design methods of the Cremonese violin. Recent restorations at his workshop in Minneapolis include a bass lute by W. Tieffenbrucker, 1601, a six-string violette by Grancino, 1701, a cello by A. F. Mayr, 1737, and a five string piccolo cello by the Kolmern family, Ca. 1730. Many of his restorations can be seen in museums and major collections world-wide.