John Lubbock, a 19th-century English baron, once said, “Happiness is a thing to be practiced, like the violin.”
Tom Pierce takes this adage literally. As the owner of Tom’s Fiddle and Bow in Arnaudville, Louisiana, Pierce sees making and repairing violins as a rewarding craft that takes time.
Originally hailing from Wilmington, Massachusetts, Pierce found his interest in violins following his service in the Navy. While working in shipyards in New Hampshire, Pierce began attending clubs where he witnessed nights of bluegrass musicians playing exclusively on violins and fiddles.
“When they were going to play at this festival in Vermont, I went,” Pierce said. “I heard Vassar Clements play a 20-minute version of ‘Orange Blossom Special.’ I think at that point, I just fell in love with the instrument.”
In 1999, Pierce decided to learn the instrument. After taking lessons, he realized his initiative would be better suited in fabrication rather than music. Pierce completed his first handmade violin after five years of education.
Pierce moved down to Louisiana and teamed up with Mark Taylor, a violinmaker and cultural affiliate from Sunset, Louisiana. The duo opened the shop in May 2006 and Taylor left soon after, with Pierce taking over the business as Tom’s Fiddle and Bow.
The shop specializes in violin repair and the sale of violins, cellos, basses and some guitars. Despite having many years of experience working with the instruments, Pierce is the first to admit the boundaries of his knowledge.
“You’ve got to know your limits,” Pierce said. “That’s the one big thing I’ve learned in the past five years. Know your limits. I can’t do everything on the violin, but I can do a lot.”
While the violin is somewhat of a specialty instrument, Tom’s Fiddle and Bow finds no shortage of clientele. Located near Lafayette, Arnaudville boasts a considerable cultural presence as home to the NUNU Arts and Culture Collective. Acting as a sort of small Cajun hub, Arnaudville’s small-town unity helps to give Pierce’s work a uniquely modest presence. Despite its humble demeanor, Tom’s Fiddle and Bow has catered to several musicians, including John Bucklew, Mitch Reed and Grammy-nominated Cedric Watson.
“My favorite part of the job is coming to work every day and actually fixing things and seeing them work after I’m done,” Pierce said. “It’s like instant gratification. When you make them, it takes a while to hear them make noise. But when you’re fixing them, it’s a lot faster. It’s more gratifying.”
One of Pierce’s most popular events is his jam session, which takes place on the first Sunday of every month. Musicians from Arnaudville and its surrounding area convene at Tom’s Fiddle and Bow to play violin and fiddle music for hours on end. Pierce sees the occasion as a chance to display the instrument’s versatility. The shop is divided into two groups: bluegrass and Cajun music. The sessions start at 1 p.m. and can last through the afternoon.
“I think [Cajun music is] more heartfelt if you like it, if you understand it,” Pierce said of the two styles. “Bluegrass is really fast, always trying to best the guy beside you. Cajun just brings everybody together.”
Violinmaking has its roots in Europe, specifically in Italy. Having recently visited Cremona in the Province of Rome, Pierce explained the evolution the craft has undergone since its origins in the 16th century.
“It was going on there [Italy] in the late 1500s into the 1600s,” Pierce said. “Amati and Stradivari were the big time. They did the old way: no power tools, strict measurements. But that’s all been changing. There are new styles and new materials.”
In the newer school of work, Pierce sees the use of power tools as a way to cut out the meticulous attention to detail that some aspects of the instrument require. In his own labor, Pierce respects tradition while acknowledging the impossibility of perfection.
“I try to go by the specific measurements,” Pierce said. “When you deviate, you have to deviate. It’s all about the sound. I’m still learning how to repair. I’ll try to do the best repair job I can do and when it’s done, I just want to sound as best as it can sound. I’m still trying to keep with the existing measurements that have been there since 1650 or so.”
For the present, Tom’s Fiddle and Bow is located in the heart of Arnaudville’s farming community. If Pierce’s business were to grow past its current rate, he could see some changes coming to the shop to accommodate to a growing demand for the service.
“As far as moving to a different location, that’s not in the plan,” Pierce said. “As far as being a bigger store … when we have our jam, there’s not enough room. I would like to expand the building. Maybe like a B and B or something. I like my job. I get work. People love the jam. If you disrupt that, I don’t know if that’s going to change anything.”
For musicians, there’s the ubiquitous question of what makes a violin a fiddle and vice versa. Pierce explained that, in actuality, there is typically a physical difference in the instruments’ bridges. Fiddles have flatter bridges, which allow for quicker change between strings. This ease results in the usually fast paced style of bluegrass.
Pierce’s intuition and years of experience have helped him stay in business for eight years and counting, and he intends to stay open for years to come.
If you’re a musician and are interested in Tom’s services, Tom’s Fiddle and Bow is located on 204 Fuselier St. in Arnaudville, Louisiana.

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Emily Brauner

Tom Pierce, owner of Tom's Fiddle and Bow, located in Arnaudville, LA has been repairing and selling violins and cellos since 2006.