What about female/women instruments maker and repairer?

After reading this beautiful article about the minority of women in the Irish trad music scene (and I would also add some reasons besides the mentioned, as it is a very complex issue which as to do with history, gender, patriarcal society and politics)…

https://cassandravoices.com/music/its-not-a-case-of-men-vs-women-mise-fosta-in-irish-trad/

…I started asking to myself: where are female or women instruments maker or repairer, especially in IT instruments?

The first one that comes to mind is Solen Lesoeuf: http://sosolaflute.com/

Don’t know of others, though.

Caroline Lacombe, who settled down in Barcelona, Spain, makes mandolins, mandolas, Irish bouzoukis and acoustic basses.
https://www.lacombeinstruments.com/

I know that the keywork on Tony Millyard flutes is done by Sophie Matthews. When I was in Martin Doyle’s shop a couple of years ago a could see a couple of young women hard at work there. Why not call a local wooden instrument repair shop, that world is much larger than wooden flutes, and ask them for their knowledge on the question? I’ll do that as soon as my local guy (sorry, no women in his shop) knows. I’ll add to this when I get his answer.

Not necessarily making trad instruments first and foremost, but Daisy Tempest, Eunju Lee,
Agnieszka Nalazek, Alexandra Pye, and Eugenie Degan are all active makers.

Bruni Jacob, whose workshop is in Markneukirchen (Germany), makes classical mandolins, mandolas and mandoloncellos as well as an interesting "Wappen" mandola. Her site in only in German.
https://bruni-jacob.de/mandolen/mandola-wappenform

Na Píobairí Uilleann website lists Daniela Ferretti as a pipemaker, website for her business below:

http://www.kellehertrad.com/about-us

and in the States Maegen Wells is a luthier who makes some nice looking mandolins - she’s better known for her arch top guitars, but I’ve heard very good feedback from folks who’ve gotten the opportunity to play her mandolins:

http://www.maegenwellsguitars.com/collection

JJ Ryan in Glasgow makes some lovely mandolin family instruments (bouzouki, octave mandolins, guitar bouzouki, etc)

https://www.facebook.com/jjryanmandolins/

My flutes are maintained by a female instrument repair specialist. When I brought in my 8-key for overhaul last year, there was a matching piccolo in the case. I don’t play piccolo, so it has never been worked on since I’ve owned it. She never asked about it, but when I got my flute back, she had fixed a key, installed a pad and fixed a crack. Never mentioned it and no charge.

My Siccama flute was repadded and corked by a woman when I lived in another state.

I was acquainted with Sylvia Woods, a well known maker of harps. Helped her give a workshop on playing harp in sessions.

My local wooden instrument repair guy said that he’s not studied the issue but does belong to a couple of repair discussion groups and judging from their posts he feels like women in the business are outnumbered maybe 4 or 5 to 1. In the local violin world the only woman technician (and shop owner) I know about went out of business (retired) a couple of years ago and a lot of players got their hearts broken. Don’t rely on me too much. My sample is way to small and my knowledge way too little. I can’t think of any reason why women couldn’t/shouldn’t be in the business. Interesting question.

Rose Clancy, Chatham [MA, USA] Fiddle Company http://www.chathamfiddlecompany.com/

Amrey Schaffeld makes nice nyckelharpas:
https://nyckelharpabauerin.de/nyckelharpamaker

Jo Dusepo has worked as a luthier since 2008, and specialises in world and historical stringed instruments. Based in London she makes cobzas, dombras, mandolins, charangos, bandurrias, requinto classical guitars, balalaikas, Mexican vihuelas, jarana jarochas, ouds, lavtas, cuatros and probably other stringed instruments as well.

Pava Knezevic makes A-style mandolins in Texas. I’ve only heard them via YouTube, but by all accounts they are wonderful instruments.
https://www.pavamandolins.com/

There are many women making and repairing musical instruments. Here are just a few:

Heike Horstmann (Germany) pipemaker
Stephanie Benson (USA) uilleann pipes
Tara Connaghan (Ireland) uilleann pipes
Becky Taylor (England) has made some bags, bellows and uilleann chanters.
Sigrun Seifert (USA) violin maker
Wendy Moes (USA) violin maker/repair
Vanna Zambelli (Italy) violin maker
Laura Vigato (Italy) violin maker
Barbara Piccinotti (Italy) violin maker
Caterina Guarneri (Italy - back in the day) violin maker
Daniela Solcà (Italy) violin maker
Katharina Abühl (Italy) violin maker
Helen Michetschläger (England) violin maker
Elspeth Rowe (England)
Carleen Hutchins (USA) violin maker
Pam Anderson (USA) violin maker
Lisbeth Nelson (USA) violin maker
Claire Givens (USA) violin maker
Lynn Hannings (USA) bow maker
Sue Lipkins (USA) bow maker
Martina Hawe (Italy) violin maker
Noemi Viluad (Denmark) violin maker http://noemieviaud.com
Anne Cole (USA) violin maker
Jenny Bailly (USA) violin maker
Jennifer Becker (USA) violin maker
Ada Quaranta (USA) violin maker
Pia Klaembt (USA) violin maker
Isabelle Wilbaux (USA) violin maker
Caitlin Pugh (USA) violin & bow maker
Sharon Que (USA) violin maker and restorer
Elizabeth Schaak (USA) bow maker
Charline Dequincey (Canada) violin maker
Olivia Pelling (Canada) violin maker and restorer
Eva Kingma (Netherlands) flute maker
Solen Lesouf (France) flute maker
Mamie Minch (USA) guitar maker
Chloe Swantner (USA) guitar maker
Kathy Wingert (USA) guitar restorer
Lisa Hahn (USA) guitar maker and restorer
Meredith Coloma (USA) guitar maker
Shelley Park (USA) guitar maker
Joshia de Jonge (USA) guitar maker
Noemi Scrembri (Italy) guitar maker
Sharleen Simmons (Canada) guitar maker
Jenny Warner (USA) mandolin maker
Alsi Pava Knezevic (USA) mandolin maker
Astrid Pullar (Sweden) violin maker
Susan Stedman (Sweden) violin maker
Nadine Nilsson (Sweden) violin maker

Alison Wylie, settled long ago in France, maker of celtic-style harps.
https://clarsach.pagesperso-orange.fr/uk_pages/uk_menu.htm

Renee Karnes is a briljant banjo builder/repairer

Jayne Henderson in Asheville, NC makes beautiful guitars & ukuleles. She apprenticed with her renowned father Wayne Henderson.

Stacy (don’t know last name) makes the Alba whistles out of Scotland.

Alba’s whistles are made by Stacey O’Gorman in Scotland

I don’t have names off the top of my head, but there are a number of female violin makers out there now.

Marianne Ganzer
Easthampton, MA, USA

In Ireland - I got some good work done on two fiddles about 7 years ago by Kate Thompson near Kinvara Co Galway, her website is http://www.wildgoatfiddles.com

Linda Manzer (Canada)
Cyndy Burton (USA)

Neither specialize in IT instruments and I understand Cyndy has largely retired from along career building classical guitars but still does custom French Polish finish work I believe. Manzer’s work seems most well-known for her various multi-neck creations.

Another place one might search would be the archives of The Guild of American Luthiers at luth.org

FYI…sad to say violin family instruments innovator/experimenter Carleen Hutchins passed away in 2009

https://cassandravoices.com/music/musician-of-the-month-judith-retzlik/

Thanks for the link about Cassandra Voices, Juan.

"Misogyny in all it’s subtle and not so subtle forms needs to be denied air time for good.

Music, to me, is the most powerful force on earth for bringing people together and none more so than Traditional Irish music. I believe we can figure this one out."

Louise O’Connor is a fiddle player, sean nós dancer and hosts Music As podcast where she interviews guests about the role music plays in their lives.

Friederike Linscheid makes beautiful nylon string (classical) guitars. She repairs guitars too.

https://www.gitarrenbau-linscheid.de/
https://www.berlinluthiers.com/en/friederike-linscheid/

Though her guitars are mainly used by classical guitarists, in an Irish trad context Dave Flynn owns one of her guitars and has used it in concerts accompanying musicians like Paddy Glackin, Charlie Lennon, Tommy Peoples, Mairtin O’Connor, Martin Hayes and Liz Carroll. He uses it in Irish Memory Orchestra concerts too.

Baerbel Bellinghausen, violin maker:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG-DajvRcIE

play video