Reghin: Romania's Cremona and the Future of Luthiery

A city, a craft, a forest

There are cities that carry a craft as part of their identity. Cremona, in Italy, has been synonymous with the violin since Stradivari. Less known outside specialized circles, Reghin in the heart of Transylvania fulfils the same role for Romania and, to a large extent, for all of Central Europe. Here, in the shadow of the Gurghiu Mountains, tens of thousands of string instruments are made each year, reaching concert stages in Tokyo, New York and Berlin. And yet, those who make them fear that after them, no one will remain.

Reghin's reputation was not built by chance. The area boasts a rare natural advantage: centuries-old forests of curly maple and spruce, the two wood species without which a violin cannot exist. Curly maple, hard and reflective, forms the back, ribs and neck of the instrument. Spruce, light and elastic, makes up the soundboard, the surface that transforms string vibration into sound. The acoustic quality of an instrument depends directly on the density and uniformity of the wood grain, and the climatic conditions of the Reghin area — long winters, temperate summers, moderate altitude — create exactly the right parameters.

A serious luthier lets the wood dry for at least five years before using it. A high-quality violin requires approximately 300 hours of work, and the drying time of the raw material is the prerequisite without which no work can begin.

1951: The first year and the first 37 violins

The modern history of luthiery in Reghin begins in 1951, when master craftsman Roman Boianciuc founded the Hora factory, the first systematic string instrument production unit in Romania. In that first year, the factory produced only 37 violins.

The factory expanded rapidly. In 1952 mandolin production began, in 1953 guitars. By 1980, Hora was producing 99,000 instruments per year. In 2024, the figure exceeded 140,000.

This achievement has a single centre: Reghin.

The private generation: Gliga, Bandila and workshop after workshop

The Hora factory also served as a school. Generations of luthiers trained in its workshops, perfected their technique and then opened their own ateliers. Gliga, founded in 1991, is the best-known example. Vasile Gliga built a string instrument factory that exports to over 60 countries. Bandila, another important name, produces instruments with a high level of finish.

Reghin currently has several instrument makers, from factories with hundreds of employees to individual masters working alone. Each brings their own personality to the instrument, but they all share the same material culture and the same raw material source.

Cremona versus Reghin: an honest comparison

The comparison with Cremona constantly recurs in discussions about Reghin, and it is not without reason. Both cities have a centuries-old tradition in violin making. Both have world-class workshops. But there are structural differences.

The difference is not one of absolute quality, but of positioning and recognition. An individual luthier from Reghin can produce instruments at the level of a Cremona workshop. What they lack is the context: an ecosystem of recognition, certifications, niche market access and direct contact with professional musicians.

The crisis few discuss

The craft in Reghin faces a structural problem that does not appear in statistics but comes up in every conversation with local luthiers: the lack of successors. The generation currently sustaining the quality level of the workshops was mostly born in the eighth decade of the last century. "After us, there is no one," some of them say — a statement which, even if hyperbolic, points to a real trend.

Approximately four million Romanians have emigrated in recent decades, and young people from Reghin are no exception. The craft of luthiery demands patience, years of apprenticeship and a tolerance for delayed reward that few young people are willing to invest when the alternatives — a job in IT, construction in Western Europe or services — are more easily accessible and more quickly remunerative. Luthiery schools exist, but they are not sufficient to compensate for the natural loss through retirement of the current generation of masters.

This crisis is not unique to Reghin. It is found in Cremona, in Mittenwald (Germany) and in every other traditional luthiery centre. The difference is that in Cremona there are active institutional support programmes, European funding and an international visibility that constantly attracts apprentices from around the world. Reghin does not yet have these instruments.

Ce ar putea schimba traiectoria

The solutions discussed in specialized circles revolve around a few directions. The first is formal education — funded apprenticeship programmes, scholarships for young people from rural areas, partnerships between factories and vocational schools. The second is branding — building a territorial "Reghin" brand similar to the DOC in winemaking, which would give instruments from the area a recognised identity on international markets. The third is digitalisation — online presence, access to global markets through direct sales channels and marketing aimed at professional musicians and conservatories.

There are also examples showing that change is possible. Jonaco Violins, Simon Musical Instruments and other companies from Reghin have managed to build globally recognised brands through export and consistent quality.

75 years and an open question

In 2026, it will be 75 years since the first violin was made in Reghin. It is a moment that deserves to be celebrated, but also critically examined. What has been built over these decades is remarkable: a unifying and diverse production ecosystem, capable of supplying markets on every continent.

The question that remains open is not whether Reghin has earned the title of Romania's Cremona. It deserves it, and the evidence is overwhelming. The question is whether it will manage to keep it.