On February 12th, NAMM’s Dan Del Fiorentino sent the following regarding the passing of Fritz Kollitz, founder of Fritz Kollitz Fine Tone Woods:
Without a doubt, one of my favorite components of an interview is gathering in-depth details of a given topic from a passionate expert of the various segments of our industry. Never was there such a profound example of this than when I interviewed Fritz Kollitz! What clearly came through within his interview was his passion. He made the subject of tonewood compelling and interesting because of his knowledge and because he clearly cared about providing the best products possible for his customers. Just listening to him explain the process of drying wood for musical instruments becomes of interest because of his dedication to the topic. And he was a very kind person who supported his son, Oliver, when he turned the company over to retire. He remained in a supportive role until his passing on February 11.
Last month at the NAMM Show his son was presented the Milestone Award to honor his father and the company.
Here is a special segment we produced from Fritz' NAMM Oral History interview, which was conducted in Frankfurt in 2008.
Looking Back on 2025: A Year of Controlled Chaos (Emphasis on “Controlled”)