Franzke String Instruments

Mark Franzke; Artist, Luthier

​Mark Franzke, artist and luthier, built his first mandolin while a Fine Arts student at the University of Kansas. After graduation, Mark began a career in graphic design and illustration, creating some highly detailed airbrushed illustrations.
​In 2005, Mark decided to focus seriously on mandolin building under the name "Flinthills Mandolins." After several requests from customers to use his signature on their instrument, he decided to replace the Flinthills name with "Franzke" to emphasize that each instrument is hand crafted by an individual luthier, not mass produced in a factory setting.
Each instrument is a unique artistic expression based on the whims of the artist and the desires of the customer.
Mark has built over 120 instruments, including mandolins, banjos, guitars and ukuleles.