Violin making was also at home in Rötenbach. Even Beethoven played on a ‘Straubbratsche’. The maker, Johann Straub, moved from Rudenberg to Rötenbach to practise his craft here, and Straub's violins were characterised by a very good sound, even if the instruments were rather inconspicuous. The Straub family made many instruments, which were sold along the Rhine as far as Holland and along the Danube as far as Hungary. With the death of the violin maker Johann Georg Straub, the violin trade in Rötenbach died out. It was not revived until 1929 by the skilled violin maker Josef Bier. Bier's violins were made with great care. Josef Bier chose the wood for the violins himself. It was only allowed to be felled between 24 December and 6 January and was stored for 5 to 7 years. Bier's violins are still highly sought-after instruments today, characterised by their craftsmanship and beautiful sound. Josef Bier trained his younger brother Alfons as a violin maker, but he did not practise the craft after his apprenticeship. With the death of Josef Bier, the violin craft in Rötenbach died out.