Hans Johannsson is a skilled craftsman who creates violins, violas, cellos, double basses, and various other stringed instruments. His love for the violin began in his grandfather Gudjon Halldorsson's cabinet-making workshop in Reykjavík, Iceland. After completing his studies with distinction at the Newark School of Violin Making in Great Britain under Maurice Bouette and Glen Collins in 1980, and later receiving a master's diploma from the Icelandic Arts and Crafts Council in 1982, Hans has been crafting instruments for professional musicians worldwide.

Hans develops his instruments based on his own unique model, continually evolving the design of outlines and proportions. He rarely creates copies, believing that the renowned masters of the past all established their own distinct styles within a classical theme. To Hans, imitation is only useful for educational purposes, as he prefers to contribute his own creative touch to his instruments.