My name is Marco, I live and work in Dovera (Cr), in the countryside of Cremona, my laboratory is located in an old water mill, where there is also a rural culture museum. Since I was young I have always had a passion for guitar and I loved playing it, but what really made me curious was to find out how did the instrument play, how that sound was generated and what were the techniques, the materia
ls and the rules behind this natural magic. So in 2006 I finally enrolled at the Lutherie School in Milan, attended it for 4 years that have represented a very important lapse of time to me, I still remember the smell of wood that the building released. Commitment and sacrifices have been my daily bread during those years, and that became even more clear when I decided to create my first lab in my house’ garage, where I used to exercise on the weekend. Now I can enjoy my new laboratory inside the mill, where I give life to my guitars. I am a great lover of jazz, particularly Manouche or GypsyJazz, and as a natural consequence I love guitars that play that kind of music. The main activity in my workshop is dedicated to the construction and maintenance of Manouche and acoustic guitars, but also all the other plucked string instruments. In all of my works I give a special attention to the philological aspect linked to research and restoration. Building one of my jazz guitar requires almost 200 hours of work, and this process is usually divided into four major steps:
First of all, after the design phase, I choose the type of wood that best suits the instrument I’m going to create. Each wood has its own peculiarities, the biggest challenge is to learn how to deal with an apparently dead material and give it a new life, but most of all it is fundamental being able to grasp the main features and find the perfect harmony between different materials. The second step is the construction of the single parts, where every single component of the instrument is assembled and finished. Third phase is the painting; a very important step, that often coincides with the secret of the luthier since it depends on the layers of paint applied directly or in the preparation of the wood. The fourth and final part is the assembling of the instrument, when it is prepared to be strung for the first time: mechanics are mounted, capo is prepared, you work the bridge and mount the tailpiece and finally you put the strings on it. The last adjustments or changes to improve the playability and the guitar is ready to be played! My work as a luthier plays a fundamental role in the artistic life of a musician.
