My wood stocks are decades old European maple and spruce, which I have selected from woodcutters in Italy and Germany. Chosen for beauty and acoustic excellence, they repose for years in an unheated loft where the cycles of winter cold and summer heat further season them. After moving to the shop to acclimatize for several years, each piece is individually trimmed to make the best possible use of its inherent characteristics and virtues, ensuring superior tone, structural stability, and security for the player.

All the parts of the instrument, down to the blocks, linings, and purfling are made by me in my workshop.

My approach to the legendary Italian varnish has focused on historical practice, traditional methods, and rejecting any attempts to age wood prematurely with chemical treatments or by baking. Isaac Newton was asked how he had solved the problem of planetary motion, which had mystified humanity for millennia. “By thinking of it without ceasing,” was his reply. Just so with my varnish process, which I have never stopped trying to improve.

My instruments are not antiqued, allowing each owner the opportunity to imprint their own individual patina of age. The first owner of the instrument gets to leave their mark on the instrument’s varnish, creating a subtle interplay between my work and the dynamic of their musical life.