
Toni de Stefano
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Toni De Stefano was born on 13th of October 1975 in Milan. In 1999 he joined the Civic School of Luthery of Milan where he learned the most refined techniques for the construction of stringed instruments. At the same time he practiced what he learned at school on making classical guitars as the ancient Spanish tradition did.
In 2004 he finished his studies, highly specialised in building of plucked antique musical instruments. Afterwards he began a post-diploma practical training in Bologna with the Lutemaker Anna Radice, where he gained deeper knowledge and ability in the construction of stringed instruments of the baroque period.
By partnering with other professionals in the music field he has deepened in these years the construction techniques and repairs stringed instruments dated from the 19th century until today.
PHILOSOPHY
The most important thing of an instrument is obviously the sound. Understanding how to produce it, being able to control and sharpen the quality is a research that occupies the entire of a luthier life.
Personally, after Civic School of Luthery of Milan, I began to "make me the bones" by studying and replicating the historical instruments, just to understand through those projects what generated a much different sound.
Woods, bracing, thicknesses and anything else they taught me the properties of each. To an instrument I ask first of all clearness of sound, brightest cantini, bass strong and persistent but not too gloomy. Then I try to make sure that these quality stand out across the keyboard, there are no critical areas to recognize first of all, then to "imagine" to finally find a personal project. In short, that every note - without prejudice to the difference of the stamp - it is very clear even if played on the other strings. Like everyone I am looking for the sustain and projection, but I would not win them at the expense of the colors and the variety of timbres.
The creation of the instruments is totally manual and edited exclusively in the laboratory.