Toni De Stefano was born in Milan on October 13th 1975. In 1999 he enrolled at the Civic School of Luthiery in Milan where, over the years, he learned the most refined techniques concerning the construction of plucked instruments. Simultaneously with the duration of the courses, a question arises in practice the teachings received; immediately began a construction of classical guitars according to the ancient Spanish tradition.
In 2004 he finished his studies at the Civic School of Luthiers in Milan specializing in the construction of musical instruments with a pinch for ancient music.
Hello, he begins a post-diploma internship in Bologna at the violin maker Anna Radice, where he explores the constructive themes of the time instruments of the Baroque period.
Thanks to the collaboration with various professionals in the musical field has deepened in recent years the techniques of construction and repair of musical instruments a pinch ranging from the nineteenth century to the present day.
The most important thing about an instrument is obviously the sound. Understanding how to produce it, managing to control it and refining its quality is a research that I believe occupies the whole life of a luthier.
Personally, after the Civic of Milan, I began to "make my bones" by studying and replicating historical instruments, just to understand through those projects what generated so different a sound. Woods, chains, thicknesses and anything else have taught me the properties of each, to recognize them first of all, then to "imagine" them to finally find a personal project.
To an instrument I ask first of all the clarity of the sound, bright singers, strong bass and persistent but not too dark. Then I try to make sure that these qualities stand out throughout the keyboard, that there are no critical areas.
That every note in short - save the difference of the timbre - is very clear even if played on the other strings.
Like everybody I'm looking for sustain and projection, but I would not conquer them at the expense of the colors and the variety of the timbres.
The creation of instruments is totally manual and cured exclusively in laboratory.
