Italy has always had a reputation as the centre of fine string instrument making - and for a good reason.

From the days of the Old Masters like Nicolo Amati and Antonio Stradivari, all the way to the present, a careful balance of tradition and innovation have made Italy synonymous with fine Violins.

While certainly not the only place where one can find high quality musical instruments, Italian makers reliably produce violin violas and cellos of a very high level.

MyLuthier was started on a visit to Cremona and over the years we have developed relationships with some of the finest craftsmen in Italy.

We like them not just for their exceptional work, but also for their warm personalities and embrace of new ways of doing things:

• Luca Salvadori
• Daniele Tonarelli
• Edgar Russ
• Fiorella Anelli
• Marco Cargnelutti

Luca Salvadori

The Cremonese luthier Luca Salvadori is one of the great craftsmen of his generation. His instruments possess a unique sense of proportion and refinement that few makers can achieve.

He has won numerous prizes at International Violin Making Competitions in the USA, Italy and France.

His instruments are visually striking: the incredible varnish and careful choice of wood creates violins that immediately stand out while always maintaining a sense of elegance.

The sound is dark, subtle and enticing and certainly matches the looks.

Here's an example of Luca's work

Daniele Tonarelli

Daniele Tonarelli is one of the most established violin makers is Cremona, Italy. Working with his young and talented assistant Davide Pizzolato, he makes violins that are ready to be played the moment they leave the workshop.

His models range from Guarneri del Gesù to Guadagnini and Stradivari violins.

Every violin is treated with attention and care, resulting in all his instruments being of exceptional quality.

A characteristic of his sound is that it will easily project while maintaining an elegance and beauty reminiscent of the old masters.

They are highly regarded all over the world and are favoured by some of today’s young international violin soloists.

Here's an example of Daniele's work

Fiorella Anelli

Milan born Fiorella Anelli makes instruments of classic Italian style, in the old Cremonese tradition.

She takes great care in the choice of woods, mainly using spruce from Val di Fiemme and Balkan maple for their excellent acoustic properties.

Fiorella’s violins are powerful, bright and rich. We particularly like her baroque instruments which have a round full sound, very resonant and impressive projection and are very comfortable to play on – even for someone not used to a baroque setup.

Here's an example of Fiorella's work

Edgar Russ

Edgar Russ is a big name with an even bigger personality in the world of contemporary Italian violin making.

He has managed to build an impressive following over the years, meaning his instruments are valued all over the world.

We have had the opportunity to try many of Edgar’s excellent violins and cellos, and the one thing that stands out is his versatility as a maker.

No two instruments are ever alike but they always carry Edgar’s confident hand.

Sound characteristics can vary from dark and introspective to bright and projecting depending on the model.

Here's an example of Edgar's work

Marco Cargnelutti

The youngest maker in our list, Marco Cargnelutti creates works of impressive sound quality and craftsmanship.

Based in Udine, Italy, he is also the only maker not based in Cremona on this article.

We like Marco’s instruments because of their distinctive personality from a player’s point of view: there is a good edge to the sound, satisfying attack and double stops tend to ring particularly well.

We think he is definitely a maker to watch!

Here's an example of Marco's work

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