Italian Luthiers
Major Italian Luthiers
Andrea Amati (1505-1577) – Credited with inventing the first violin. Founder of the Cremonese School of violin-making.
Gasparo Bertolotti or Gasparo da Salò (1540-1609) – One of the earliest violin-makers. Founder of the Brescian School of violin-making.
Giovanni Paolo Maggini (1580-1630) – One of the best known violin-makers of the Brescian School.
Nicola Amati (1596-1684) – One of the best known luthiers of the Amati family. Teacher of the illustrious luthiers of the Cremonese School, possibly including Antonio Stradivari.
Francesco Ruggieri (c. 1630-1698) – He was the first to develop a smaller cello design, which has become the standard for modern cello dimensions. His masterfully-constructed instruments are considered nearly as renowned as Nicolò Amati's instruments.
Andrea Guarneri (1626-1698) – Founder of the Guarneri family of distinguished luthiers in Cremona. His Conte Vitale viola of 1676 is one of the most copied viola patterns today.
Giovanni Grancino (1637-1709) – One of the early Milanese luthiers. His violins, violas, cellos and double basses are considered among the most superior instruments of the Milanese School.
Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737) – Universally recognized as the greatest luthier in history. His instruments, known as Stradivarius, are regarded as amongst the finest bowed stringed instruments ever created, are highly prized, and are still played by professionals today.
Pietro Giovanni Guarneri or Pietro da Mantova (1655-1720) – Today his instruments are highly regarded, though quite rare.
Carlo Bergonzi (1683-1747) – The first and most noted member of the illustrious Bergonzi family of luthiers from Cremona. Today his instruments are highly valued for their workmanship and tone.
Domenico Montagnana (1686-1650) – Regarded as one of the finest violin and cello makers of his time. His instruments, particularly his cellos, are extremely sought after by orchestras, musicians, collectors and museums.
Pietro II Guarneri or Pietro da Venezia (1695-1762) – The last violin-maker of the illustrious Guarneri family of luthiers. His instruments are rare and very highly prized.
Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù (1698-1744) – Universally recognized as one of the greatest luthiers of all time. He is the only other maker whose instruments are accorded a respect and reverence equal to Stradivari. For many prominent players and collectors his instruments are considered even more coveted than Stradivari's.
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (1711-1786) – Regarded as one of the finest craftsmen of string instruments in history. He is widely considered the third greatest maker after Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù.
Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi (c. 1714-1787) – Considered among the finest stringed instrument makers in history, together with Stradivari, Guarneri del Gesu and Guadagnini.
Minor Italian Luthiers
Giovan Giacomo Dalla Corna (c. 1485-1560) – One of the earliest luthiers of the Brescian School.
Zanetto Micheli (c. 1489-1560) – The first representative of the oldest known family of string instrument makers from Brescian School.
Pellegrino Micheli (c. 1520-1607) – One of the most important figures in the early history of the violin. He was one of the first makers of the Brescian School.
Antonio Amati (c. 1540-1607) and Girolamo Amati (1561-1630) – Brothers whose instruments, modeled on those of their father Andrea Amati, were widely copied in Italy, the Netherlands and England.
Mattia Albani (1634-1673) – Founder of a dynasty of violin makers. Violins built by the Albani family were played by Arcangelo Corelli.
Giovanni Battista Rogeri (c. 1642-1710) – One of the major makers of the Brescan School.
Alessandro Gagliano (1660-1728) – Founder of the Neapolitan School of violin making.
Vincenzo Ruggieri (1663-1719) – His instruments are noted for their craftsmanship and tone quality.
Carlo Giuseppe Testore (c. 1665-1738) – Especially valued for his double basses.
Giuseppe Giovanni Battista Guarneri (c. 1666-1740) – Violin maker from the prominent Guarneri family of luthiers.
Carlo Annibale Tononi (1675-1730) – One of the foremost makers of the Venetian School.
Carlo Antonio Testore (1687-1765) – Maker of violins and cellos noted for their excellent tonal quality.
Nicolò Gagliano (1695-1758) – He made many admirable instruments, which were often imitated. Some have been mistaken for those of Stradivari. His work represents the pinnacle of Neapolitan violin-making.
Santo Serafin or Sanctus Seraphin (1699-1776) – His work is among the most attractive and refined of the Venetian school, and the tone quality and materials are generally superb. Cellos are especially sought-after.
Lorenzo Storioni (1744-1816) – One of the last master violin makers of the Cremonese School.
Pasquale Vinaccia (1806-1885) – Official instrument-maker for the Queen of Italy. He improved the mandolin, known today as the Neapolitan Mandolin. His use of steel strings has become the dominant way of stringing mandolins.
Gaetano Sgarabotto (1878-1959) and Pietro Sgarabotto (1903-1990) – Father and son dynasty of luthiers who profoundly influenced the violin making schools of Parma, Cremona and elsewhere.
