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After having graduatedfrom high school, where I studied the arts, in
1975 i began my apprenticeship
at the Masetti workshop in Modena, where I worked up until 1980.
 In 1976
I began to take an interest in the hurdy gurdy and its construction, making numerous trips
to instrument makers’ workshops in France, at a time when the instrument was enjoying a
veritable renaissance in traditional folk music circles.
I finished work on my first hurdy gurdy in 1978. It was then
that I began to study how to play the instrument.
In early 1981 I began permanent work at the
Masetti workshop, where I stayed until 1984. I handmade hurdy gurdies, guitars and other
plectrum instruments, according to the traditional methods commonly practised in the
workshop.
I opened my own workshop in
1984 
and continued making handmade hurdy gurdies according to now well proven and
precise models, and guitars which, as I was no longer tied to the traditional techniques used
in the Masetti workshop, were based more on modern day instruments, such as those by Kono
and José Ramirez
At the time I was playing in an ensemble that performed traditional folk music, with a particular
emphasis on our region’s dance music. The group, which I left in 1992, continues to perform today.
A hurdy gurdy of my manufacture won 3rd prize in the Bagnacavallo Young Luthiers Competition in 1984.
My frequent trips to France led to my meeting Cristian Aubin, a concert guitarist
and guitar maker who specialised in making copies of his Torres of 1867. My first
encounter with this Torres was hugely exciting and a real discovery; it had an incredible
depth of sonority that I had never encountered before, amazing when considering the level of
restoration work undertaken on the instrument. This sparked my interest in Spanish late 19th
century instruments, and I began my research into them in earnest. Yet my fascination broadened to encompass other guitar making techniques and
develop a true and comprehensive concept of its construction methods, so much so that I embraced
the principles of both the Spanish school and other makers. In Paris I came into personal contact with
the highly crafted work of Daniel Friederich and began to study in detail each stage that goes into the
making of an instrument, this gave me a practical insight upon which to base my work.
In 1986 my interest in the construction methods perfected by Richard Schneider,
in partnership with Dr. Michael Kasha,
was fostered by reading some magazine articles that had caught my eye and conversations with fellow colleagues.
Their instruments were designed according to scientific precepts based on the theories of the mechanics
of vibration and the use of unconventional materials in their construction.
I won 1st prize in the classical guitar section at the Bagnacavallo National Competition in 1986.
In 1993
I attended a course held by José Luis Romanillos on traditional Spanish classical guitar making techniques
and my interest once again shifted towards traditional methods and Spanish instruments of the late 19th
and early 20th centuries, yet I managed to incorporate a slightly more “scientific” approach gleaned
from more “modern” methods.
In the same year I also won 1st prize and the “Baveno” award at the 1st
International Classical Guitar Making Competition in Baveno.
In 1998 I was invited to give a series of
lectures on guitar making techniques as part of a council run Classical guitar making course held
in Modena by Modena city council and Province for the European Social Foundation.
In 1999 I served on the jury of the International Classical Guitar
Competition of Baveno.
In 2002 I took on a recent graduate of Milan’s Civic School
of Lutherie
as an apprentice. We worked together on a copy of a famous guitar made by
Manuel Ramirez in 1890.
I have been regularly invited since 1986 to give lectures in
specialised schools and at classical guitar seminars.
In 2003 I was invited as guest speaker at a conference organised by the Claudia Augusta
Association on ancient music and musical instruments held at the Castelbrando (Tr).
In 2003 in occasion of Cremona Mondomusica, the most important exibition on instrument making, i organized the presence of 19 contemporary european guitarmaker with a historical classical guitars from A. Torres to Miguel Simplicio and important concerts.
In 2005 I held a short seminar on Guitar making in Sarzana
under the auspices of the International Acoustic Meeting, marking the beginning of a
fruitful collaboration.
In 2006 I repeat the Sarzana Seminar on collaboration with John Monteleone (USA)
My instruments are played in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain,
Portugal, The Netherlands, the USA, Canada, Japan, Korea and Singapore.
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