Antonio Marchese

Montafia, Piedmont, Italy

Antonio Marchese, born in 1992, is a young Italian master luthier devoted to traditional classical guitars and the restoration of historical plucked instruments. He trained for six years at the Civica Scuola di Liuteria in Milan, four in construction, organology, and acoustic physics, followed by two specializing in restoration, then apprenticed with the noted luthier Enrico Bottelli in Voghera, where his fascination with the Spanish tradition took root. In 2019 he opened his own workshop in Montafia, in Piedmont's Monferrato hills, and since 2024 he has taught classical guitar construction at the Accademia di Liuteria Piemontese in Turin.

Marchese builds three lines: the Concerto, the Speciale, and the Storico, historically minded reproductions that pursue the structural concept and tonal goals of the great Spanish makers rather than strict visual copies. His Garcia based instruments feature light eight fan bracing, shellac French polish, handcrafted wooden mosaics, and headstocks and rosettes drawn from historical sources, all filtered through his own sensibility as a builder. The results sound every bit the traditional instruments they are: natural, old world warmth carried on a clean, meticulous modern build, with even sustain and notes that bloom and stay rich in overtones.

The 2026 Garcia Special that came through our shop stopped us in our tracks. From the first chord it sang, balancing an intimate, sweet character with real growl when pushed, and its satinwood body produced a voice so deep and rich we would never have guessed the wood blind. Most telling of all, we sat it beside century old instruments by Garcia and Simplicio in our showroom, and it did not shrink in the slightest. That is rare for a new guitar, and it says a great deal about the level Marchese is building at. Our expert team welcomes inquiries about future arrivals.