A while back I did a little blog piece on the life and work Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737). It is appropriate that I began with him because he is not only the world’s most famous maker of violins and cellos but he probably the most famous instrument maker of all time – with apologies to Henry Steinway, Leo Fender and a few other notables.  Stradivari or Stradivarius was the single most important figure in the development of the modern violin family of instruments. That being

Quick, name the greatest trumpet maker of all time? No takers? How about the father of saxophone builders? If you mention guitars someone would probably come up with Leo Fender but that is the electric guitar. Few outside of the esoteric world classical guitarists would come up with Antonio de Torres Jurado as the definitive guitar builder. A few might mention Henry Steinway in regards to pianos but who would mention Cristofori as the true progenitor of the keys? What is my p