Donatella Salvato hails from a lineage of skilled wood carvers and inlayers, with a robust background in the crafts. She earned a diploma in Graphic Arts and pursued cello studies at the Conservatory of Padua. Over a 25-year career as a cabinet maker, Donatella honed her skills across all facets of woodworking, which later influenced her transition to luthiery. She draws inspiration from legendary luthiers, reinterpreting their designs to meet contemporary sound requirements and personal instinct. Donatella has developed her own unique designs by studying and refining various construction techniques and procedures. She meticulously crafts each component in her workshop, employing scientific instruments to test the quality rigorously. Using only high-quality, naturally seasoned woods and a stress-reducing ‘vacuum-gluing’ process, she ensures the finest build of her instruments. Donatella’s dedication to craftsmanship is evident as she also makes her own rosettes and uses only French polish to finish her instruments, focusing intently on the sound’s beauty, sustain, and the instrument’s responsiveness and comfort.
In 2021, Donatella achieved significant recognition at the “XII Concorso internazionale de Liuteria, Pisogne, Italy (BS),” winning both a gold and a silver medal. Today, she continues to craft various guitar models such as ‘Hommage à Daniel Friederich’, ‘Cedar Power’, ‘Ommagio a Granada’, and the ‘New Classic Model’. Each model showcases the natural sound and strong personality typical of Donatella’s creations, affirming her status as a true artist in the realm of guitar making.
The Craft
Classical guitar construction at concert level demands years of accumulated knowledge: how individual pieces of timber vibrate, how bracing patterns affect tonal balance, how small changes in geometry shift the character of an instrument. A finished concert guitar typically represents several hundred hours of hand work. Every decision — wood selection, arch height, brace dimensions — shapes what a player can do with the finished instrument.
