Enzo Guido
Italian Luthier
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
– 1980-present: restore wooden artwork (examples: wooden choir stall at the San Marcuola Church in Venice; wooden choir stall at the Cathedral in Chioggia, antique guildings, musical instruments (examples: fortepiano ‘Cameretto’, Vienna, 1839), ‘A.Kessler’ guitar, Austria, 1830ca., antique furniture, vintage boats.
– 1990: started experimenting with my first models of classical guitar.
– 1998-present: actively work in guitar-making field; specialize in building 100% hand-made classical guitars; design my own models and reproduce antique instruments
– 1998-present: apply my expertise of organic architecture to designing and building custom-made eco-friendly furniture.
In all of the above mentioned activities, I use exclusively eco-friendly materials and products (varnishes, parasitecides, glues, etc.).
EDUCATION/TRAINING
– October 2003: a course in ecological design in Dornach (Basel), Switzerland.
– 1998-present: courses in organic architecture taught by Enzo Nastati and Maurizio Lazzarotto in Monselice (Italy).
– 1992: won a scholarship to ‘Centro Europeo di Venezia per i Mestieri della Conservazione del Patrimonio Architettonico’ (‘European Center for Conservational Crafts for the Architectonic Heritage in Venice’).
– 1979-1982: studied classical guitar with Professor Angelo Amato, a student of Andres Segovia.
– 1975-1990: apprenticed to master craftman Giuseppe Bullo in Chioggia ; studied carving, sculpting, guilding, restoration, French polishing, furniture making, luthiery, etching and printing.
CONFERENCES, EXHIBITS AND OTHER
– May 2005: held a presentation in Rovigo (Italy), entitled ‘The Music Box – birth of the modern six-string guitar, from 1780 to present’
– Oct-Dec 2004: taught a carving course at ‘La Comunità Diurna di Campalto (Venice)’ – a clinic for former drug-addicts.
– February 2004: held a presentation in Figline Val D’Arno (Florence) on guitar making.
– April 2004: exhibited guitars at the LuthierbExhibit in Adria (Italy).
– 2003: exhibited guitars at the Luthier Exhibit in Ales sandria (Italy).
– May 2003: exhibited custom-made furniture at the Sample Trade Fair – ‘Ecological Design’ section – in Padua (Italy).
– June 1999: and participated at the Medieval Fair in Chioggia (Italy), demonstrated
– June 2000: typical medieval wood-carving techniques and decorations.
I actively collaborate with world famous guitar players (Ms.Filomena Moretti , Mr.Massimo Scattolin , Mr.Ennio Guerrato) as well as numerous professors at music conservatories in Italy who play my instruments.” – extracted from Enzo Guido
Having experience with Italian Luthiers who are “outside” of the norm, I know we are in for a treat, much in the vein of Giacomo Guadagna and Luciano Maggi. Enzo studied and apprenticed with Guiseppe Bullo specializing in wood carvings, sculptures and etchings. Guilding and restoration work followed. Studies with Maestro Angelo Amato for classical guitar led Enzo to a perfect blend of artistry regarding the building of classical instruments. His studies at Centro Europeo del Restauro in Venice allowed him to refine is techniques, including the application of ancient recipes for primers and finishing.
Enzo Guido and his work can be found here on our site.
