Francesco Piasentini began his journey as a luthier in Cremona. There he earned a diploma in violin making from the A. Stradivari Institute in 2001. That same year, he also graduated from the University of Padua with a degree in Materials Engineering, presenting a thesis on the characterisation of spruce wood for violin soundboards. The results of his research were later published in the Catgut Acoustical Society Journal. In the years that followed, he divided his time between academic research at the University of Padua and workshop experience. He worked as an assistant in the workshop of Giovanni Lazzaro, where he was involved in both restoration and the construction of new instruments. In 2015, he established his own workshop, focusing on the making of new instruments and the application of industrial X-ray computed tomography to the field of violin making. Over time, he has carried out diagnostic imaging studies on instruments by some of the most important Italian makers, from the Renaissance through to 20th-century masters. His instruments are faithful copies of selected Italian masterpieces, sought after for their acoustic quality and ease of response. He is actively involved in international research projects on the acoustic and mechanical properties of string instruments, collaborating with colleagues across Europe and around the world.
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