The Cavaquinho

Played by hand from start to finish, a wood stump becomes art.

The first time Diogo Valente built a string instrument alone, he was sitting on his porch with a handful of generic tools and half-baked ideas. The result produced a rather mediocre sound, but his calling echoed louder: he wanted to get better and do this for the rest of his life.

From a purpose, he carved talent. From talent, he carved dedication.

At 29, through self-taught learning and the shared experience and knowledge of José Gonçalves - whom he considers his master with over 30 years of experience - he mastered his craft and became a young national prodigy. Today, we can think of him as the rock star of string instrument making, which is the exact opposite of a rock star. He lives in quietude. Solitude is his greatest success. He is only known within the niche of musicians (professional or leisure). It takes him a month and a half to finish an instrument. We are serious - do not order if you are in a hurry.

The Cavaquinho, from the luxury range, is a work of art in permanent reinvention: from the moment it is built to the moment it is played, string after string, note after note, year after year.

It is made to last. It is something that all owners of a Valente instrument know: it will very likely outlive them. That is part of its beauty.