Tony Padday, Luthier

The wonderful Instrument maker Tony Padday gets quizzed. Have a look at his website and see some of his beautiful instruments.( I am biased he made my cello)


How did you come to making cellos?

I grew up with instruments around all the time. My Dad had an idea to hang cellos and violins on the wall with the idea that it would encourage us to play them as they could be just picked up and used rather than having to open a case etc etc.If your’e a cellist with a rubbish case you’ll know exactly what I’m getting at.
Problem was that I became much more interested in how they were made than wanting to practice.


It takes a lot of patience : grooving, sticking, waiting for things to set. Do you enjoy the process, or would you rather it could be done faster?

Actually, no. You never need patience if you love what you’re doing. The patience is only a problem if you have 2 or more thoughts in your head when you are concentrating. One thought only from beginning to end. To make the greatest instrument you’ve ever made. It’s the same for actors, musicians, artists I guess. When you get really clever then…. Well maybe.


In Mali the Kora player spends 4 years learning to make their instrument before they play it, do you think we could learn from that in the west?

No I don’t like the idea at all. First The idea of having a musician around all day trying to make an instrument when they should be practicing would just annoy me. Second. It takes so much dedication to become a great musician that I think that any spare time would be best used meeting/seeing other great artists work. A trip to an art gallery or theatre would be an obvious example.

You live in a beautiful part of the world where the Glastonbury festival takes place. If someone told you that you had to leave your land because they found some oil underneath it what would you do?

I would spend a some time making sure I got a good percentage from the mercenary bastards who wanted to pump out the oil out of the ground. Once I’d achieved that I’d move on. Some things you just can’t change!

Twas a loaded question as we are allowing it to happen all over the world. How can we connect with what we feel is beyond our own sphere of influence?

Great question. I think that doing what you believe in if at all possible is the only way forward. If you really want to influence the life around you go into politics. If you have a great idea you believe in then do it. If then the idea you have really stands up, the influence it can have can be quite extraordinary.

You said hearing Bowie in your backgarden was a great experience. If Branson gets his act together and starts his flights that orbit the earth, would you be up for it?

No. I’m not to fussed about that idea. But if Bowie played Glastonbury again well that’s another matter entirely.

How are your dancing skills do you have a few moves?

Sorry I’m crap. No other way to put it really.

If David Cameron became ill and you were the man they turned to, what would be the first thing you would do?

Me. Run the country for a day.Mmmmmmmmmmmm. I like the idea of the May day bank holiday becoming a culture day. On government backed token each to give everyone a free ticket to a museum/concert/festival etc etc. Each to their own. Then everyone gets out to where they want to go. The performers get paid. The spin offs would be huge. If the Olympics are profitable then this will work better.


Do you think modern instruments are closing the gap on the old Italian masters, or is their extortionate price still justified?

The arguments about the difference between new and old instruments will go on for ever. The great old instruments are amazing. The great new instruments are amazing. If as a cellist you have several million quids worth of wood between your legs that is quite kool. It’s a big ask for any musician to not be impressed by its incredible value. I’m personally fine with great old masters selling for high prices. Look at the art market. For centuries the old masters ruled the high prices. Now the impressionist have taken over the driving seat. In a hundread years tenmodern instruments could very easily do the same. Don’t forget you heard it here first.

Is classical music destined to be an elitist occupation?

No not at all. Classical music like classical art, literature etc etc takes time and education to understand. The reflection of the education system in this country (and may others) points to a systematic dumbing down.


Finally are you a baked beans man,or spaghetti hoops. Yes it does matter?

Big question. Baked beans all the way. Spaghetti hoops – never.