Handmade instruments become complete in the hands of a musician. Meet the artists who have made Soul of Strings part of their sound.
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North Macedonia · Fusion / Rock
Vlatko Stefanovski
Guitarist · Composer · Founder of Leb i Sol
A defining guitarist of the former Yugoslav music scene, Vlatko Stefanovski is celebrated for a singular language that brings Macedonian musical tradition into rock, jazz and contemporary improvisation.
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The first thing that struck me was how exceptionally light it is. I have never tried or seen a lighter Telecaster.
Recorded after his first session with a Soul of Strings guitar
Recorded impression
Pure playing pleasure
The precision of the build, the quality of the neck and frets won him over at first sight. Stefanovski also singled out the body’s old tonewood and its distinctive resonance. His final measure was simple and exacting: playing must remain pure pleasure — never a burden, never an effort.
Dragi Jelić co-founded YU Grupa in 1970 and helped shape a landmark sound that joined hard rock and progressive riffs with traditional Balkan melody. His playing has carried that identity across more than five decades.
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Even unplugged, they already sound beautiful. I like that they are visually very distinctive and original.
Recorded while trying Soul of Strings instruments
Recorded impression
Distinctive before the first amplified note
Jelić’s first response was visual: the guitars looked original, specific and considered from every angle. Their unplugged voice made him want to hear the next proof immediately — through an amplifier, in a real playing environment, with the result captured for other musicians to hear.
