I have been building Guitars in Melbourne now for 30 years, my Workshop is in inner city Brunswick.
It has been a unprecedented decade and more with the rise of acoustic and roots music which has allowed me to continue to build in some interesting directions.

My influences are many but the great makers who have paved the way have left there subtlety's on me.
 I also look to the future for new possibilities and ideas that can be drawn on for the advancement of the acoustic guitar .

Simple and pleasing asthetics coupled with great material sense  and an understanding of what makes a guitar work brings me to my workshop every day with the same enthusiasm as it did when I started 30 years ago 

www.carson-crickmoreguitars.com.au 

Daniel Hoban

Daniel is an independent Guitar maker based in Melbourne, working from his small workshop in Northcote he crafts steel string Guitars, Mandolins and Mandolas using traditional methods and beautiful timbers. His instruments are individually crafted for fine tone, balance and playability. He also repairs all types of fretted instruments. Daniel studied guitar making in Manchester UK, where he completed a diploma in musical instrument technology in 2008, he then returned to Melbourne to establish his own workshop in 2009.

Email:  dhobanguitars@yahoo.com.au 

Kim Lissarrague made his first guitar at the age of thirteen in Armidale.
Encouraged by the luthier Peter Biffin, he finished school and moved to Melbourne where he worked with Cargill Custom Guitars. There he refined his skills in the design and construction of classical and steel stringed guitars. Originally inspired by the traditional techniques of luthiers Hauser and Fleta, nowdays Kim builds in the Australian school, making arched back, lattice braced classical guitars..

www.klguitars.com

Allan Bull

From his early teens Allan’s interest in music, his discovery of the guitar in the 1960’s and a love of wood-working had him experimenting with the creation of guitar-like instruments.  The fact that these early, rudimentary attempts resulted in instruments that were basically unplayable did not dampen his enthusiasm and he built his first “serious” guitar at age 19.

A career in business and a family intervened and luthiery was put on the backburner, only very occasionally being revisited when one of his or a friend’s guitars needed some attention.  

Since 2000 Allan has had the opportunity to reimmerse himself in guitar building, drawing on the wealth of knowledge available in Australia to develop his own approach to the classical guitar.

Previously based in Brisbane , Allan moved to Tasmania in 2007.  At his Longley workshop he builds guitars which blend traditional classical guitar values with modern design and materials.  His guitars are designed to be powerful but well balanced. They are responsive guitars, exhibiting strong sustain without sacrificing tonal clarity and string separation. The elevated fingerboard design and slim neck profile contribute to the excellent playability of his instruments.  Australian timbers such as Tasmanian Blackwood, Tiger Myrtle and Australian Cedar are carefully matched with more traditional woods to ensure that the aesthetic result matches the acoustic and dynamic properties of the instruments.

www.bullguitars.com

Garry Rizzolo

My passion for guitars started when I first saw my Uncles beautiful archtop guitar at a young age, then in my teens I sang in bands and kept a keen eye out for all the different guitars being played. I became involved in repairs, restorations and started building guitars in 1977 and my custom guitars have reached all corners of the globe.

I have a Fine Arts Degree majoring in Design in Wood as well as teaching qualifications.

I am fascinated with the development of tonal qualities of acoustic and archtop guitars, mixing and matching timbers to achieve a variety of tonal colours. Most of all I just love building guitars and my spirit soars when I string them up and play them for the first time.

Gary Rizzolo

www.rizzologuitars.com

Born in Scotland, I moved to Australia in 1989 and have been building guitars, mandolins and Irish bouzoukis ever since.

The guitars I build are definitely influenced by some really nice old guitars I have played both in Australia and in Scotland, but I have a few of my own designs that I am very happy with. I tend to go for less than more in ornamentation and enjoy the look of the wood on the bindings. I tend not to use plastic in the bindings, nut, saddle or glue.

We are very lucky in Australia to have a wealth of fantastic looking and sounding timbers and have been enjoying using these over the years, Australian Blackwood in particular (acacia melanoxylon) very close relative to Koa (acacia koa). I also use Mahogany and Rosewood, mainly for backs and sides, European, Adirondack and Sitka Spruce, mostly for tops with occasional Mahogany, Blackwood and Cedar. These are the combinations of timbers that tend to work for me, giving me the volume, balance and lovely colour of tone that I think about when I hear a good guitar.

www.gallacherguitars.com

Chris is unable to attend this years festival, he'll be back next year.

www.melvilleguitars.com

 The festival is very pleased to have some great makers making the trip from interstate this year.
 Gerard Gilet is one of the most established makers in Australia.
He has been making guitars since 1976. He works with three fellow luthiers building custom acoustic and classical guitars.
 Gilet guitars is located in Sydney where they have a fully equipped workshop

All Gilet guitars are made from magnificent and proven tone woods, some traditional, some Australian and some exotic. The guitars are sold world wide and have been purchased by international stars such as Sting and local musicians and, of course, people who just love guitars and want something special.

www.giletguitars.com.au

David Worthy

David Worthy is based in Melbourne Australia and has been building instruments consistently since 1996. His guitars have largely found favour amongst fingerstyle players. Worthy Guitar owners include Angela Toohey, Rod Vervest and Billy Thorpe.

Jim  is unable to attend this years festival, he'll be back next year..

Peter Daffy

Peter Daffy has been building fine acoustic instruments since 1992. A one-time apprentice and co-worker of the renowned mandolin builder Steve Gilchrist, Peter works with the finest craftsmanship to build instruments that not only have remarkable clarity and tonal balance, projection and sustain, but are beautifully crafted and finished.

As a well established bluegrass guitarist and vocalist, Peter knows what a musician is looking for in a top quality instrument, and builds accordingly to the most exacting standards. He has spent years of research developing his range.

contact Peter                  www.daffyguitars.com 

Sachar Amos

  Contact Sachar

Jack Spira

 Trained in London in the late 1980's, Jack Spira has been working in Australia since 1991 and in the Melbourne area since 1999.

 Due to the customised nature of his work, he makes a wide variety of instruments, many of them one off pieces.

 They are predominantly flat topped steel string guitars, octave mandolins and the occasional mandolin.

www.jackspiraguitars.com