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About the festival.

The second guitar makers festival was held in May 2010. It was a great time, and photos will be posted here soon.

Details of future events will also be updated soon.

 Melbourne Guitar Makers festival is an opportunity to see and play some beautiful handmade guitars, and meet the people who make them, in an intimate setting.

 These instruments are seldom seen in shops, and the workshops of the makers often off the beaten track.

 Its great to see photos online, or occasionally find a gem in a shop somewhere. But nothing compares to sitting with the instruments, playing them and hearing them played.

  To have a range of guitars and makers together, and available for a whole weekend is a rare thing!

 It took a concerted effort to get it all together in 2009, and was well worth it.

 For the 2010 festival we are sticking to the original simple idea. To showcase the handmade guitar by exhibiting work of the highest quality from established makers.

 The exhibition

 The Abbotsford convent provides a great venue for the guitars. The grand halls are a pleasure to be in.

 Showing acoustic instruments always presents the problem of noise. A busy room full of great energy can be too noisy to sit and play a guitar.

  We will set up the exhibition with that in mind, and the convent itself offers many quiet spaces close by.

 There will be a small charge to enter the exhibition. This is to help cover the cost of the event. It also helps with the noise levels in the exhibition by limiting the people coming in to those truly interested.

Player Workshops

There will be a series of workshops with in depth tuition, presented by respected and accomplished musicians, covering many different aspects of the guitar

Places are limited so you'll need to book...

 For details and bookings go to the workshop page here… Workshop program and  booking Page  

 The evening concert.

   Last years concert had a great informal feel to it and this one will be something similar…

 SO far the line up includes..

Nick Charles        www.charlesguitar.com

Pete Fidler       www.myspace.com/petefidler

Mat Walker                  www.mattwalker.com.au 

Peter Baylor          www.myspace.com/peterbaylormusic

Sam Lemann        www.samlemann.com

David Ross Macdonald        www.davidrossmacdonald.com

Matt Fagan      www.matthew-fagan.com

Sergio Ercole        www.sergioercole.com

Admission prices

Entry into exhibition.... $10 for one day or $15 for both days

Saturday exhibition plus concert.................$20

Concert only..............................$20

 Weekend pass, exhibition on Saturday and Sunday and Saturday evening concert................ $25

Workshops ( booking recommended) ..... $30 per workshop

 The first guitar makers festival was held in May 2009.

 It was a great success and well attended with patrons coming from near and far, and the evening concert was sold out.

  It was made possible with a lot of generous help from many people. Thanks so much to all who took part, and all who came and supported the event, Thanks!!

  Here are some photos from the 2009 festival...