Makers Gallery
Newstead Live is again hosting a brilliant array of hand-crafted musical instruments and their makers at the Newstead Arts Hub, our historic railway station. This is your chance to chat to the makers, learn about their craft, and stay for Made & Played performances that will showcase these fabulous instruments.
Instruments on show this year include guitars, banjos, ukuleles, mandolins, Cajon percussion, gongs, clay ocarinas and the gumleaf!
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A lot of action over a lot of years - use the arrows to scroll
GEOFF DOUBE:
Guitars
Geoff Doube is a New Zealander of Ngai Tahu descent now living in Melbourne. He is a maker and player of steel string guitars, aiming to bring some of the aesthetic qualities and craftsmanship of classical guitar builders into his work. He sources timber from sustainable sources and honours the living source of the material by treating it with reverence. His guitars are designed to be tonally balanced, responsive and versatile.
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JACK SPIRA:
Guitars, Bouzouki
Jack Spira is a London trained guitar maker of some 30 years’ experience. He specialises in steel string flat top guitars and related instruments such as tenor guitar and Irish bouzouki. Located in Boolarra, Gippsland Victoria
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JEFF WILMOTT:
Clay ocarinas
Jeff has been making ceramics for decades, combining this with a love of playing guitar and other instruments, including the gum leaf. In 1987 Jeff started making and playing ocarinas – small clay flutes – combining his love of pottery and folk music. Geoff also teaches guitar, fiddle, mandolin, didgeridoo and the gum leaf.
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JON DIXON:
Gongs
Jon makes hand built and turned gongs at his 15-acre sculpture park in Lyons (Western Victoria). He started making gongs during the Covid lockdown and now it is his passion. Jon is a professional sculptor working in a variety of materials. Jon says that the gong making is incredibly rewarding, and a way to share his creative energy with everyone who engages with his beautiful gongs.
MARK ASPLAND:
Woodskin Percussion instruments
Mark, inventor of the Woodskin™ KiKBox® Cajon has significantly advanced the traditional cajon, extending its use to a wide variety of musical genres and players. With patented built-in pedal driven kick and snare, switchable snare plus tone & depth controls it offers unparalleled versatility with a uniquely crisp and powerful sound. Mark will demonstrate the Cajon and other percussion at Newstead Live.
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RAY BLACK:
Banjos & Mandolins
JA banjo or mandolin made by Ray Black is prized by musicians who have taken advantage of Ray’s forty years of experience and experimentation as a luthier. His 5 string and tenor banjos feature hardware fabricated and machined in his workshop; a range of tone rings, woods and finishes create the tone and look you want. His mandolins are built using hand carved Adirondack Spruce tops with Red Maple sides, backs, and necks.
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RODERICK OCTIGAN:
Guitars
Roderick is a boutique builder based in the east of Melbourne. Each instrument he creates is crafted by hand with absolute attention to detail. Using both Australian and imported tone woods, he specialises in acoustic arch tops and caters for the discerning musician who is very particular about tone, responsiveness, feel and playability of the instrument. His commitment to both the aesthetic and sonic quality of each guitar, combined with his love of creating them, means hundreds of hours are spent on each instrument and only two or three are completed each year.
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TREVOR PHILLIPS:
Guitars, Banjos, Ukuleles
Trevor makes stringed instruments from a traditional foundation, making use of the freedom to experiment and modify afforded to the small custom builder, enjoying the treasury of local timbers available. He is a firm believer that Australian makers are writing their own chapter in the history of musical instruments, due to a mixture of cultural influences, combined with the unique, locally available timber species.
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