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EXHIBITORS LIST
(alphabetical by company name)
Nicole Alosinac
Alosinac Luthiery
Nicole Alosinac studied woodworking design and construction for two years at Conestoga College of Applied Arts and Sciences in Kitchener, ON Canada. It was after completing this course and working as a cabinet maker that she discovered her passion for the guitar.
Alosinac began working for Jean Larrivee Guitars Ltd in 1999 in Vancouver, BC. During her four years there, she worked in several areas of the factory; bracing and building bodies of guitars, being a member of the quality control team, and becoming the factory and warranty repair person.
Nicole then expanded her knowledge of instrument repair by working at a very busy Vancouver guitar shop. Repairing not just acoustic and classical guitars, but electric guitars, banjos, sitars, ukuleles, ouds, erhus, basically anything that came through the doors.
During this same time Nicole was building up her own shop and continuing her studies with Master luthier Geza Burghardt, a relationship that started during her days at Larrivee. Studying classical guitar construction, guitar repair techniques, french polishing, tool construction and violin restoration.
Nicole Alosinac Luthiery was established in 2003. From the time of opening her doors she has worked on hundreds of minor to major projects, always with the satisfaction of the customer in mind. Nicole continues to study, expand her knowledge and strive for excellence in the art of luthiery.
Bruce L Bower
BB Guitars
I have been building electric guitars since 2016, at which time I wanted a well known model of guitar, but did not have the money to buy one. I opted to build one from a kit, and have been hooked on building electric guitars ever since. Following my retirement in the fall of 2021, I have been focusing my attention on building affordable, quality electric guitars, while using locally available (and where possible, locally grown) woods. I addition, I have stayed away from environmentally problematic finishing materials, only using low VOC coatings. Since I love the look of wood, I also do not use colours, preferring instead to let the natural beauty of the wood speak for itself. I have built over 20 electric guitars with a continual view to improving quality, playability, and sustainability, and to pass this on to students and professionals alike. I have received positive feedback from gigging and session musicians, and always welcome constructive comments where possible.
Gord Budden
G Buddy Leather
My journey began as a hobby-slash-therapy in 2010. I was hanging out with a friend at his music store in Nova Scotia where he did lots of creative stuff - from whittling wooden spoons and small wood carvings - to making guitar straps. My first creation, with the aid of my friend, was a dog leash. Then I made a small, hand sewn leather bag and I carved my dog’s face in it & attached it to the leash. . That was the beginning …
Soon after that, I went to work in the oil patch – two weeks on, two weeks off. I would make some belts and wallets at home and bring them back to work. Soon I was getting orders every week. One day, I had an idea to carve a fretboard into a belt for a friend’s birthday. Though it was a lot of work, the finished product looked great and my friend loved it.
In 2015, I gave up my full time job, put on my leather hat, my wife & I loaded up, and moved to Vancouver Island to be near our daughter . I went to my first market, set up a booth selling leather products and began to gather a following, getting custom orders most every week. At that point I realized – hey, I think this will work as my retirement gig. I love what I’m doing, I’m good at it and people like the product.
My style is what you might call a “vintage model”. I make everything by hand the slow, careful way, using water based dyes and largely veg tan leather. This leather is processed in an eco-friendly manner, from start to finish, and actually takes months to complete, with no harmful chemicals involved. By taking this extra time, it provides a long-lasting, superior end product.
I use very little social media, preferring to meet and talk to my customers first hand. We start talking and before you know it, we’ve designed that extra special custom item. Drop in, take a look and check out what’s on hand and, if I don’t have what you’re looking for, there’s a good chance I might be able to make it for you!
Bernard Funston
Funston Guitars
Bernard Funston began building guitars about 20 years ago, at the suggestion of his then-young children. He launched Funston Guitars in 2005 to begin selling his instruments in a market seldom considered by others: the circumpolar North, including northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and Finland. His repertoire includes mandolins flamenco, classical, steel string acoustic, solid body and hollow body electric guitars. Funston instruments have made their way into the hands of musicians all over the world. In September 2011 a Funston guitar, commissioned by the University of the Arctic, was presented to Vladimir Putin in Arkhangelsk, Russia to promote Arctic dialogue and cooperation. In 2020 two Funston mandolins were included in the twelve instruments produced from paulownia for the President Carter Legacy Collection. Funston’s work has been showcased in guitar shows, winning the People's Choice Award at the Ottawa Guitar Show in 2014.
Luc Cuypers
The Guitar Stand Guy
While the path to my current love affair in woodworking has taken several unnecessary detours (science, oceanography, software etc.) I now feel that I’m finally “home”. My workshop is my place of gratitude, sanity, recreation and enjoyment. The first guitar stand I made many moons ago was ugly enough to prod me into trying again (and again, and again …) until a satisfactory design emerged, followed by another one – a process that is still ongoing. Right now I am totally excited about another new design that will hold three guitars on a rotating platform, that I can’t wait to show off In Victoria next year. The money I charge for my creations doesn’t come close to paying for tools and woods but I don’t care. Yahoo! Hope to see you in Victoria in April.
Justin Gunn-Smith
Gunn-Smith Guitars
Welcome to the world of Gunn-Smith Guitars, where each string and fret resonates with my personal touch and dedication. As Justin Gunn-Smith, the sole artisan behind these exceptional instruments, my journey with guitars began in my teenage years, inspired by my father's musical flair and carpentry skills. This fusion of music and woodworking is the heartbeat of my creations.
My guitars are a homage to icons like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, crafted with carefully selected woods for their distinctive tonal qualities. From the crisp alder and maple of my inaugural Telecaster-style guitar to the rich blend of cedar, rosewood, mahogany, and purple heart in my Gibson L-00 parlor acoustic replica, each guitar has its unique narrative.
The essence of my guitars is captured in the custom-wound pickups, reminiscent of DiMarzio's chopper twin blades, balancing single-coil clarity with humbucker richness. I've chosen Gotoh machine heads for their reliability, and I'm driven to design my own hardware in the future.
A signature element of my guitars is the Bigsby tremolo system, mirroring my affection for blues music's expressive vibrato. At Gunn-Smith Guitars, every instrument is more than just a tool; it's a blend of precision engineering and artisanal woodworking, a tribute to my father's legacy, and a manifestation of my lifelong passion for music.
Embark on this melodious journey with me, where each guitar is not just an instrument but a storyteller. Discover your story with a Gunn-Smith Guitar.
Hank Budd
Hank Budd Guitars
Hank is a jack of all trades. From cobbler to clarinet maker, he has done it all. Woodworking, metalworking, as well as illustration and design. After a decade of professional instrument making, he has decided to launch his own guitar brand. Bringing the skills and experience from his previous endeavours, Hank crafts an instrument of meticulous detail and each unique piece is a testament to his woodworking abilities and artistic vision.
Joshua Harms
Harms Guitars
Specializing in custom handmade headless electric guitars, Harms Guitars combines the finest hardwoods, electronics, and hardware to make each build a unique and inspiring tool for the modern musician. Luthier Joshua Harms is dedicated to best practices for design and build quality, for an instrument that honours the craft, inspires you to play, and draws others in to listen.
Steve Doreen
Lone Tree Guitars
Luthier Steve Doreen, founder of Lone Tree Guitars & Ukuleles, lives and works in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island BC. With a focus on design innovation, great tone and locally sourced tone woods (as available), Steve offers a wide range of models with custom features built to order. Steve Doreen is a carpenter by trade whose passion turned to lutherie a decade ago. Building from his workshop in the woods, you’ll find Steve carving necks, gluing braces and tapping tops day and night, working to bring you an extraordinary playing experience. Steve will build just about anything you want and loves to collaborate on creating one of a kind instruments that completely suit the style, taste and touch of the player.
Dan MacPherson
MacPherson Guitars
Dan first started working on guitars in 1990, honing his future skills working for Master luthier Steve Smith, maker of the U.K. based Heart and later Heartwood guitars along with the early Goodfellow basses. D.M. Guitars was established shortly after in the early 90s. D.M. Guitars provided a full range of services and became the first call for many of Britian’s prestigious Luthier’s and guitar brands that required a faultless finish on their own models, pre-production prototyping, bodies and necks or the entire production process. After 20 years as a professional luthier, making custom instruments as well as making and finishing instruments for many other Luthier’s and guitar brands, Dan decided it was time to launch his own range of guitars. As the old business morphed into the MacPherson Guitars, the emphasis switched from being a “ghost builder” to offering a range of hand-made guitar models and a genuine custom service. MacPherson Guitars relocated to the Okanagan Valley in May 2016 and continues to provide exquisite, premium grade instruments to discerning clients the world over.
Chuck McDiarmid
McDiarmid Guitars
My path to building guitars is far from what most would consider normal. I didn’t plan to become a builder, but like many things in my life, it presented itself as anopportunity and I’m seeing where it takes me. Most of my professional life I’ve worked within the sport of rowing, coaching and developing athletes. This is a career I continues today, living in Victoria BC and working for Rowing Canada Aviron. As RCA’s NextGen Program Lead I support athletes who have the goal of competing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. As for music, I grew up playing the bagpipes. In my twenties I attempted playing guitar and drums in bands with friends. As the years passed this all took a back seat to life, family, and career.
I started building guitars later in life. When my son turned fifteen, we decided to build a bass together. This got me hooked, I couldn’t stop thinking about how to improve the next build. After a couple years of experimenting, learning, and creating expensive firewood I decided to turn my weekend hobby into a weekend business. In the spring of 2018 McDiarmid Guitars was born. Since this date I have focused on getting my guitars into the hands of musicians, gathering feedback on the feel and sound. Their feedback, good and bad, challenges me to develop and improve my skills.
I can be found most weekends, in my shop, surrounded by sawdust.
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Caleb Blake
Natural Collections
Caleb Blake, a Canadian woodworker and entrepreneur, founded Natural Collection in 2019 out of his two car garage in Calgary, Alberta. Caleb and his wife have since moved their family and the business to Vancouver Island, B.C, where they are finding new connections to family, nature, and the local art and music scene.
The business was born out of a passion for woodworking, a love of all things music, and the desire to build and grow a successful business. And the vision from four years ago still holds true today: to build musical instrument stands and displays with the highest emphasis on quality and design. A stand that doesn’t just hold your instrument, but showcases it in a way that turns your instrument into a piece of functional art.
The Natural Collection product line of floor stands, wall hangers, display cabinets, and performing stools began first with the Floor Stand. And although its design has evolved over time, it still remains the companies best selling item. In 2020 the Walnut Floor Stand won first place in the ‘furnishings and home décor’ category for the ‘Made In Alberta Awards.’ Not to be outdone- the Performing Stool took first place the following year in the same category. Caleb's stands have been featured in magazines such as Western Living Magazine, Premier guitar, Avenue Magazine, and Home in Canada.
Warren Murfitt
Murfitt Guitars
What started out as my desire to build one tiny little Parlor guitar in the back room of my studio workshop, quickly took over my life. Guitar parts and sawdust everywhere, wash it down with a good dose of country music and I’m in heaven! I am a minimalist and I like tight, clean lines. No fancy inlays but rather choice detailing designed to compliment the instrument and speak directly to it’s new owner. I love to use reclaimed woods that I have salvaged locally. For example, my new line of FirCaster electric guitars are made from one piece of ancient reclaimed Douglas Fir. No unsightly glue lines, just tone and old age. I do like a good story and I value new client input into their instrument. Guitars should not only play a great tune, but they should tell a good story. Warren Murfitt was born in British Columbia and studied sculpture at the Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design. He has worked as a treeplanter, carpenter, artist and musician. He lives and works in Vancouver.
Tyson Soth
Tyson Soth Guitar Co
Tyson Soth builds unique, responsive, comfortable guitars in his shop in Spokane Washington. He's a master of many trades, but found his calling in building acoustic guitars. He specializes in pairing together the most attractive tonewoods he can find in order to build guitars that are as beautiful to look at as they are to listen to.
Trevor Woodland
Vigilant Guitars
Vigilant was founded in 2015 and has quickly grown into a business specializing in extended range instruments (7, 8 and 9 strings), multi scale instruments utilizing exotic woods and environmentally conscious products. I manufacture instruments to be as unique as the musicians who play them and I’m always happy to try new technologies, products and processes to make your dream guitar!
Dan Vincent
Vincent Guitars
Always grateful for the people in my life that have made building guitars such a wonderful adventure. Such a wonderful cast of characters to be inspired by, share laughs with, and provide a seemingly never ending supply of some of the most amazing woods our planet has to offer. Also grateful to be building guitars in one of the most incredible parts of the
world, Powell River. Look me up if you’re in the neighbourhood!
There’s so much to love about guitar building, including always having something nice to dig my fingers into. My focus is on acoustic steel string. I consider myself a traditional builder with my influences coming from the world of responsive guitar builders. I am truly blessed having the opportunity to have the worlds finest tonewoods pass over my hands.
My customer testimonials would indicate that whatever I’m doing, is working well. I pride myself on craftsmanship and finishing. As a long time advanced mediocre player (lol), I know the tone I am after. Coming up on 50 builds, my goal is to create client/guitar love affairs.
