MELVILLE TIMES, 25/01/2005

Guitar man launches his custom-made instruments

Booragoon resident Andrew Ellis will launch his first series of custom made acoustic guitars in Fremantle tonight. The guitar luthier will present his series at the Fly-By-Night Club from 8pm with help from some WA musical talents. Folk/blues act Dave Mann and singer/songwriter Nathan Gaunt will debut their custom-made guitars at the event. Mr Ellis, who has been a luthier for eight years, began Ellis Guitars in 2001 and has since gone from strength to strength. He said he got into the industry through his love of woodworking and playing the guitar. “What started as s hobby turned into a job,” Mr Ellis said. “I’m very lucky, not many people get to do what they love for a job.” He said that while most production-made guitars took eight hours to make, his instruments took three weeks of full-time work. Working in a temperature and humidity-controlled environment, Mr Ellis uses traditional handcraft with modern technology to create his instruments. He said he had received some good feedback from high-profile musicians and he hoped to continue to build his profile in the industry. He has been selected to attend one of the country's leading guitar festivals in Victoria in March.

Published in the Melville Times Community Newspaper, Perth, Western Australia

.....as a quality Australian luthier in Perth, Western Australia Andrew Ellis of Ellis Guitars blends traditional old-fashioned handcraft with the latest technology to produce sweet sounding custom hand made guitars. Steel string dreadnought, 000, jumbo, OM, small jumbo, L1, Jumbo, Weissenborn, Left Hand Guitars and Lap Steel models, wood body and metal body resonators and custom wood and timber stomp boxes are all hand crafted and handmade. A combination of international solid timbers renowned for acoustic and sound-producing qualities, temperature and humidity controlled environments, attention to colour matching and design, and patient awareness of the delicate processes of manufacture including wood tuning, thicknesses, bracing and finishing techniques guarantee beauty and quality......