Historically, guitars have been mostly made by big brands like Gibson, Yamaha, Fender, Epiphany and so on. Behind the scenes, there’s a small revolution growing of amazing Luthiers who don’t just make guitars for the sake of making them. They make them because of passion and a love of music that can impact the soul.
One guitar-maker you need to know about is Gaz Walton who started Walton guitars. The message he has to share will not just inspire guitar enthusiasts but anyone who is looking to pursue a passion in the midst of extreme challenge.
Check out the story here
We’re launching a new film series called “Unearthed Stories”, where we uncover unique people taking a different approach to their journeys and lives. There’s more to show than what the human eye can see and more to tell than what others have to say. Values, origins, conflicts and motivations of unsung heroes with amazing tales. And we’re starting it off with Gaz’s amazing story.
Plagued by his self-doubt for so long, Gaz never thought he could make a guitar. His wife Lisa would encourage him to pursue the craft, but the pessimism always got the best of Gaz. That was until one fateful day when Gaz came close to death and Lisa was due to give birth. He was sick. His stomach had erupted.
From Pain to Passion
Thankfully, the illness didn’t become a crutch for the Luthier. Instead, it became a wake-up call. A sharp realisation that our time here is short and we need to go beyond self-doubt and pursue what matters most to us. “To step out and do the things you want to do,” as Gaz shared.
So together with Lisa, they transformed an old dilapidated shack into Walton Guitars – a space to hold guitar making workshops and showcase his creations. After 40 years of internal conflict, Gaz overcame and chose to believe in himself.
No one builds guitars overnight, but that’s what makes it so worth it for Gaz. The difficulty, care and precision put into each work brings out the value of every Walton guitar. Gaz has gone on to make guitars for dozens of musicians who are now making beautiful music.
Walton Guitars now operates from Cooroy in Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Aside from making guitars, the business also offers guitar-making lessons.
