2026 Exhibitors

Reuben Forsland is well-known for his respect of traditional building methods, yet is always exploring new design and concepts through the use of rare and exotic woods and materials. His philosophy of building a great guitar extends to lives of the people it will touch through passion, inspiration and music . The art of guitar building is so much more than making a beautiful instrument. The detail of exact measurements and the intrinsic qualities of the different woods is what truly makes a guitar sound the way you desire. Precision in tone, resonance, and differentiation for each note played are the standards for a JOI guitar. Perfecting  sound for the clients tonal desires and requirements - starting with my own bracing system, then matching it with the right combination of woods. That achieves two key things: the most ideal sound and absolute client satisfaction.

Bernard Funston began building guitars about 25 years ago.  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 flamenco, classical, steel string acoustic, solid body & hollow body electrics and mandolins. His instruments have made their way into the hands of musicians all over the world. In 2020 two Funston mandolins, made of sustainable paulownia grown on Jimmy Carter’s property in Georgia, were commissioned for the 10-instrument 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. Funston Guitars is committed to putting the finest quality, personalized guitars in the hands of musicians.

For over 25 years, Fabrizio Alberico has been individually handcrafting guitars and banjos for the most discriminating players. His guitars are designed with the fingerstyle player in mind, emphasizing balance, clarity, and effortless playability. His open-back banjos are made for those seeking that classic Old Time clawhammer tone and feel, applying the same uncompromising tone-generating principles, aesthetic sensibilities, and playability standards. All of his instruments emphasize an understated aesthetic that highlights the quality of materials used throughout, which ensures timeless beauty and ageless durability.

Growing up on a farm in rural New South Wales, Australia. I started my woodworking journey at a very young age with my father, who is a trained wooden boat builder and traditional timber framer. I then started building guitars at the age of 15 when I apprenticed with luthier Graham Caldersmith. Graham had been building classical guitars and violins for over forty years, with a Masters in Areophysics and a comprehensive background in acoustic studies. Using the knowledge that I accumulated during my seven year apprenticeship under Graham Caldersmith, I have gone on to create my own acoustic steel string and classical guitar designs. Utilizing modern bracing techniques, acoustic resonance tuning and a clean defined aesthetic. I make instruments with far more volume, sustain, clarity and projection than you will find in most other guitars. For steel stringed instruments I use Falcate bracing, incorporating laminated curved braces reinforced with carbon fiber above and below the brace to make the top light and flexible at the edges, yet strong and stiff in the centre of the top to withstand the force of the strings. For classical guitars I use a graded rectangular lattice bracing capped with carbon fiber to create an instrument that plays with amazing volume, sustain, clarity and projection from the first fret to the twentieth. I am currently living and building instruments on Vancouver Island with my beautiful wife Celina Jacinto and our two sons, Koa and Elio.

Ed Bond is a luthier based in Nanaimo, British Columbia. He combines 25 years of guitar building experience with a well trained ear to create two lines of high quality acoustic guitars.Halcyon Guitars feature elegant and minimalist construction, honouring the natural beauty of their raw materials, and focusing all efforts on tone and playability. Tinker Guitars elevate this philosophy by adding rare woods and intricate details that highlight Bond’s woodworking skills. Both product lines showcase the fundamental purpose of acoustic guitars by putting their sound quality front and centre.Ed began building guitars at Larrivée Canada in 1996. Starting with the very basics he moved around the shop floor, becoming intimately familiar with the compartmentalized details of factory production. His last 12 years at Larrivée were spent as Production Manager and Quality Control Manager as well as directly supervising the assembly line. He has been involved, hands on, for the production of 100,000 instruments, a truly invaluable experience. Ed has personally completed 5000 final neck fits, 10,000 fret jobs and 40,000 setups including the final 10 guitars to come off the line in Canada.In 2002, while still with Larrivée, he started building Tinker guitars to explore his own construction ideas. To date, Ed has built over 350 guitars from scratch in his own shop. In 2012 he launched Halcyon Guitars (named for the Tea Party song ‘Halcyon Days’) in an effort to bring hand built craftsmanship to a wider market.Ed’s reverence for the construction process and attention to detail is clear in every guitar produced, customized to his client’s specific needs. Extensive deflection and resonance testing is conducted on each guitar to ensure a rich, resonant instrument with powerful volume and exceptional tonal and string to string balance.Currently, Ed builds his instruments in his new 1200ft2 workshop in Nanaimo, BC. On a rare day off, Ed enjoys sound engineering, archery and fishing.

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.

Mountain Voice Inc supplies some of the finest quality Engelmann Spruce tonewood for many types of instruments such as guitars, violins, violas, cellos, and Double basses. In addition to standard grading, Mountain Voice Inc. offers beautifully figured and bear clawed tops.  Our wood is sustainably harvested from high elevation Engelmann Spruce forests located in North-Eastern British Columbia. Standing dead trees are often selected for better ageing and stability.   our Stock includes wood from over 400 different logs, providing a broad selection of grain, density, colour, stiffness, hardness, etc.  Tonewood can be purchased online and shipped worldwide.

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 and will never stop – while I’m alive. Right now I am totally excited about my newest design that holds three guitars on a rotating platform, that I can’t wait to show off. The money I charge for my creations doesn’t come close to paying for tools and woods but I don’t care. It’s the act of creation that matters.

In 2018, performer Asher Deaver had his vehicle broken into after a show, and lost his treasured guitar. Traditionally a woodworker and furniture maker, Asher knew his way around a woodshop, and after months of searching for a replacement, he decided to build one himself.He dove headfirst into the study of guitar design, tonewood vibrations, and the tonal eccentricities of different species of wood.After a year of preparation, he began his first build, and immediately fell in love.The moment the first guitar was finished, he began again, this time building a pair of guitars.This was the first step into what became Blackcap Custom Guitars.Based in the Pacific Northwest, Blackcap guitars have become a staple of the Seattle guitar community, appearing in music videos, studio recordings, live performances, custom shops, and festivals. In 2024, Blackcap participated in the La Conner Guitar Festival in Washington and the BIME Luthier Show in Bilbao, Spain.

Crafting sounds of nature, straight from the heart of Lake Cowichan. Steve Doreen is a luthier dedicated to building bespoke acoustic guitars using locally sourced tonewoods. Each instrument is a labor of love, carefully crafted to bring out the best in the wood and music. From selection to sound, every step is a testament to the beauty of local craftsmanship .

Simon Farintosh is an award-winning guitarist, composer, and educator based in Victoria, British Columbia. Named one of CBC’s ‘30 Under 30 Classical Musicians’ in 2023, he is known for his unconventional programming choices, connecting with audiences by integrating the classical guitar with more contemporary musical forms such as ambient electronica. His debut album Noctuary (2023) features an extended original composition for solo eight-string guitar. Amassing over 2 million streams on Spotify, his first EP Aphex Twin for Guitar (2021) features transcriptions of pieces by British electronic artist Richard D. James, fusing two seemingly disparate types of music. His second EP Seascapes (2021) consists of original compositions inspired by the captivating landscape of the Pacific Northwest, combining solo guitar with atmospheric synth textures. Many of Simon’s arrangements and compositions are published by Les Productions d'Oz, Bergmann Edition and Musicnotes.com.

Simon began his guitar studies in 2004 at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Dr. Stephen Lochbaum, Bradford Werner, and revered pedagogue Dr. Alexander Dunn. Simon continued to study with Dr. Dunn at the University of Victoria, where he earned his Bachelor of Music Degree in 2018. Simon's musical pursuits later took him to Milwaukee, WI, where he completed a Master's Degree at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2020. Here, he was a student and teaching assistant to Rene Izquierdo, a renowned Cuban virtuoso and one of North America’s most sought-out guitar instructors. Currently, Simon is in the finishing stages of a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Toronto, where he is a student of Jorge Caballero and Dr. Jeffrey McFadden. He has also studied Alexander Technique privately with Nancy Sicsic. His doctoral thesis is centred around devising an effective sight-reading curriculum for undergraduate guitar students.

Simon's performances have garnered him top awards in various national and international competitions. He was the 1st Prize winner of the 2018 Northwest Guitar Festival in Spokane, WA, and has been a finalist in the Canadian National Music Festival, GuitarLab International Competition, Wilson Center Guitar Competition, and the Twisted Spruce Guitar Competition. As a composer, he was recently awarded First Prize in the 2022 Ottawa Guitar Society Composition Competition for his original piece 'Distant Light.' He is a six-time recipient of the British Columbia Arts Council Award, and has been a featured performer or visiting clinician for organizations such as The Classical Guitar Society of Tri-Cities (Washington), Madison Classical Guitar Society, Ottawa Guitar Society, the Guitar Society of Toronto, Chemainus Classical Concerts, and more. He has adjudicated festivals such as the London Kiwanis Music Festival and the Canadian National Music Festival.

He is also the owner and operator of ReVamp Guitar Academy, which offers virtual lessons to students across Canada and beyond. His students regularly receive top prizes in local and provincial music competitions, as well as excellent scores on RCM examinations. In addition to teaching and performing, Simon is currently president of the Victoria Guitar Society, an organization dedicated to promoting the guitar through outreach and an international concert series.

Between 1976 and 1982 a young man without any formal training in luthiery made around 2000 mysterious, unique instruments in a small factory in Vancouver, BC. Most were identified by a small brass disc on their headstock, glimpsed onstage with some of the world's biggest bands, and then like a dream, they slipped into mist and myth and were gone, along with the tragic young genius who created them. Today, some swear that Attila Balogh's instruments are the most beautiful and best-playing electric guitars and basses that have ever been...
Taken from Craig E. Jones book "Attila Balogh and the quest for the perfect guitar" 

Today, we are proud to carry that tradition forward, building guitars Attila himself would be proud of. Every Odyssey guitar is handmade in Vancouver using BC wood. The hardware is custom-crafted in-house from brass, and the pickups are made by PegCity Pickups in Winnipeg.

The first of the new line of Odyssey Guitars will be unveiled here, at the Victoria Guitar Show.

Your music is unique, your guitar should be too. Specializing in modern design electric guitars, Luthier Joshua Harms combines creative design with the best materials to make each instrument a unique and inspiring tool for the musician.

Kevin Green is a British Columbia based luthier building handcrafted acoustic and semi‑acoustic arch tops and five course baroque guitars.   Working from his shop in Qualicum Beach, B.C., Kevin builds each instrument entirely by hand, combining the construction techniques of traditional archtops and five course guitars. He’s been building and repairing guitars for over 20 years. He strives for innovation in construction technique, but also employs traditional, time-tested methods. For instance, his finish of choice is French polish, a centuries old finish applied by hand using (blonde) shellac, alcohol and oil. He treasures this method for its beauty, durability and ease of repair, but most importantly for its ability to be applied as a thin finish which won’t impede the tonal characteristics of wood. No modern finishes, in his opinion, come close. He believes that other aspects of lutherie like basic architecture, bracing, materials, etc. are always ripe for innovation.

Hi there! My name is Sam Houston and i make archtop guitars out of my workshop in Sooke BC Canada. My goal as a maker is to pay homage to tradition, follow in the footsteps of others who have progressed the craft, and put my own stamp on the world of the archtop. I believe that the archtop guitar is potentially the most versatile guitar, capable of an array of different styles of music and I can’t tell the world enough about how proud I am to be a part of the instrument making community.

The Cigar Box Guitar is not a new concept. They have been around since the mid 1800’s as an alternative to poor people who were unable to afford commercially available instruments. The simplicity of these early guitars was what set me on my path to create a modern version of this classic handmade instrument. They are created using actual cigar boxes sourced from all over the world. Each guitar features mostly locally sourced hardwoods from right here on Vancouver Island. Modern electrics have been installed to create an updated version which adds to the versatility. Each guitar has three strings and is open tuned (G is most common).There are fully fretted of fretless (slide) versions available and they are all 25-1/2” scale length. The use of up-cycled materials pays homage to those original instruments made only with simple items like a cigar box, a broom stick, and a wire from an old screen door. The quirkiness and uniqueness of these funky little pieces of “functional art” is what makes them so appealing to musicians. A buzz here and a rattle there is part of the fun and also part of the overall charm. Arguably one of the easiest stringed instruments to learn to play, Cigar Box Guitars are as much an expression of art as they are of musicianship. I have created over 250 of these guitars reaching four continents worldwide and each one has a 1961 Canadian Nickel mounted proudly on the headstock (or in some other clever location).

I have been playing guitar and building things my whole life.  It was only a matter of time until I found a way to connect all the dots.  I studied under Luthier Robert Anderson, I feel very privileged to have been passed down the traditional  information I have.  It has changed my life,  I hope instruments can connect with and inspire you.

Emmet McCusker has been making musical instruments since 2005. Initially an electric guitar maker in the style of Paul Reed Smith, he switched focus to acoustic guitars in 2009. His current acoustic instrument designs include OM, 000, and Parlour sized guitars and A-style mandolins.  

In his workshop in the Cowichan Valley Emmet creates hand-made instruments using traditional building methods with exotic woods from around the world as well as beautiful local and reclaimed woods. Recent guitars have been created from very local quilted maple, fiddleback maple, figured English walnut, Tasmanian blackwood, Macassar ebony, Gabon ebony, African limba and sitka, englemann and adirondack spruce.

As a prospective client, you are welcome to tour the studio and browse the extensive hardwood and softwood collection and select the woods for the guitar of your dreams.

I came to guitar building the long way around. I grew up playing the bagpipes, dabbled in bands in my twenties, and then life took me elsewhere for a while. Years later, building a bass with my son pulled me right back into music—this time with tools in hand. That first build taught me just how much patience, curiosity, and honest craftsmanship go into creating a great instrument. What started as curiosity quickly became obsession. After plenty of experimenting (and a respectable pile of “firewood”), I launched McDiarmid Guitars in 2018. Every instrument I make is built by hand, one at a time, from raw materials to something that comes alive in a musician’s hands. No two pieces ever come out the same; each one brings its own challenges, surprises, and rewards—and that uniqueness is what keeps me hooked. My goal is simple: build guitars that feel and sound alive in a player’s hands, shaped by their feedback and my commitment to continually learning, refining, and pushing my craft forward. If you need me, I’m probably in the shop making a fresh pile of sawdust.
 

John McQuarrie began Northwood Guitars in 1994 in Langley, B.C.  John worked with Jean Larrivee from 1987 until 1994 and now makes many models of steel-string acoustic guitars and also custom electric guitars. The Northwood shop is located in the Shuswap region of B.C.'s interior.

Shaw Saltzberg Mosquito Creek Guitars Shaw Saltzberg has been making affordable hand-made guitars for eight years. He specializes in OM’s and parlours. Shaw particularly enjoys the experience of building custom guitars for specific clients, recently completing two for residents of Vancouver Island and Vancouver. Shaw has exhibited at the Errington Guitar Show, Victoria Guitar Show and Harmony Arts in West Vancouver. Shaw was the producer of the Vancouver International Guitar Festivals (2017 – 2022). Prior to retirement Shaw was a booking agent representing clients such as Diana Krall, Sarah McLachlan, Barenaked Ladies, John Fogerty, Colin James and many more. View his guitars and follow @shaw_saltzberg.

Terry Meadows  Woodworker since childhood including furniture building, very familiar with the properties of wood and with woodworking tools.  Retired physician building acoustic guitars since 2019 as a hobby utilizing acoustic measuring techniques of Trevor Gore and Giuliano Nicoletti.  I focus on OM size steel string guitars which are falcate or radially braced, some with live backs, some with cutaways.  Lately I am favouring elevated fretboards and I am currently working on redesigning headblock configurations to accommodate necks without a heel to improve upper fret access without requiring a cutaway. I have done online Lutherie courses from Robert O’Brien, Tom Bills, and utilized You Tube videos created by many other well known luthiers including Bill Wilborn, Beau Hannam, and Ken Parker.  I have attended workshops at the Vancouver Guitar Festival.  Member of the Guild of American Luthiers for the last 5 years, whose materials I also utilize.

Tyson’s journey to becoming a luthier began unexpectedly while helping a friend in the driveway of master builder Joel Stehr. One look at Joel’s guitars, and he was hooked. Seven years of apprenticeship later, Tyson was crafting instruments that are as stunning as they are playable. Life tested him along the way—when his child faced a battle with leukemia, guitars became his refuge, and a reminder to follow his passion. In 2020, he opened his own shop, embracing full-time luthiery even amid a global pandemic. A lifelong maker, Tyson has built and repaired everything from cars and motorcycles to treehouses and knives. Today, he channels that craftsmanship into guitars: unique, innovative, and meticulously designed. Every instrument reflects his care, curiosity, and belief that the next guitar is always the best one he’s ever made.

Fiddleback Woodshack is a small but substantial sawmill and tonewood supplier located on the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains in Sunriver, Oregon USA. Walnut lover Felly Smith sources logs, lumber, and handsplit blocks from coastal and inland areas of the Pacific Northwest in Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. Specializing in walnut, maple, myrtle, western red cedar, and coastal redwood. Acoustic back and side sets, soundboards from handsplit blocks, unique binding options, and more.

Greg Weller is a new guitar builder based on Vancouver Island, combining a lifelong passion for music with a love of working with wood. With years of experience as a player, Greg approaches building from a musician’s perspective — always chasing tone, feel, and character. His guitars are rooted in a minimalist aesthetic, designed to let the natural beauty of the wood speak for itself. Every instrument is built with care, from the first cut to the final setup, with an emphasis on clean lines, honest craftsmanship, and sonic personality.

Residing in Powell River, British Columbia, Danny Vincent is a lifelong woodworker whose path to guitar building was shaped by decades of hands-on craftsmanship. With a background in boat building, home construction, and many years in cabinetmaking, Danny developed a deep respect for precision, structural integrity, and the natural beauty of wood. His journey into lutherie began when a skilled local guitar builder generously guided him through the process of building his first instrument. The passion was immediate — and the rest is history. Today, Danny focuses on building acoustic guitars in the traditional fashion, emphasizing flawless craftsmanship, structural balance, and tonal integrity. Every instrument is built with careful attention to detail and a commitment to time-honored methods. Blessed with the ability to source some of the finest woods and materials available anywhere in the world, Danny believes that exceptional guitars begin with exceptional materials. From select tonewoods to the smallest components, quality is never compromised. Each guitar that leaves his Powell River workshop reflects a lifetime of woodworking experience, a respect for tradition, and a simple philosophy: build it right, build it beautifully, and build it to last.

Woodland Guitars is the in-house, Canadian-made guitar line created by Guitars Plus in Victoria, British Columbia. Born out of years spent buying, selling, repairing, and evaluating vintage and modern instruments, Woodland Guitars reflects a deep respect for classic designs paired with a practical, player-first approach.  Each Woodland guitar is built with an emphasis on feel, tone, and long-term reliability rather than trends or gimmicks. Drawing inspiration from classic Fender DNA while maintaining a distinct identity, the Woodland headstock and overall aesthetic strike a balance between familiarity and originality. All instruments feature nitrocellulose finishes, carefully selected tonewoods, and high-quality hardware and electronics chosen for consistency and musicality.  Production takes place in small batches, allowing for close attention to detail at every stage. The Standard Series forms the core of the line, offering alder-bodied, fully appointed Tele-style guitars in both classic and premium finishes. Limited runs and special models expand on the platform, while semi-custom options allow players to tailor pickups, hardware, and specifications without losing the essence of the design.  Woodland Guitars are built to be played—on stage, in the studio, and for decades to come. By keeping production local and runs intentionally small, Guitars Plus is able to deliver instruments that compete with top-tier factory models while maintaining the character and individuality of a boutique build.  At its heart, Woodland Guitars represents a commitment to craftsmanship, thoughtful design, and guitars that feel inspiring the moment you pick them up.

Guitars Plus is an independent guitar shop based in the heart of downtown Victoria, British Columbia, with a long-standing reputation for quality instruments, honest expertise, and a genuine love of guitars. Located on historic Blanshard Street, Guitars Plus has become a destination for players, collectors, and builders alike—locally and internationally.  The shop specializes in a carefully curated mix of new, used, and vintage guitars, amplifiers, and pedals, with a strong emphasis on playability, tone, and real-world value. From classic American and British designs to boutique builders and hard-to-find pieces, every instrument that comes through the doors is selected and evaluated by working musicians who understand what players actually want in their hands.  In addition to its retail offerings, Guitars Plus is well known for its consignment program, helping musicians and collectors sell high-quality instruments with transparency and care. The shop also proudly produces Woodland Guitars, an in-house, Canadian-made line of Telecaster-style instruments built with premium materials, nitrocellulose finishes, and a focus on timeless design and feel.