We had a BIG vintage weekend when Dr Zot, Mr Lark and friends presented the first
NATIONAL VINTAGE GUITAR & AMP WEEKEND in the nation's capital on Sat 21 March at the Statesman Hotel, and
many hundreds of guitar fans came along to enjoy the event.
The room was full of vintage guitars, amps and stories. Lots of people
enjoyed going into our adjoining performance space for the ten workshops and demos that took place over the weekend.
The most amazing thing was our 'vintage roadshow' activity where Dr Zot and Skip Sail viewed and appraised guitars and amps
that were brought in by many wonderful Canberrans. There was rarely a moment when we weren't opening a case to look at
and discuss some vintage beauty. Highlights included: a 1928 Martin tenor guitar, 1936 Dobro, 1937 Martin 0-18,
1966 Gibson Trini Lopez Deluxe, 1971 Fender Telecaster Thinline, 1972 Fender Stratocaster, and much, much more. Many of these guitars
had great stories attached to them. Thanks to everyone for bringing them in.
Special thanks to our main exhibitors:
* Jackson's Rare Guitars (NSW)
* Zone of Tone (ACT)
* Lark Amps (ACT)
* Skip Sail (VIC)
* Berketa Guitars (ACT)
* Copley Guitars (ACT)
And to our performers and workshop presenters:
* Skip Sail playing various Nationals * Steve Russell deep blues and soul * Dr Zot, Dave and Matt from Jacksons Rare Guitars with
'55 Esquire, '58 Strat, '57 Les Paul Goldtop, '63 Telecaster * Kevin Windross with Berketa handmade guitars *
'The Rev' Trev Dunham with acoustic soul and chat * Ernie Van Veen lap steel sliding * John Garzoli - smoothest insturmental
jazz * and finally our 'best of show' National, Gibson and Fender from 1930s to 1970s.
Email us if you want to follow up on any instruments that you saw, for advice, repairs, sales or just a chat.
We've had alot of requests to do the National Vintage Guitar & Amp Weekend again next year, and after we'ver recovered a bit
we'll definitely have a think about that.
We'll post some photos soon. If you have some photos from the Weekend please send them in and we'll put the best ones up.
Cheers!- Dr Zot, Mr Lark and crew.
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Thanks to everyone who came along to the 2010 Vintage Guitar & Amp Expo over the weekend of 13-14 March. We were again really happy to host close to 500 visitors over the two days. It was great to have such a fantastic range of around 200 rare guitars and amps in the room! Special thanks to:
Well the rain came down but didn't dampen the blues vibe,and made Guitar room a pleasant place to hang out at the GOULBURN CLUB on Feb 13 and 14. We opened from 12noon to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday and once again enjoyed the fantastic heritage ambience on Belmore Square. Lots of players and festival visitors came in for a browse, a play and a chat. Thanks to all and maybe see you at the Vintage Expo in Canberra in March (see above).
The Rockabilly Ball Rocked!
Thanks to every one who came along to make the first National Rockabilly Ball such a great success! A very big bunch of 1950s fashionistas and juke joint jumpers rocked into the big ball room and were on the dance floor from the first song to the last. Very cool dancing it was too.
Our beginner dance lesson got the night off to a great start, as our very special guest Jordana Bevan from Enlightened Soles explained those basic rockabilly steps. Even I could to it! Then there was barely time to catch our breath before we were into several sets with Queen Juanita and the Zydeco Big Band. Pausing only to have a fantastic dance competition, in which the crowd acclaimed the judges choice of cash prize winners in both the ‘Jack and Jill’ and ‘Best Couple’ comps.
Over by the door, Rex the Record King had stax of wax and platter chatter, the gorgeous Darling Sisters looked fantastic as did their wonderful 1950s wares. There were fabulous Gretsches and other vintage guitars and amps over in the corner next to jewellery by Janis.
Thanks to everyone who sent emails saying how much you enjoyed the Ball and to answer the question, yes we are definitely thinking of doing it again next year. Stay in touch!
Well we went up the mountains and had a whole lot of fun at the inaugural Snowy Mountains of Music Festival, which coincided with the opening long weekend of the ski season. We did a couple of gigs at the Smiggins Hotel (see pic) and one at Bazil's bar in the Perisher Centre. The snow started coming down on Saturday night and by Sunday night as we were making our way to see Tex Perkins and Co, the whole valley was white and two wheel drive vehicles had to be moved down the mountain. We had a bit of family weekend as bro Tom and others came up to stay. Even got some skiiing in on fresh snow on the Monday.
If you're into Telecasters as I am and you like live rockabilly, swing and western styles then you'll enjoy seeing Queen Juanita, Dr Zot, Mr Murv and Bigmo Taylor do the zydeco dance thing with accordion, guitars, upright bass, rockabilly drums and great vocals and see why this band is a big hit at Festivals. If you're in the Canberra region look out for us around town. Next dates: Sun 25 January 5 - 8pm at the Irish Club, Weston; Mon 26 Jan 11 am onwards at the ACT OzDay BBQ at the Cotter Reserve.
Zone of Tone teamed up with Adelaide's newest and grooviest guitar centre "Twangcentral" for our second annual "Fringe Festival Vintage Guitar Week" from Monday 10 March to Sat 15 March, 208 Gilbert Steet, Adelaide. Apart from the many ZoT pieces that were there, we also had an amazing amount of Twangcentral gear in the vintage room - for example these 7 Teles from 1954 to 1972. Thanks to Nick and Terry for hosting me there - love the shop and I hope to be back in Adelaide for more vintage events in the future.
Zone of Tone has become a featured part of Australian Blues Music Festival in Goulburn NSW, and this year we were there again on Fri 8, Sat 9 and Sun 10 Feb 2008 at the Goulburn Club in Market Street next to Belmore Square in the heart of town. This year Canberra luthier Simon Daly was on board as well as Dr Zot. We had Telecasters, cool old amps, a bunch of interesting acoustics and everything in between. For full festival details see
I was pretty excited to be a part of the Adelaide International Guitar Festival at the Festival Centre, Adelaide, from 23 Nov to 3 Dec 2007: 10 days of concerts, workshops and master classes in all genres of guitar playing. We set up a vintage guitar display in the main foyer of the Festival Centre and ran a workshop on History of the Guitar on Saturday 24 November. Apart from that I was particularly pleased to meet up with lots of Adelaide friends and rellies, plus get to meet and talk guitars with the legendary Jorma Kaukonen.
In early September 07, Allez-Gator returned to the gorgeous green and pleasant Kangaroo Valley just inland from Nowra for the second Kangaroo Valley Festival. The rain did come for some of the weekend but it wasn't the Noah's Ark experience of last year's Festival. This time the Gators did four gigs over the weekend, and Trev, Sandy and Billy featured in their own other events as well. Plus I was inspired to take some cool pics at an old garage in the town. A highlight was a (very late night) amazing music session with Wheeze & Suck Band members and others - about 20 musos in all - back at the Chakola cabins where we were staying. As Dave DeSanti said, 'the best music at festivals happens after hours'.
The ZoT team was very pleased to have been invited to join the Adelaide Fringe Festival in March 2007. From Sat 24 to Sat 31 March inclusive we were 'in residence' from 10am to 10pm each day and night with a stack of vintage guitars and amps at 'The Deli' - a funky gallery space next strategically located between Steve Salvi's guitars and Billy Bob's abode and across the road rom the Wheatsheaf hotel in George Street, Thebarton. About 200 people called to check out the guitars or hang around for one of our tone workshops and vintage guitar demo sessions. Thanks Adelaide! (Pic: Billy Bob in the Zone).
On Sun 3 Dec 2006, 8 RnB bands plus ZoT vintage guitars did their thing for a good cause at Rose Cottage, corner Isabella Dr / Monaro Hwy, Gilmore, from 12 noon to 6pm. A chance to hear some great live music plus get hands on with a slection of the vintage acoustic / electric / resonator guitars and classic valve amps currently in the Zone of Tone. Proceeds supported the Eden Monaro Cancer Support Group. Our pic is Mike from The Backbeat Drivers road-testing our 1960 Guyatone.
For the first time this year, ZoT was at the legendary Orana Spring Fair. Sunday 5 Nov Hickey Court Weston ACT. We set up a roomful of interesting and original vintage guitars - Fender, Gibson, Martin, Grestsch, resonators, spanish classical, lap acoustics and electrics, a console steel, and of course great small valve amps. We're starting to be able to display a nice selection of Australia vintage gear, as per the photo. Many thanks to expert advisers and helpers on the day: Simon Daly, John Copley and Gemma Stehlik, plus everyone who called by. The gold coin door proceeds all went to Orana School - Canberra's centre for holistic education. For info about Orana School and the Rudolf Steiner vision see 
The inaugural Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival was held from Sept 8 - 10 2006 in the gorgeous green valley of this name south west of Sydney. Allez-Gator were right at home in the rainy conditions, which turned the festival site into a cajun swamp overnight and created some wonderful mad / mud dancing moments. Apart from three spots over the weekend, some of the Gators made sure that the beer tent was well entertained with acoustic sessions. This fine pic by Sue Sluys shows The Rev. Trev in a swampy mood on Saturday night. For info about KV Folk Festival 
Allez-Gator (cajun/zydeco band with Dr Zot on the 1953 Gibson console steel guitar) played at the National Folk Festival (NFF) where we hooked up with Minnesota-based cajun dance caller Mike Stoltz for some great gigs. Ian also demo'd John Copley's Resonator instruments at the NFF "Instrument Makers' Concert". If you've never been to the NFF, set aside one Easter and go along - a fantastic 4 days of music, dance, community, eats, drinks and being merry. Around one thousand volunteers help make the NFF happen, and Allez-Gator also played at the NFF volunteer party on 3 June as per photo with no guitars in it! (r to l)Baz, Eric and Sandy doing the cajun thing at the NFF volunteer party. For NFF info see 
If you in the Canberra district and need good quality work done on guitars or other stringed instruments, we can recommend Simon Daly. Following his return from an Australian Rare Trades Association sponsored study tour in Europe, Simon's new workshop in Kambah is up and running. As a fully trained violin-maker and luthier, Simon is well set up for all aspects of string instrument repair work, and he's a good guitar player and nice guy too! Contact Simon on 02 6161 6003 or 0422 909 703.
We were delighted to be back for our third year presenting a 'roomful of blues guitars' at the
Australian Blues Music Festival in Goulburn NSW in Feb 2005, in the fabulous heritage
Goulburn Club at 19 Market Street. Lots of Festival visitors and performers cruised by, including Dom Turner from the Backsliders (pictured. Another great weekend of blues PLUS vintage guitars and amps. We'll be there again in Feb. 2007! For Festival details see
In June 05 Dr Zot flew up to Coolangatta to hang out with the Gold Coast's wonderful vintage music maestro, Gary Dennis, at
the Cafe Ukelele, during the fabulous Wintersun Festival. Great cars, dancing, music, food, lots of Elvises in town, it was all
happening! This time I bought more items than we sold; thanks Gary and can't wait to get back. - Ian. For Festival details see