Testimonial from Larry Jacobson
Owner of a Tasmanian Blackwood Irish Bouzouki
I play a number of stringed instruments in several bands and was contemplating upgrading my old short scale Irish Bouzouki for a long scale model. At the National Folk Festival I was drawn to the Blackwood Bouzouki Graham had on display and after playing a few tunes promptly fell in love with it. Normally I analyse and agonise for hours/days/weeks before buying a new instrument, but not this time. The clean, rich, bright sound, beautiful craftsmanship and pleasure of playing had me buy it there and then.
I was concerned about getting it back to New Zealand safely as airlines are pretty good at damaging musical instruments. No problem, Graham did an excellent job of packaging, insuring and freighting it to me via Express Post. We tracked it every step of the way and it arrived in perfect condition.
So now the Blackwood Bouzouki is bringing me much pleasure breathing new life into old tunes and inspiring me to learn new ones.
Many, many thanks Graham and Karry
Larry Jacobson, Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Owner of a Tasmanian Blackwood Irish Bouzouki
I play a number of stringed instruments in several bands and was contemplating upgrading my old short scale Irish Bouzouki for a long scale model. At the National Folk Festival I was drawn to the Blackwood Bouzouki Graham had on display and after playing a few tunes promptly fell in love with it. Normally I analyse and agonise for hours/days/weeks before buying a new instrument, but not this time. The clean, rich, bright sound, beautiful craftsmanship and pleasure of playing had me buy it there and then.
I was concerned about getting it back to New Zealand safely as airlines are pretty good at damaging musical instruments. No problem, Graham did an excellent job of packaging, insuring and freighting it to me via Express Post. We tracked it every step of the way and it arrived in perfect condition.
So now the Blackwood Bouzouki is bringing me much pleasure breathing new life into old tunes and inspiring me to learn new ones.
Many, many thanks Graham and Karry
Larry Jacobson, Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Testimonial from Paul Gordon
Owner of 'Bydand', A Blackheart Sassafras Baritone Ukulele.
“I really want to thank Graham Long so much for such an amazing creation - the beautiful baritone ukulele ‘Bydand’.
I decided to buy a new ukulele with some money I inherited from my Grandmother.
I don’t really know anything about ukulele design and am a novice player, so Graham’s skill in creativity and design was so valuable in helping me create something truly beautiful and truly personal.
And then his mastery of wood is outstanding - the quality of the craftsmanship has blown me away!
But not only is it great to look at, it plays magnificently too.
Thank you so much, Graham, for your creativity, care and skill, and for keeping me in touch throughout the design and build process.
I now have something that will last me a lifetime and that my newborn son can keep after me as a memory of the great grandmother he never met.
Paul Gordon, Sydney Australia
Owner of 'Bydand', A Blackheart Sassafras Baritone Ukulele.
“I really want to thank Graham Long so much for such an amazing creation - the beautiful baritone ukulele ‘Bydand’.
I decided to buy a new ukulele with some money I inherited from my Grandmother.
I don’t really know anything about ukulele design and am a novice player, so Graham’s skill in creativity and design was so valuable in helping me create something truly beautiful and truly personal.
And then his mastery of wood is outstanding - the quality of the craftsmanship has blown me away!
But not only is it great to look at, it plays magnificently too.
Thank you so much, Graham, for your creativity, care and skill, and for keeping me in touch throughout the design and build process.
I now have something that will last me a lifetime and that my newborn son can keep after me as a memory of the great grandmother he never met.
Paul Gordon, Sydney Australia
Testimony from Bob Willis
Owner of Clermont Blackwood Tenor No.3
“My Clermont Tenor purchased at the National Folk Festival in 2016 is my favourite Uke, it is played daily and travels with me everywhere I go. I play with a small group down here in the beautiful Yarra Valley and the Clermont is admired by everyone who sees and hears it.
Buying the instrument from Graham was a delightful experience where nothing was too much trouble, when I agreed to buy it I decided I wanted a pickup and a strap button, Graham took it home with him and fitted both items and then shipped it down to me. Nothing was a problem and 12 months on, my favourite Uke just keeps getting better”.
Bob Willis, Melbourne Australia
Owner of Clermont Blackwood Tenor No.3
“My Clermont Tenor purchased at the National Folk Festival in 2016 is my favourite Uke, it is played daily and travels with me everywhere I go. I play with a small group down here in the beautiful Yarra Valley and the Clermont is admired by everyone who sees and hears it.
Buying the instrument from Graham was a delightful experience where nothing was too much trouble, when I agreed to buy it I decided I wanted a pickup and a strap button, Graham took it home with him and fitted both items and then shipped it down to me. Nothing was a problem and 12 months on, my favourite Uke just keeps getting better”.
Bob Willis, Melbourne Australia
Testimonial from Rod Davis
Owner of a Blackheart Sassafras Tenor Ukulele
When I first played one of Graham’ ukuleles I knew they were special. At the Instrument Makers display at the National Folk Festival,
I played a baritone and a tenor.
Other instruments in that venue seemed lame in comparison and only marginally above my Current tenor ukulele.
I commissioned an instrument. Graham kept in touch with me by emails and photos of progress on the workbench. It was completed on the date expected.
It is a delight to play. Two hours every day I stroke, strum, pluck and flick this lovely instrument. I have experimented with Jazz, flamenco, chord melody; the tone just keeps opening up new directions and options for me to pursue.
Even classical pieces sound exciting on it. It’s almost like my playing strives to keep pace with the ukulele.
This purchase changed my musical directions. No longer do I play guitar. No longer do I just strum a rhythm.
I cannot recommend Graham’s skills and instruments highly enough. Do yourself a favour, play one today. Feel the magic of a special instrument.
Rod Davis, Wangaratta Australia
Owner of a Blackheart Sassafras Tenor Ukulele
When I first played one of Graham’ ukuleles I knew they were special. At the Instrument Makers display at the National Folk Festival,
I played a baritone and a tenor.
Other instruments in that venue seemed lame in comparison and only marginally above my Current tenor ukulele.
I commissioned an instrument. Graham kept in touch with me by emails and photos of progress on the workbench. It was completed on the date expected.
It is a delight to play. Two hours every day I stroke, strum, pluck and flick this lovely instrument. I have experimented with Jazz, flamenco, chord melody; the tone just keeps opening up new directions and options for me to pursue.
Even classical pieces sound exciting on it. It’s almost like my playing strives to keep pace with the ukulele.
This purchase changed my musical directions. No longer do I play guitar. No longer do I just strum a rhythm.
I cannot recommend Graham’s skills and instruments highly enough. Do yourself a favour, play one today. Feel the magic of a special instrument.
Rod Davis, Wangaratta Australia
Testimonial from Geoff Iliff
Owner of seven Guitars from our Workshop
Graham Long started making guitars in 2007. He has learned his craft well, making beautifully crafted instruments, including acoustic guitars, ukuleles and mandolins. He exhibited his instruments for the first time at the National Folk Festival in Canberra at Easter 2014. That's when I met him and Karry. He is friends with Doug Eaton, who has been a mentor to him. His display of guitars first caught my eye with well chosen, beautifully figured Australian and exotic timbers with unusual designs of bridges and headstocks. Graham sees each guitar as an art work, different in timbers and embellishments. The one I bought hit me with a massive bass, quite comparable to a mature Martin HD-28, and full balanced range to match, in Wenge, a beautiful dark brown and red striped African timber, much prized in lutherie, and falcate braced Sitka Spruce, twelve frets to the body. I bought another made by Graham at the next National Folk Festival, Canberra, Easter, 2015, a 14 fret to body in Tasmanian Blackheart Sassafras. Another gorgeous jumbo, much treasured. Subsequently Graham made for me a mini-jumbo Wenge and Adirondack Spruce, falcate braced, twelve fret to the body guitar: a beautiful, clear-toned, balanced, easy to play instrument. Subsequently, I bought another two of the jumbos he had displayed at Canberra in 2014. Graham invited me to come to Gladstone to make a guitar with him in his spacious, very well equipped workshop. In July 2016 I drove to Gladstone to take him up on his offer. He and Karry very kindly put me up for nearly three weeks as Graham and I made a third guitar in Wenge and falcate braced Sitka Spruce: another mini-jumbo, somewhat sparser in decoration than the mini-jumbo he had made for me, titled ‘The Joint Venture’. In truth, most of the making was by Graham on his many machines and jigs. He did all the finishing, which takes weeks to allow the several layers of grain-filling – Wenge is porous enough for air to pass through it – and several coats of lacquer. The result is another fine, beautifully finished, powerful guitar. In 2018 I went to make a 12 fret Parlour guitar in Burdekin Plum, Kauri Pine, with a strongly figured Tasmanian fiddle-back Blackwood neck.
Geoff Iliff, Tasmania, Australia