Instrument-maker Alan Clayton

It's a craft as old as music itself - making beautiful instruments. And in his shed in Wellington, instrument-maker and repairer Alan Clayton shapes and repairs custom-made wood instruments. He tells Lynn Freeman that, despite the invention of power tools, instrument-making really hasn't changed a lot over the centuries. Alan makes traditional stringed instruments - guitars, lutes, viols and right now he's working on what he believes is the first "violino" to be made in New Zealand.

Alan Clayton with a Violino work in progress

Alan's first viol

Case for Alan's original viol

Treble viol

Alan Clayton

In for repairs

Close up carving Alan's original viol

Example of split wood

Chisels set

Violino mould

Renaissance guitar work in progress

Violino ribs work in progress

Wood bending equipment

Alan Clayton's workshop

Viol work in progress

Wood bending over hot pipe

The images in this gallery are used with permission and are subject to copyright conditions.