Rene G. Raulin will be demonstration instrument making and the Melbourne Timber & Working with Wood show in 2016 for Carbatec.

Rene’ has been making musical instruments since 1983. His particular interest in playing has guided him to making guitars and double basses. After completing his postgraduate studies in sculpture, he has devoted his time to making and researching the stringed instrument family of guitars, Viola da Gamba, Double Bass, Cello and Violins. During the 80’s he worked and learned with Warren Nolan Fordham and later he worked with Oscar Kappelmeyer in Germany, where he was involved in the making of historically accurate Violons, originally five stringed early Double Basses, for the Vienna Conservatorium. A particular interest of Rene’s is the use of Australian endemic woods and their properties in the use for instrument making. Rene believes that the learning about these woods engenders respect for materials and the place of origin.

Rene’s favourite activity in this craft is the voicing of the front and back of such instruments through the carving process in order to achieve the appropriate sounding of the instruments. Although being competent in accurate reproduction of historical instruments using materials of the time, he believes that some of the endemic Australian woods have some of the best properties for the use in instruments. Rene’ has a particular interest in the relationship of these woods to each other and believes that this niche market can continue to promote the activity of craftsmanship in Musical Instrument making in the future. He lives in Melbourne and his workshop is WORCO, a longstanding co-operative of crafts people in Preston.