“Gidday,
Welcome to Barebones Folk Instruments. Thank you for taking the time to view my site and work.”
History
I was born in London and emigrated to New Zealand with my family in 1974. Educated in Auckland, I worked for 20 years off and on in sales, marketing and customer service. Originally starting out in percussion (bones and bodhran) a number of years break from full-time work as a house dad led me further down the musical path.
Playing and setting up mandolins, banjos and working part time in a music shop, I began building some of my earlier prototypes in teardrop shaped instruments. Producing a good sound, popularity of these grew encouraging me to experiment into fixed bridge designs. Quitting my full time job in early 2012 I designed the first “Crown” model in an octave mandolin and grew from there…
Currently based in Waterview, Auckland, where I live with my wife Kath, daughter Morgan, Loki the Labrador and Swirl the cat.
Why the name “Barebones Folk Instruments”, you ask? Well, my nickname is “Bones” and I build great sounding instruments without the fancy inlays, sound-hole rosettes etc. Decorative enhancement increases the price, not necessarily the performance, playability or sound. I rely on a selection of quality timbers, combined with my designs, to create original, musical, works of art.
In 2013 tenor and baritone ukuleles were also developed and added into the Crown range and some models are now also available in our “Trad II” design.
A passion for tenor banjos steered me to re-furbishing old instruments and re-building others into hybrid, short scale tenor banjos, baritone to concert banjoleles and 8 string banjos. My “Phoenix” banjo models are resurrected from older well made instruments and parts. We can also refurbish/ rebuild yours into a new instrument in it’s original form or as a reborn Phoenix.
2025 has seen the introduction of our own range of banjos with the “Wayfarer” tenor models. These can also be ordered in other banjo configurations, 5 string, left hand etc.
Concept instruments (weird stuff you can’t buy) …….please ask me. Barebones has produced, over the years, Appalachian mouth bows (with features such as a WAH-WAH bar), bass kalimba (Thumb piano but BIG), talk boxes and various percussion instruments and tools.
My popular cajons, now also available fitted with an internal kick pedal for versatility, these are a more than the basic cajon and a great percussion tool for buskers.
We also now offer our range of “Boneshakers”. These handcrafted “egg” shakers, use unique, quality NZ timbers and are considered second to none for tone and versatility.
We can also make stage and movie “prop” instruments, both imitation and playable.
Custom Shop
Most models are available to order in a variety of custom options. By arrangement you can select type of woods to be combined for your special instrument. If possible, we can also let you select the piece to be used from our stock of timbers. Various woods for pick-guards and overlays can also be chosen along with type of finish, pick-ups, machine heads, straps, and buttons etc.
Also offered are repair and refurbishment services for stringed, fretted instruments, subject to inspection.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me for further information or to place an order and …………..
PLEASE BUY NEW ZEALAND MADE
Best regards,
Bones
“Such is Life”
Ned Kelly.