Martin Paul Fine Instruments

“Most people don’t know what a luthier does. I’m a craftsman who repairs and restores stringed instruments, specialising in violins, violas, and cellos.”

When it comes to the fine art of musical instrument restoration, Martin Welch is an expert in the field. In his sunlit workshop on Victoria Street, he specialises in instrument repair and restoration for everyone from professional musicians to amateur players. He also has a beautiful selection of antique instruments for sale.

Martin comes from a family of violinists. His siblings all played stringed instruments, his mother is an accomplished violinist, and his grandfather, Paul McDermott, was a renowned professional violinist and conductor (the Australian Strings Associations’ annual Paul McDermott Violin Scholarship is named after him).

“I’ve been playing the violin since I was five years old and studied a Bachelor of Music Performance at university. After that, I started working and became more interested in the restoration and repair side of stringed instruments.”

Seeking further advancement in his career and with no recognised course specialising in this area offered in Australia, Martin went to the UK to study and further his skills. On his return to Australia, Martin continued to work as a luthier and purchased the business which is now known as Martin Paul Fine Instruments.

“There’s a lot to an instrument, and sometimes things go wrong, but everything can be repaired. Common repairs can include repairing a crack in the top plate, carving a new bridge or completing a neck graft. An instrument can be almost totally remade as part of a restoration project if required, however, we take a conservationist approach to our work”

The repair and restoration of instruments can take anywhere from days to years, depending on the complexity of the work required. Martin and his bow-maker, Paul Shields, have to do all of the work meticulously by hand. There is very little machinery or automation involved in their traditional methods of work.

“We try to only have a few complex restorations on the go at once,” explains Martin. “The work can be very detailed, needs to be carefully done, and it can’t be rushed.”

One of his most memorable repairs was on his late grandfather’s instrument, which his mother now plays.

“Instruments often outlive their owner, and I enjoy the opportunity to restore beautiful fine instruments ” smiles Martin.

“It’s nice to source and work with high-quality instruments and be part of enabling them to be played again.”

“In the end, we are all just custodians of an instrument.”

Words by Joyce Watts & Photography by Anna Encio