Jack Spira is one of Australia’s most enduring and respected independent luthiers. Starting as a teenager in a storeroom under his parents’ pet shop, Jack went on to be trained at the prestigious London College of Furniture in the 1980s before returning to Australia to establish his own brand.  Jack has handcrafted over 400 guitars, bouzoukis and mandolins.  He has made guitars for such diverse luminaries as Sting, Colin Hay, Deborah Conway, Willy Zygier, Rodney Rude, Mandy O’Connell, Mal Webb and Penelope Swales.

Jack’s characteristic sound consists of a balance of strong bass, clear mid-range and sweet, ringing treble. His specialty is steel-strung 6-string guitars with a signature range of four models whose design have been refined over the last 30 years. Sizes range from curvaceous small-body and mid-body guitars, through a standard dreadnought size and up to a deep-bodied jumbo model. He also makes a “Ditson” model being a faithful copy of the distinctive  1903 Martin with narrow shoulders and lower bout.

Jack’s workshop sits at the foothills of the Strezelecki Range in South Gippsland. He favours a mix of Australian Blackwood, Alaskan Sitka Spruce and Fijian Plantation Mahogany for his guitars.