Luthery and repairs... After many years of playing stringed instruments, Geoff became more and more involved in their upkeep and repairs. Whilst still an amateur in his twenties, he made a banjo and fabricated two mandolins from halves of mandolin-banjos and violins. It was a natural progression when Geoff seized the opportunity in later years to train at Newark as a professional violin maker and luthier. Though surprisingly relatively little known in the home UK by the public at large, Newark violin school is acclaimed world-wide and as a result has a large amount of overseas students as a constant stream of successful graduates. The recent prize for best cello in the annual luthery competition in Paris went to one of Newark's former students who is now a tutor there herself. Her name, by amazing coincidence, is also "Viola," yes - really! She was one of Geoff's team of tutors too. Geoff studied there for the two years of '95 and '96. He also repairs many fretted instruments both personally and for Nottingham music shops. He keeps a well-stocked supply of spares for immediate use.
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