atepayers and Resident’s committee BBQ  rocked out this year with  some amazing guitar jams,  blues and rock n roll, by our host Geoff Hall and  Oratia local man and Oratia R&R committee member,  Jean van Polanen Petel.

Jean’s guitar, however, was extra special. He has a weakness for Yamaha Superaxes and he played a classic guitar that he had  handcrafted  from leftover timber . He printed out some plans off the internet  for a guitar classic, the 1962 Fender Vintage Stratocaster, and then  Jean crafted it together from some old hardwood Tongue and Groove floorboards.   The whole thing is hand made.   He’s detailed the project on a website he’s just launched – The Supposed String Meister.

It wasn’t his first instrument.  He’s got a few guitar restoration projects under his belt including this beat up Yamaha SA30 that he completely stripped back and restored including carving out new lettering from paua shell .  Check it out. And if your lucky we might talk him into playing at a gig at the Settlers Hall in the future. Very Cool!