Here is some background for those who wanted to know more about me and my instruments. There are links to some music below.

I grew up in Alaska in a homestead that my father, Andreas Brauchli, made of Sitka Spruce. My father was a natural musician and could play any instrument by ear. And of course, being Swiss, he was culturally bound to play the accordion, yodel and climb the highest mountain in North America. When I was about 7 we got a $15 mail order archtop guitar that quickly became the most popular pastime on a homestead with no television.

I moved to Australia with my family when I was 13. I left home shortly after and ended up playing lead guitar and doing backing vocals with various singers and bands. Within the next few years I was also performing on fiddle, banjo, mandolin and flute.

The Brauchlis arrive in Australia

I made my first instruments when I was 17 with tools consisting of a saw, a stanley knife. some sandpaper, and a car body file. The first that I made was a bouzouki type instrument made from banana box wood. The second was smaller and had a body made from a gourd. Over the following years I made heaps of fretted instruments with help and input from numerous makers. Although many were guitars, my desire was to make instruments that I wanted to play but didn't exist yet, like the talamar that I still have.

I was invited to the first Australian Luthiers Convention in the late 70s. Among the makers I remember was Bill May, jazz musician and creator of Maton guitars. He also made his first instruments at about 17. Although he was the owner of the biggest guitar factory in Australia, he wasn't shy about pointing out that factory instruments were not in the same class as a good handmade one. Also present was Greg Smallman who along with Peter biffin, has been my greatest source of inspiration. Here is more info on instrument designing

Slide Guitar

I had not heard of a Weissenborn guitar until I was watching my son's Ben Harper DVD. I was totally fascinated by the slide guitar that I saw and decided that I had to play one. As I don't like to copy instruments, I spent the next two months working on an original design. I was instantly addicted to playing it. Although there is a ready market for Weissenborn copies, I prefer to produce my own carbon braced design as I feel this is a valid addition to the family of acoustic slide instruments. I would even suggest that it has captured the best qualities of both Dobros and Weissenborns.

Through the Past Darkly

This is a poster from the early 90's. I used my middle name Warner as I decided Brauchli wasn't a name for a blues player. I had become obsessed with telecasters after doing a support for Tommy Emmanuel, so I made this one out of spare parts.


My unusual right hand technique comes from fact that when I was a kid sitting in a chair with a big guitar on top of me, it was the only way I could reach the strings. This technique allows me to use my thumb in both directions. (A style common in Africa)

I played with the celtic rock band 'Wild Zinnias' for about 6 years.
My final gig with them was New Years Eve 2000 on the streets of Byron Bay. (Being the easternmost point in Australia, It attracts huge New Years Eve crowds.)

The material we played was a combination of songs by Willy McElroy (foreground) and my own instrumental pieces usually combined into medleys. All drumming on the following pieces is by percussion wizard Matt Goodwyn (left). Willy sings and plays rhythm guitar. (mostly DADGAD) He also plays didge and bodhran. I play fiddle, bass, bouzouki, flute and anything else you hear.

Sweet Jane - Noisy Miner Belfast Breathes - Reel McCoy Half of It Midnight Waltz
Christmas Tree' The Pathway King Tide

This one piece Tassie Oak guitar that I made and played with the Zinnias
is what got me interested in Tasmanian woods.
Here is a live sample from an early 3 piece version of the Zinnias.

The Present

I still do occasional gigs here in Tasmania. Here is a slide and a guitar piece from a recent performance accompanied by Kate Case. The guitar I use on stage is a cheap 3/4 guitar that I modified with a graphite reinforced floating bridge Cedar top.

This medley is from the 2008 Cygnet festival using a Cedar top slide. It starts with a song I learned from my father who died in 2006.