My name is Dave Gartland. We Emigrated from the South West of England in November 2008.

I am a sheet metal worker by trade and have numerous welding qualifications which included Nuclear welding to 100% xray standard.

I completed an apprenticeship as a sheet metal worker in 1989.

In 1998 I started my own Business manufacturing top of the range motorcycle exhausts and mufflers. Using exotic shapes and materials, all hand crafted without the use of ugly pop rivets. Sidekick Performance Exhausts were sold around the world with agents in the USA, Sweden, France, Amsterdam and through out the UK,

During a day trip to Victor Harbor here in Adelaide, I noticed in a shop window, what was supposed to resemble a wire framed Cello or double bass, I decided to make my own skeleton

bass to scale. This was soon snapped up by the design team at Scott Salisbury homes, where it now stands proud in one of their million dollar display homes.

Having been involved in the Rock n Roll and Rockabilly scene for over 30 years, including DJ-ing and Photographing some great names in Rock N Roll, DJ Midnight Rocker, I was obviously a keen fan of the fifties style Guitars and of course the Rockabilly stand up Slap Bass. In conversation one day to Steve Mitchell, the Bass player with Adelaide`s most well known Rockabilly band, I said I would like to build an Aluminium Double bass, having no idea that they were made during the second world war in Germany and in the USA, On typing into Google I soon discovered apart from the odd picture of an original 1920s polished bass, there was nothing.

In July 2010 I designed a pattern for my first Bass, The name Ali Kat seemed to be a kool name, as Ali is the short term for Aluminium, and from day one, these Kool Katz were going to stand out in a crowd.

This Led to me making a Rockabilly Style Guitar Number #000.

But... I needed Flames,, so Ali Kat #004 was a Flame cutaway flame F holes and killer hot rod flame paintjob. By now I was sourcing old 1950s Guitar parts, so the Flame Kat had an original 1956 P90 vs a New P90. Check out the Videos in the Played By section.

SO... I was thinking.. if I am sourcing old 50s guitar parts, why not make a 50s style car guitar, this Led to the First Aluminium 57 Chevy Guitar, which THEN... I needed to make a guitar with Tail Lights, so came the first ever 59 Caddy Guitar with working lights and original 59 Caddy Dash Script.

Next was The FB/EKat Holden / FJ Holden... and on it went...and now the designs are just incredible..

The Second Double Bass Design was to Celebrate my 25 years in American Kenpo Karate, of which I teach Now teach at clubs in Adelaide

This is the Ali Kat Oriental Bass.

Which then led to my 30th Year of the martial arts, designing an actual Kenpo Karate design Guitar, which Grand Master Richard HUK Planas , came especially to help set up, and debut.

I have also been a photographer since I was 8, having my work featured around the world. Dave Gartland Photography

Since beginning a journey in hand crafting these guitars, and almost 100 guitars now sold worldwide to date (January 2018), My ideas and concepts for these designs have gone wild, producing designs that can only be made possible by fabricating,shaping and forming by hand.

During 2016 and 2017, Ali Kat caught the attention of Guitare Collection in the Centre of Paris France. Dan collects and sells some of the worlds rarest and most expensive collectable guitars you could wish to find. He contacted me and said * FINALLY* someone who is thinking outside the box. He took all my car design guitars and they took prime postion in is new Boutique guitar shop window.

This led to the investment into several C.N.C Machines. To not only router and carve in wood, I have two top of the range engraving machines. So combining these machines I have not only been able to reproduce Truss rod Covers and pickguards etc, I have taken a concept originally pioneered in the 1960s, of engraving on metal infil face plates while the bodys are c.n.c carved from exotic timbers.

I am able to carve any shape or design also as an available option.

Thank you for looking