Belman
Belman was a company based in Australia that made guitars.
They have recently shut down, thus leaving only a few of their last guitars out there. Their bodies are made of exotic timbers which are often embellished with well-figured tops. It is possible that the recent closing of Belman guitars will cause an uprise in the cost of a well-maintained model.
History
Tim Belman guitars were handmade in Melbourne, Australia from 1994 to 2007 by Tony Bell.
Tony first built a guitar as a school project with classmate Craig Manger in 1982. They subsequently collaborated in a guitar repair business and began also making custom instruments. They officially formed Belman Guitars in 1994. The name coming from combining their surnames; Bel(l)-Man(ger).
Belman experimented with various exotic Australian timbers and colouring effects. They also hand-wound custom pickups. The company eventually relocated to their first full factory in Thomastown, Victoria. They initially offered 4 models, three guitars in the Double Cutaway, Hornet and Albatross, and a bass model, and over 18 variations were available based on these.
Belman stopped producing early in 2007.