THESE are the stunning creations by the "gamekeeper-turned banjo maker" who has made an instrument for comedian Billy Connolly.

Euan Cattanach, 78, has been making banjos, mandolins, resonators and guitars for more than 20 years and recently made one especially for comic Billy Connolly.

Born in Peebles in the Scottish Borders but now living in Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Euan started making string instruments from a life-long interest in woodwork.

The National:

He lives with wife Irene, 75, and owns his own banjo making and repair business, Chattan Luthiery.

Euan is part of the small luthier community in the UK and says he is the only banjo maker in Scotland.

And he is showing no signs of stopping, after recently serving one of his most famous customers yet, Billy Connolly, and says he wants to make banjos until he's 102.

He said: "There are one or two banjo makers in England but I don't know any in Scotland."

As part of a recent two-part documentary, Made in Scotland, Billy Connolly visited the workshop, where he was gifted one of Euan's handmade banjos.

The Big Yin referred to Euan as "the only gamekeeper turned banjo maker living and working Scotland today – or ever for that matter – and his work is inspiring."

Euan said: "I have never had anyone famous come along in my life. Then Billy Connolly came in and since then it's went pretty mental.

"That one Billy got, he loves it."

He has also sold a banjo to Peggy Seeger, the sister of legendary American folk singer Pete Seeger, and says he gets a steady stream of customers – some from abroad.

Euan said: "She [Peggy] was doing a concert nearby in Dunkeld and wanted to borrow a banjo, but then she couldn't get her hands off it.

"I also had a guy who flew into Edinburgh from California.

"He was a movie maker and came all the way to buy one then flew back home to the USA again.

"I have walk-in sales as well, it's a funny system."

The National:

Euan's gamekeeper father had a workshop where he made everything from farm gates to fine furniture, and Euan was encouraged to pick up the tools and make his own creations from a young age.

He said: "I have been making quarter scale radio model aeroplanes since I was 14 then realised I should start making mandolins and guitars.

"I've been making string instruments seriously for at least 12 years.

"But I've been doing other stuff like mandolins and resonators for about 20 years, and I made guitars way before that.

"The fact that I wanted a good guitar but couldn't afford it got me into it, then I got into making the square neck resonators.

"I was watching a guy on YouTube making banjos and thought I could do it too, and that's what I've done.

"When someone comes into my workshop with a banjo and needs it repaired I don't want to say 'no'.

"It's just the way that I do stuff and I thoroughly enjoy it."

Euan is currently training two novice banjo makers and has an order list of mandolins and banjos, which can take two to three weeks to make.

He said: "I don't rush myself and all the handmade banjos are made with the best quality materials.

"I get a lot of stuff from a guy in Canada and I get a lot of my fancy wood like birdseye maple, tiger maple, spotted maple, walnut and so on from a guy in Vermont."

The National:

Having moved to the Perthshire burgh 34 years ago, banjo making has become Euan's main passion in life.

He said: "Making banjos is the main reason I'm alive right now.

"I'm 78 and I want to make them till I'm 102.

"Someone will ask what I'm doing and I'll say 'plan A', which is the workshop, and when they ask what plan B is, and that's the workshop as well.

"It's good fun, I call it my Tardis."