Street Guitarist Amazes Crowds Playing on His “Broken” Guitar

Tom Ward is a busker from Launceston, Tasmania, whose inspiring guitar skills have earned him attention among street crowds and in Australia, where he was featured on 2011 edition of Australia’s Got Talent.

Beyond his obvious talents, what’s noticeable about Tom is that he wields an extremely worn-looking acoustic guitar whose top is completely missing in places, revealing the braces beneath. Online commenters often refer to the guitar as “broken,” a reference to the holes in its top as well as the frets, which also appear to be broken. The guitar is certainly custom made, and the fact that it has been fitted with electronics only adds to the intrigue.

According to his Facebook page, Tom has performed internationally in Japan, Thailand, Italy, the U.K., Germany, France, Australia and recently in China for Expo Shanghai. He performs solo and as a soloist with symphony orchestras and has shared the stage and bill with artists that include Tommy Emmanuel, the Buena Vista Social Club and Jason Mraz.

The first video shown here has been getting a generous amount of attention online, so have a look. For more information, visit his Facebook page.