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  #46  
Old 02-14-2017, 12:51 PM
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Adamski Adamski is offline
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Smile Thanks guys...

Thanks everyone.

You all seem to be excited for me which is lovely.

I am incredibly fortunate to already have a couple of Tom's guitars - a 00 (in koa) and an OMC (in wenge) that this one will be joining.

I will, upload some photos of the finished beast when I have it and also some sound files. Tom will be delivering it in person (again) and he will also do a few tweaks to the other two guitars whilst visiting now that they have settled down.

I can honestly say that despite the fact that I have had them for a year nearly I feel a real sense of occasion when I open the Hoffee carbon fibre case and gaze upon whichever guitar I am about to play. They really are works of art - beautifully designed, beautifully detailed and beautifully finished.

But the sound is the thing...it just keeps getting better. It's funny really that these instruments are so phenomenally responsive that it is the first time I have noticed the effect that "warming-up" the instrument makes. Don't get me wrong, it's pretty amazing straight out of the case, but play it, hard, for 10 minutes and it comes alive and there is a whole extra dimension - depth, power, delicacy - simply amazing.

It's funny isn't it that if you post an question on here saying "what's the best guitar you've ever played" everyone will tell you it's theirs! Whether it's a 1973 Eko made of plywood or a Traugott in Rio they always claim that their's has that certain something. Well, perhaps I should jump on the bandwagon, but with some context.

I have been fortunate enough to have some friends with good taste in guitars and deep pockets too, in addition to the guitars I have owned (Martin, Taylor, Sobell, Bourgeois, Lowden, Avalon, Beneteau, Forster and more) I have also had the honour to have played Traugotts, Somogyis, Kostals, Ryans, Greenfields, Olsons, Manzers, Baraniks, Wingerts and everything else (except a Henderson for some reason) and the guitars by Tom are up there with the very best of the best...and in many cases better.

All of my friends who have played one of Tom's guitars have been utterly blown away. Not just impressed, but BLOWN AWAY...many of those friends have been so impressed that they have put their money where their mouth is and have ordered on the spot.

So, if you ever have the chance to play a Tom Sands guitar...do so, but acknowledge that you mage be raiding your piggy bank!

Anyone in the UK who would like to experience it...drop me a line.
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Past guitars from: Mear & Gray, Tom Sands, Stefan Sobell, Dana Bourgeois, Marc Beneteau, Nigel Forster, Peter Abnett, Avalon, Lowden, Martin (vintage & modern), Gibson, Taylor, Yamaha, Fender and more...
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  #47  
Old 02-14-2017, 02:34 PM
SiliconValleySJ SiliconValleySJ is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by borborygmus View Post
Thanks for the heads up from your visit. Very interesting. Tom is making me an OO right now, and it should be ready in about 3 months. I guess like Adam and some other early Sands customers, I am letting Tom do his own thing in most aspects of the build, relying on his experience with Ervin and his developing aesthetic to come up with a wonderful instrument. It is very exciting to be involved with a luthier at the early stage of his journey.
It definitely is. Tom's voice is going to change over time and I expect him to have the success that the other apprentices do. He acknowledged that he's still tweaking his tone and I think that is great. Each apprentice strives for something different than Ervin--with I think Julian Gaffney trying to build the most Ervin-like tone--and that's the fun part of it. Each gets to figure out what they want to borrow from their time with Ervin (and from their co-apprentices), and they are still experimenting to this day. I know Leo is and quite frankly, I think Leo's guitars have gotten better over the last 2 years though much of his build technique he has down. I have no reason for Tom's fans to think the same way over time too.

I really don't want to comment on the which apprentice is better than the other sort of discussion--they are all different and that's what makes it so fun to play all of them.
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  #48  
Old 05-02-2017, 03:26 AM
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Default Almost there...

So, here we are...almost delivery time.

Tom will be bringing the guitar round in the next few days and, I am "quite excited" about it!






Looking rather splendid I think...

More to follow once it's in my hands. It will be really interesting to see how it sounds alongside the OM and the 00. I'll take loads of shots and upload some sound clips too is I have a chance.

Thanks everyone for your support and comments...and thanks to Tom for producing what looks like another masterpiece.
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Past guitars from: Mear & Gray, Tom Sands, Stefan Sobell, Dana Bourgeois, Marc Beneteau, Nigel Forster, Peter Abnett, Avalon, Lowden, Martin (vintage & modern), Gibson, Taylor, Yamaha, Fender and more...
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  #49  
Old 05-02-2017, 08:09 AM
OM-42 OM-42 is offline
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Hi Ads,

Simply gorgeous (as always)! You're a lucky man.

I look forward to your comments after Tom delivers it.

;-)
BK
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  #50  
Old 05-03-2017, 03:28 PM
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cigarfan cigarfan is offline
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Beautiful work! Congrats!

I had the opportunity to meet Tom and play one of his OMs at the recent Artisan Show. He let me hoss off to a quiet room and WoW! I was blown away. And such a humble young man. You guys in the U.K. are lucky to have him.
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  #51  
Old 05-04-2017, 09:58 AM
Michael Watts Michael Watts is offline
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Congratulations Adam, I look forward to seeing it in person at some point soon!
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  #52  
Old 05-14-2017, 06:01 AM
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Default Delivered...

So, ladies and gentlemen, yesterday the luthier Tom Sands came to stay and brought my eagerly awaited new guitar.

It is breathtakingly beautiful, the design, the wood, the crispness of finish it is simply faultless.

This time I decided to forgo the French polished finish in favour of a nitro finish as it's so much more durable and less prone to those annoying marks for fingernails.




I think you'll agree that it is a magnificent looking instrument...now...the sound. Clearly it's not played in yet, so has some "opening up" to do, and it has a nitro finish which, according to Tom can have quite a detrimental effect on the sound, so things are likely to improve over the coming weeks and months. It is also worth saying that it has a tough act to follow (join) as particularly my OM is an amazing guitar...breathtaking...incredible.

So...what does this MMD (Modified Modified Dreadnaught) sound like.

It sounds incredible.

It is every bit the equal of my other guitars already. It has a sweeter tone than the OM, it has an amazing dynamic range, it has a solidity to the sound which is delightful and it feels so much more "professional" than the other guitars. So, the OM and the 00 are incredible instruments but they feel slightly "lucky"...by which I mean that you kind of get the impression as you handle them that they are exceptional but perhaps if you were to buy a Sands guitar it might not necessarily be that good. The new one dispels any of these worries. It feels as if if is absolutely "designed" to be that good...and that EVERY guitar will be of equal brilliance.

I cannot articulate just how thrilled I am. I have three of the very best instruments I have ever had the pleasure of playing, let alone owning.

I am, for the time being, done with buying guitars as there is little I have seen that can match these, let alone surpass them.

I am a lucky man. Should any of you guys want to experience these first hand, just let me know...

Here they are as a triptych of magnificence!





Thank you all for being part of this wonderful journey with me.
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Tom Sands OMc
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Mear & Gray OM18
Martin 0-28vs
Stephen Eden Crossover
Hahn 228 Telecaster
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YouTube

Past guitars from: Mear & Gray, Tom Sands, Stefan Sobell, Dana Bourgeois, Marc Beneteau, Nigel Forster, Peter Abnett, Avalon, Lowden, Martin (vintage & modern), Gibson, Taylor, Yamaha, Fender and more...
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  #53  
Old 05-14-2017, 06:22 AM
OM-42 OM-42 is offline
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Default Lucky Man

Hi Ads,

Your new MMD is simply stunning. I love your description of that guitar and know that Tom is simply growing as a luthier.

You've hit the perfect trifecta!

Perhaps you can now get Tom to offer a baritone or single 0 model and go for a perfect pentagon.

Congratulations and enjoy!

BK
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  #54  
Old 05-14-2017, 06:38 AM
jmagill jmagill is offline
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Congratulations Adam. Can't wait to hear a sound clip!
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  #55  
Old 05-14-2017, 07:37 AM
Howard F. Howard F. is offline
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Congratulation Adam! That's some serious guitars, very beautiful indeed. I wonder which part of Yorkshire does Tom settle, would love to visit someday!
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  #56  
Old 05-14-2017, 10:22 AM
ukejon ukejon is offline
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What a privilege to have all three....enjoy.
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  #57  
Old 05-14-2017, 12:30 PM
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Adamski Adamski is offline
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Thanks mate, you must be getting excited too.

I have already spoken to Tom about my "big idea"...if he goes for it you'll be ordering one of them as well! 🤔

Quote:
Originally Posted by OM-42 View Post
Hi Ads,

Your new MMD is simply stunning. I love your description of that guitar and know that Tom is simply growing as a luthier.

You've hit the perfect trifecta!

Perhaps you can now get Tom to offer a baritone or single 0 model and go for a perfect pentagon.

Congratulations and enjoy!

BK
__________________
Current:
Tom Sands OMc
Sobell New World
Martin OM-28 Authentic '31
Mear & Gray OM18
Martin 0-28vs
Stephen Eden Crossover
Hahn 228 Telecaster
National Delphi Resonator

YouTube

Past guitars from: Mear & Gray, Tom Sands, Stefan Sobell, Dana Bourgeois, Marc Beneteau, Nigel Forster, Peter Abnett, Avalon, Lowden, Martin (vintage & modern), Gibson, Taylor, Yamaha, Fender and more...
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  #58  
Old 05-14-2017, 12:56 PM
OM-42 OM-42 is offline
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You're killing me (or perhaps curiosity is)!
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  #59  
Old 05-14-2017, 01:53 PM
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Adamski Adamski is offline
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I am very lucky Jon... 😀

Quote:
Originally Posted by ukejon View Post
What a privilege to have all three....enjoy.
__________________
Current:
Tom Sands OMc
Sobell New World
Martin OM-28 Authentic '31
Mear & Gray OM18
Martin 0-28vs
Stephen Eden Crossover
Hahn 228 Telecaster
National Delphi Resonator

YouTube

Past guitars from: Mear & Gray, Tom Sands, Stefan Sobell, Dana Bourgeois, Marc Beneteau, Nigel Forster, Peter Abnett, Avalon, Lowden, Martin (vintage & modern), Gibson, Taylor, Yamaha, Fender and more...
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  #60  
Old 05-15-2017, 03:09 AM
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Adamski Adamski is offline
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Hi Howard, Ripon is where Tom's now based.

Currently getting his workshop set up and ready to go.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Howard F. View Post
Congratulation Adam! That's some serious guitars, very beautiful indeed. I wonder which part of Yorkshire does Tom settle, would love to visit someday!
__________________
Current:
Tom Sands OMc
Sobell New World
Martin OM-28 Authentic '31
Mear & Gray OM18
Martin 0-28vs
Stephen Eden Crossover
Hahn 228 Telecaster
National Delphi Resonator

YouTube

Past guitars from: Mear & Gray, Tom Sands, Stefan Sobell, Dana Bourgeois, Marc Beneteau, Nigel Forster, Peter Abnett, Avalon, Lowden, Martin (vintage & modern), Gibson, Taylor, Yamaha, Fender and more...
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