Tom Sands M-12 / Swiss Spruce and Malaysian Blackwood
 

Hi folks,

The day has come. After living vicariously through the AGF’s custom shop, it’s now my turn to bring a modest contribution to this temple of guitar geekery. This will be my first custom built guitar, so the excitement is paramount after a wait of almost 2 years.

A bit of background

For the guitar enthusiast, it is a good time to be alive. There are plenty of talented luthiers nowadays, and this healthy emulation drives them to keep pushing the enveloppe of guitar building. I would feel proud to own an instrument from many contemporary names, so narrowing down to the “chosen one” has been challenging. Still, a few variables had influenced me.

First, I have always been intrigued by the work of Mr. Somogyi, and I regretfully admit that I’ve never played one of his instruments. I chased down his latest apprentice and learnt about a young English luthier that was the latest addition to the Somogyi roaster. A prompt due diligence revealed adamant opinions, especially from the forum’s British crowd. Some advanced form of patriotism? ;)

Second, my teacher at the time (Jonny Moss, member of this forum and part of the aforementioned crowd), got to demo Tom’s guitars and raved about a Spruce/Blackwood model L (“Large”, think MD). He even said the infamous words: “one of the best guitars I’ve played”, and gone was my last bit of resistance.

Finally, I read the adage that custom builds are about relationships, and it automatically clicked with Tom. He commands a wide range of artistic skills that go beyond guitar building, and his past woodworking background really shines trough in his aesthetic choices.
His social media accounts are also great ressources, (youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC54...gRDrJEz-aXB-Jg), full with light hearted and entertaining videos.

Start of the journey

Now the nitty gritty.
First and foremost, I have to thank Tom for his patience… Being my first build, I got slightly obsessed about getting it RIGHT. I spent countless hours imagining all sorts of wood combination and ergonomic choices, but without getting to any conclusion. It was enjoyable at first, but quickly got exhausting. Thankfully, I soon realized that my best option was to express my preferences to Tom, and to simply rely on his knowledge and skill. 



So, enough talking, onto the specs:

- Model M (Think slightly larger than a Martin OM)
- Cutaway
- 12 fret
- Fan fret arrangement (25.75-25 I do believe)
- Arm bevel

Now, the woods… I love spruce - that was the easiest one - so I went for a master grade set of Swiss Moon Spruce. For the back and sides, Tom spoke highly of Malaysian Blackwood which he already used for 2 guitars (one of them being that very L mentioned before). 



Below is the Blackwood set that Tom picked for me. Interestingly, the straight grained, quarter-sawn back reminds me of the pre war Brazilian goodness (first bias of many more to come, be warned!). I also quite like the hint of sapwood on the sides.

Attachment 37067

For the bridge and fingerboard, we did something not quite conventional. We went for some stripped ebony, that almost has a rosewoody vibe to it. Below you can see how the lighter colors in the chosen one (in the middle) echo the brown of the Blackwood, and the darker stripes should contrast nicely with the spruce top.

Attachment 37068

That will be it for now guys. For those that are still following along, I am quite excited about sharing this endeavor with you, as so many shared theirs before.

Until next time,
Tom

*****

Caveat 1: I am not the most knowledgeable aout guitar building, so I might not be the most accurate. Don't hesitate to chime in and add more context to the process!

Caveat 2: I am French so English is not my mother tongue. Please excuse any potential mistakes along the way.

Mon cher Thomas!

This is such exciting news! Your build is about to begin, and I have no doubt that you two Toms will have a great time poring over any remaining details until, together, you do in fact get it JUST RIGHT!

I'm eager to follow along here, and even more eager to see your guitar in person once it arrives.

Fret not (I know, a worn out pun here on the AGF, but hey, cheap entertainment is still entertainment!), your command of English is commendable.

Thanks for sharing, it's going to be EPIC!

Can't wait to see this come together! Congrats!

Tom - Congrats on what will surely be the guitar of a lifetime! Keep the build pix coming....Robert

Congrats Tom! (two birds one stone). I think you are in for a real treat. Although you have followed AGF builds for a while, there is nothing like a build that will end in your hands. Enjoy the journey! I will surely be following along. :)

This is really exciting Tom, well worth the wait and I'm looking forward to following the build. Just seems like yesterday when we had those discussions.
A bientot !

Jonny

...or perhaps we've simply had more opportunity to sample them? I've been chasing Holy Grail guitars for years and have come to the conclusion there are a lot of great builders out there, in all price brackets. Given that, I think there's a lot to be said for using a luthier in your own backyard: I've "enjoyed" plenty of stress over the years with shipping guitars overseas, getting nervous whether they return, and non-responsive emails etc. Having said all that, at least you can get to Tom via train.

I see you've never played a Somogyi? I've played some that were fabulous, some that were merely "good" (if we ignore the eviscerating cost of entry) and one that was not really very good at all IMHO. The same applies to many of the apprentices. IMHO, on average, Tom's guitars live with Somogyi no problem at all. So do Jason's etc. Tom has the very obvious benefit of being the cheapest of those three, which was a huge consideration for me when I got on Tom's list.

I hear this a lot from luthiers: Bat-s**t crazy customers who provide several pages prescribing how the guitar should sound etc etc. "Like a Traugott AND a Somogyi AND a Walker...AND a Claxton...". You get the idea. And they're working with wood! In our defence, we are commissioning a guitar because we want something very specific, that can't be bought off the shelf, but be reasonable!

IMHO you've done the right thing - find a great builder whose guitars you enjoy, and then let them get on with it. My best builds have turned out like that, including mine from Tom from a couple of years back. We settled on the specs pretty early and then I left him alone. The guitar is a constant delight and one of the longest "honeymoons" I've had.

Your English is ridiculously good.

Cheers,
Steve

Ah! count on me. You introduced me to the vibrant AGF Paris scene and it's been a real treat. Looking forward for more playing, and to discover the guitar as a listener from your skilled hands.

You've already been hearing plenty about this build, but I know you never shy away from a guitar conversation :)

Thanks Eric.
if it could be only a quarter as epic as your Kostal threads, I'll be quite content with myself.

Hi Robert, Great to hear from you, thanks for tagging along!

Thanks, and I can only imagine...
I remember that BIG video of your Kostal unboxing, that was quite something. Also had a good laugh when Michael rushed to protect the guitar from a dangerously close table. That fear of the first ding, a classic!

Lovely set of timber, I look forward to following this build! I'm waiting on a model S due next fall so threads like this make the wait even more difficult!

Hi Jonny, great to hear from you!

You'll have to pardon me but I want to post your demo of the model L I mentioned before. Some of you might be familiar with the work of Mark Thomson, and this great tune is called "The Ringing Tune": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCV0f2d2Wbw

I just really loved the balance, resonance and clarity of that rather large guitar. And well, the great playing doesn't hurt.

Cheers,

Great choice, Tom's S guitars are amazing, and I dare to say it might be his most popular model so far. Will McNicol has recently done a comparison video of 3 model S on Instagram (check it if you can), and they consistently deliver.

Have you decided about your wood combination yet?

Thanks,
Tom

Yes! Figured Ceylon Satinwood back and sides, Swiss spruce top, Madagascar rosewood fretboard, bridge, headplate, binding, and a mahogany neck (I think I might talk to Tom about using Spanish Cedar once the build begins though)

I heard great things about satinwood, and it's killer aesthetically. The Madi rosewood will really merge these two sets nicely. Is Spanish cedar mostly for the great smell?

Hang in there, I look forward to following yours in the near future!

Hi Steve,

I am happy that you're chiming in.

Actually, I remember you posting very interesting comments about the danger of unrealistic expectations and "micro-management" in the build process. We tend to romanticize because we dream for the guitar to become a life partner, and it's part of the fun. But I've found that an excessive involvement at every step can become counter-productive. AGF can be a dangerous temptation, but also a place of wisdom! Ultimately, luthiers of that caliber manage to reach a great level of consistency, so I know this will turn just right.

By the way, you and Adam might be the sole owners of the Sands MMD, this is almost a collectible! Also glad to hear about the ongoing honeymoon. After 2 years, you can call it a successful match. Out of curiosity, how does it compare to your Claxton?

Cheers,
Tom

Hey, man! Great to see you chime in here on Thomas' build thread, with the announcement that you're in line for a Sands Model S, to boot! As if the guitar you're currently building weren't proof enough that you have exquisite taste :up:.

My Baranik Retreux Parlor has a Spanish cedar neck. I seem to recall that Mike favored it on this pint-sized beauty for its light weight compared to mahogany in order to keep the center of gravity from shifting too heavily towards the headstock. It plays and sounds wonderful after 7 years of regular use.

Sorry, Thomas, didn't want to hijack your thread. But as you've rightly pointed out, I have a hard time resisting a conversation about guitars ;)!

Hi Tom.
The obvious is that the Sands has more low end clout because it is bigger, but is less comfortable to hold as a result (but nowhere near as much as a handful as the full-fat Somogyi MD).
The Sands definitely has a very modern voice, with loads of sustain and overtones etc. Very alive.
The Claxton is a more traditional voice, perhaps a little more fundamental, but still very responsive and extremely articulate.

I guess the Claxton, being an OM, is the more "vanilla" of the two: It's tremendously versatile and there is nothing it can't really do. The ultimate guitar for the man / woman who wants only one instrument.

What I do know is that they are both stellar instruments and I would pitch either against anything else I have played. I don't really prefer one to the other. If someone had more than one guitar the choice would pivot around how each contrasts with the other instruments, rather than one being "better" than the other.

Cheers,
Steve

Hi Tom,

Congratulations! This is shaping up to be a fabulous build, which I look forward to following. I know it's been in the offing for a little while now!

FWIW, my approach with custom builds has probably been the polar opposite to SteveHs, no doubt due to some unhealthy control-freakery on my part as to the aesthetics, since I usually have a clear vision of what I'm after in terms of the look of the instrument (within the scope of the builder's palette), and know what I'm not so keen on. Tom was very generous and gracious in being accommodating on that front. But tonally, beyond a few broad brush steers (e.g. I told Tom I preferred tasto sounds / neck pickups over bridges on electrics), there's little common language - and probably little sense - trying to be overly prescriptive. I guess it's more that you chose a builder your drawn to - in terms of their sound, their aesthetics, and your relationship with them - which is more the selection procedure. And you've - IHMO - selected well with Tom.

I'm still very much in the honeymoon phase, nearly a year on, with my Sands baritone, and looking forward to another from Tom at some point (happy to delay that gratification!).

Best,

Dan

Hello Dan!

It's great to hear from you, I think it's been over a year that we first connected through your thread. Glad to hear you're quite please with your barritone, and I would love to hear some recordings in due time!

I read somewhere that you are torn between the M and the S. No bad choice really... Wood wise, have you set your mind on a specific tonal direction?

Thanks for tagging along. I am happy to have another Sands alumni joining the party.

Cheers,

Hi everyone,

Despite the current circumstances, Tom has been working really hard. I am impressed by Tom's passion and commitment, and more broadly the work ethics shared by most luthiers. They are clearly not counting the hours...

You might have seen from previous threads that Tom and Daisy make outstanding build pictures, and they should start coming next week. But I can't resist sharing a few phone shots he sent over the past few days.

First, the back. Straight grained, nice grain, and some interesting color shading. Looks a lot like a great rosewood, which floats my boat. I like the understated elegance.
Attachment 37897

Then a quick shot of the sides. Interestingly, a lot more is going on. I personally like the dark veins and the continuous sapwood going all around the rim. I think it will make a nice transition to the spruce top.
Attachment 37899

And finally the top with the rosette. Tom works a lot with copper, and here you can see his patinated design. I read the copper is immersed with chemical products for a few days before getting to this dramatic coloring. This will be the main decorative element of the build, with a matching inlay in the headstock (which has maybe become Tom's most recognizable feature).
I am really happy about the result, and the color scheme match the whole package quite nicely. While the hints of red really stands out, the brown/gold colors should work really well with he stripped ebony bridge, fingerboard and headplate.
Attachment 37898

Quick sanity check, is it normal to go back to look at the pictures every hour? How bad am I doing Doc? :)

Enough ranting for now, I will share more photos as they come in.

Until next time,
Tom

Realizing the picture's quality does not do justice to the rosette. Will upload more soon. Thanks for looking!

Congratulations the build, it looks very promising and I love what I've seen and heard of Mr Sands' work. As far as looking at pictures every hour, I think that's showing remarkable restraint!

Thanks! It's great to connect again - and to see your guitar coming to life! The woods and rosette look fabulous!

Quite pleased with Beverly would definitely be an understatement - it's a delight. Very much still in love! I'm pleased to say they'll be some more recordings coming - I did a few the day after it arrived, just need to find time to finalise them.

Yes, currently torn between an M and an S (well, unless I were to part with my Kostal MD, then an L is back on the table too!). I originally had in mind mahogany and either cedar or redwood, and ended up buying a rather nice set of figured mahogany I came across ...! ;) That said ... I do love the sound of koa... And for an S I might be more inclined for something more vitreous ... even Braz. So all a bit up in the air really! Clearly the right answer is a cedar/hog (or koa) M (with similar specs to Beverly - fan frets, bevels, wedge, monstrous 50/60 neck) AND a Brazillian/spruce (or redwood) S. Pretty sure my bank manager wouldn't be very happy about that though!

Hi,

I presume from your username that you might be Mark Thomson. If that is the case it's great to have you tagging along. Interestingly the wood choice was inspired by a previous guitar from Tom, and demo'ed by Jonny Moss on one of your tunes ("The ringing tune"). I am a big fan of your arrangements.

Cheers,

Hi everyone,

Tom sent me some pictures today. Again, not the most knowledgeable about all of the steps so please forgive me not to be able to give you the full run down.

First, another shot of that back. Straight, simple, but great looking grain:

Attachment 38273

Top braces being glued on:

Attachment 38274

Tom reading the newspaper while the sides are being bent and laminated.

Attachment 38275

Luckily, Tom documents his builds really well so I can temper the wait and live through the pictures. I would also recommend his Youtube channel (link in my first post) for everyone loving guitars. You'll find guitar demos, shop sessions and other tips and workshop updates - a real goldmine!

Back to the build, not sure what exactly is going on but it looks cool. Please shout out if you do! :)

Attachment 38276

Applying glue to the rim.

Attachment 38277

Gluing the top

Attachment 38278

With the batch buddies - 2 model S (Euro/Madi and Euro/Ebony).

Attachment 38282

I'm the far less talented Martin Thomson. Hope you don't mind me tagging along anyway.

Ahah, it was worth the try! Glad to have you onboard.

Valliant--I'd guess that that is a vacuum bag used to hold and clamp the laminated sides together.

Looking good, and enjoying your build!