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  #76  
Old 03-11-2018, 12:59 AM
fountainhead fountainhead is offline
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Congratulations on a magnificent instrument Steve!

I’ve heard nothing but the highest praise for Mr. Sands work, almost verging on otherworldly... so it’s wonderful to see that echoed by your experience too!

May you have decades of enjoyment with your new musical partner- cheers!
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  #77  
Old 03-11-2018, 06:22 AM
steveh steveh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fountainhead View Post
I’ve heard nothing but the highest praise for Mr. Sands work, almost verging on otherworldly... so it’s wonderful to see that echoed by your experience too!
Thanks. I've played a ton of really great guitars and been lucky enough to own a fair few over the years. This guitar can hang with any of them, easily.

Cheers,
Steve
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  #78  
Old 03-18-2018, 09:05 AM
steveh steveh is offline
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Haven't been playing my Sands a whole lot recently. Why not? Well, Tom has been asked to exhibit his guitars at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Tom got some help with his Stateside apprenticeship from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, whose mission is to support and sustain excellence in British craft. They are holding an exibition where the beneficiaries of the scholarships can demonstrate the benefits of that funding. So, my guitar has been whisked away to spend a few nights in Kensington, London.

Unfortunately I couldn't visit personally due to work taking me out of the UK at the time of the exhibition but here's Tom with my guitar and another customers at the V&A. He looks like a proud parent, which is exactly what I guess he is:



Cheers,
Steve

Last edited by steveh; 03-18-2018 at 01:18 PM.
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  #79  
Old 04-07-2018, 12:26 PM
nikie nikie is offline
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Hi Steve and congratulations for such a nice interesting build and guitar.
I’m reallly interested to understand where you put this guitar regarding size and sound, playability and best style for in comparison with the Traugott R, Kostal Om and Md you have owned. Not asking about luthiers qualitys here as all are on top of custom world.
Sands Mmd seems to compare with Kostal Mdw, have you had the oppotunity to compare them.

Congratulations again.
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  #80  
Old 04-12-2018, 11:19 AM
steveh steveh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nikie View Post
I’m reallly interested to understand where you put this guitar regarding size and sound, playability and best style for in comparison with the Traugott R, Kostal Om and Md you have owned.
A lot of people have PM'ed me about this. It's an obvious question, especially the Kostal vs. Sands comparison as both did Ervin's apprenticeship and build a similar guitar, ostensibly at least. All are fabulous guitars that anyone would be proud to own. I certainly was. As I've said several times, I sold the Traugott because I got uncomfortable with the price of entry. Jason's guitars, while not as expensive, have headed rapidly in that direction. That's what happens when your guitars are highly sought after. I sold my Kostals because I got seriously interested in nylon and needed to fund a lifetime guitar that came up (haha; whatever that is).

I've played Kostals that I've preferred to Traugotts, and vice-versa. I've played Claxtons that I've preferred to both...and vice-versa. Guitars from the same maker sound different: Different woods, same wood different billet, different size, scale length etc. etc.

What I will say again is this; the Sands lives with those guitars no problem. No problem at all. Everybit as good. Do I feel I am lacking anything these days when I need to pick up my steelstring. No. Not one bit.

If pushed hard, overall, I'd say that the Sands/Traugott/Claxton (someone else I place in that group in a heartbeat) can sound extraordinarily sweet and appealing to the player. The Kostal is a little stronger sounding and projects better, with better separation and more ability to overdrive it. I think Jason sprinkles a little bit of Sobell in there somewhere. Someone who likes Greenfields would probably prefer the Kostal to the others.

I've bought and sold a load of guitars over the last 10 years; I like the chase but it can drive you crazy. For the moment, I'm completely happy with the Sands. That's it. I have a couple of guitars here that I will prbably move on because the Sands doesn't want for anything, for the type of stuff I play on steel string, which is slow airs (except for when I'm failing to be Martin Carthy and that requires a completely different type of instrument).

Quote:
Originally Posted by nikie View Post
Sands Mmd seems to compare with Kostal Mdw, have you had the oppotunity to compare them.
I've not played a Kostal MMD so not had a chance to compare directly. I'd predict that they'd sound more like one another than they would to a Martin! Same mentor, same apprenticeship, same body size, and different ingredients in their own special sauce.

I've played a ton of apprentice guitars and those from the Master himself. They're all - within certain constraints - building the same type of guitar. I don't really buy this "signature tone" stuff at all. Blindfold a player and then stick a Somogyi/Kostal/Sands/Kraut/Gaffney/Buendia etc. in their hand and I very much doubt they could tell the difference because, if there is any, it's completely overwhelmed by the influence of the body size, scale length, wood species, and wood variation. Change the strings and the guitar sounds completely different. All you can do is try and get your hands on "a good one" by whoever you choose to build you one.

Cheers,
Steve
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  #81  
Old 04-22-2018, 04:05 AM
nikie nikie is offline
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Hi Steve,

thanks for your kind answers, really interesting and bringing light to some of my doubts.

I haven't played a Sands but heard nothing but really good words for his first world class work, so it’s absolutly interesting to see that echoed by your experience.

If you ever have the opportunity to compare the MDW with the Sands MMD, or demo your guitar, it will be very interesting too.

Congratulations again on a that magnificent guitar. Enjoy!
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  #82  
Old 06-03-2018, 10:29 AM
steveh steveh is offline
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So, it took me far longer than I'd planned but at last here's a video of me trying my best with this fabulous instrument.



As ever, the audio on YouTube (and my playing) do not justice whatsoever to the magnificence of this instrument. I am still completely stoked by it months after having had it delivered by Tom. I genuinely haven't looked at another steel-string since and my others are on the block. It's really made strong inroads into pulling me away from nylon guitars. If you get the chance to try one, definitely don't miss it.

Cheers,
Steve
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  #83  
Old 06-03-2018, 10:40 AM
Marcus Wong Marcus Wong is offline
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Congratulations on your foray back into steel strings Steve! I really look forward to receiving a Tom Sands for the shop
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  #84  
Old 06-03-2018, 12:33 PM
steveh steveh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcus Wong View Post
I really look forward to receiving a Tom Sands for the shop
Thanks Marcus: Are you on Tom's list? I'm telling you, whatever he builds for you won't hang around long.

Cheers,
Steve
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  #85  
Old 06-06-2018, 09:07 AM
Marcus Wong Marcus Wong is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steveh View Post
Thanks Marcus: Are you on Tom's list? I'm telling you, whatever he builds for you won't hang around long.

Cheers,
Steve
Hey Steve, if that's the case I should order many more! Haha I'm waiting for some financial opportunities to open up before I place an order with Tom which shouldn't be long now - I am expecting to place an order by end June, along with one from his own family tree - Leo Buendia
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  #86  
Old 06-10-2018, 02:45 AM
ShaiSebbag ShaiSebbag is offline
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Thanks for this thread! It was very interesting to read the beginning of the story and at the end, see the results.

I had the chance to try at Tom's guitar at Holy Grail Guitar Show 2018 (I'm a demo player). And I had more chance to hear the great player Will McNicol on stage with a Tom's guitar. What a lovely sound and warm treble.

The sound in the video is very good and we can hear the tone.

Thanks for this story.
Shaï
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  #87  
Old 06-10-2018, 11:27 AM
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Diamondave Diamondave is offline
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Congrats, nice video, sounds superb, lots of depth and character...
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  #88  
Old 08-29-2018, 01:24 PM
steveh steveh is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nikie View Post
If you ever have the opportunity to compare the MDW with the Sands MMD, or demo your guitar, it will be very interesting too.
As it happens I got to play Michael Watts' MMD a few weeks back.

It sounded very different to my Sands (accepting that they are similar designs; neither are like a D28!). The Sands was sweeter and warmer. The Kostal had more projection and separation.

Both are great guitars: That particular Kosal is better suited to playing live I think, and that particular Sands for home: unsurprisiing since that was the brief for the respective builders. Jason made me fabulous guitars for home playing and I'm sure Will McNichol's Sands will be great live. Oh, and Michael's guitar is maple and mine padauk. Direct comparisons are a little bit meaningless other than a general assessment of whether the guitar is well built and jumps the top-notch tone hurdle. Both clear that easily.

Cheers,
Steve
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  #89  
Old 08-30-2018, 02:12 AM
Michael Watts Michael Watts is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steveh View Post
As it happens I got to play Michael Watts' MMD a few weeks back.

It sounded very different to my Sands (accepting that they are similar designs; neither are like a D28!). The Sands was sweeter and warmer. The Kostal had more projection and separation.

Both are great guitars: That particular Kosal is better suited to playing live I think, and that particular Sands for home: unsurprisiing since that was the brief for the respective builders. Jason made me fabulous guitars for home playing and I'm sure Will McNichol's Sands will be great live. Oh, and Michael's guitar is maple and mine padauk. Direct comparisons are a little bit meaningless other than a general assessment of whether the guitar is well built and jumps the top-notch tone hurdle. Both clear that easily.

Cheers,
Steve
It's certainly an interesting comparison. The Kostal MDW model was designed with certain very specific timbre and response parameters in mind, also as a foil to my Kostal MD in The Tree. While they ostensibly look similar the two guitars by Tom and Jason remain very different in both intent and end result.

Which is the joy of a luthier built instrument

all the best

MDW
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  #90  
Old 08-30-2018, 03:22 AM
Will McNicol Will McNicol is offline
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Hi Steve,

So great to read this thread. Having been fortunate to have been able to play and record with this wonderful instrument of yours (thank you, by the way!) it's fascinating to see the intricate build process behind it. What a joy. Sweetness and warmth in abundance. Was also lovely to remind myself of it at Ian's shindig a while back, and it all came flooding back!

Congratulations on something truly special, and hope to see you again soon.

Will
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