Thomas Randall, Luthier
I have been building fine instruments since my initial training at the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery in Phoenix, AZ, in 1978. Along with developing my own designs I have worked in repair and customer service at Guild Guitars (Westerly, RI) and the Martin warranty repair center at the Fretted Instrument Workshop in Amherst, MA. I hold a BA in music from Wesleyan University (1984) based on my work building, analyzing, and linking replicas of historically important instruments (Stradivarius-type violin, F-5 mandolin design, Martin guitar design, etc.). Currently working from a home shop in Amherst, MA, I produce 1-4 instruments a year, each one exclusively handmade and unique. Working primarily in mahogany, rosewood, and maple, I hope I have developed instruments that are beautiful, tastefully ornamented, and extremely playable. Simple, elegant lines and wood-on-wood contrasts are at the core of every design. A high-grade spruce soundboard is tuned and matched to each instrument during construction. The goal is always to produce an instrument with a powerful yet balanced tone and a focused “live” feel in its response to the pick or fingers of the player.