A Fan Fret Monster for Tom Smith!
All words courtesy of Tom Smith, the latest owner of a custom TSG.
“Beautiful instruments inspire you to pick them up and are hard to put down, which is key”
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 envelope of guitar building.
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.
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 through in his aesthetic choices.
“I am impressed by Tom’s passion and commitment, and more broadly the work ethics shared by most luthiers”
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.
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. 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.
I like Tom’s organic feel to his guitars, as he always puts forward the wood's natural beauty. His past experience as a cabinet maker has made him quite knowledgeable about wood characteristics and usage. He’s also committed to sustainable sourcing, which I believe is getting increasingly important for the new generation of luthiers.
Tom works a lot with copper. 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.
The building phase was quite enjoyable. Seeing the guitar shaping up and contributing (ever so slightly) to its creation is a great experience. Tom documents his builds really well so I could live through the pictures.
“I sense that Tom is having a lot of fun with this one, which for me is a recipe for success”
Starting with the aesthetics, I have to say that Tom really delivered. From afar the guitar looks harmonious and sophisticated, and when going closer you notice all of the lovely details. This is craftsmanship at its finest, in line with the Somogyi lineage but with some departures: use of Crelicam Ebony, copper rosette and backplate etc.
What really surprised me at first was the guitar's resonance and responsiveness. I have a rather light touch and the relative volume to the attack is quite impressive. It's the first time I get to play a Somogyi inspired instrument and I now understand their legendary appeal.
It’s my first custom build and I can’t thank Tom enough for this outstanding experience. Tom advocates that guitar building is partly about the relationship, and I can guarantee he stands by his words. From all the calls at the beginning of the process to the countless number of pictures and videos he shared along the way, I have felt very involved in the creation of Dolores. I also value the time and effort Tom put in sharing about his craft, while he could just be building more guitars. Very few luthiers create such high quality content for everyone to enjoy, and it tells a lot about Tom’s personality.
