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) in the 1990's, and at the Martin warranty repair center (including all general repairs) at the Fretted Instrument Workshop in Amherst, MA, from 2002 until they closed in 2024.  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.