Tom Sands Guitars

We are delighted to represent Tom Sands Guitars here at The North American Guitar, and we can't wait to see how his career progresses following the recent completion of his apprenticeship with Ervin Somogyi in Oakland, California.

Tom first paired his love of craft with music when a schoolfriend’s design project set him about co-crafting a bass guitar. He went on to pursue his love for design at the prestigious Glasgow School of Art, and after graduating, joined the bespoke luxury craft industry as a fine furniture maker.

After six years of working in some of the UK’s top workshops, Tom found himself increasingly unsatisfied with the disconnect between final product and client. Looking to amend this and find a more rewarding process of making, Tom decided to transfer his craftsmanship into a different commodity. He left his job and built his first ever acoustic guitar in his grandfather’s shop, where he had often spent time as a child learning to fashion things out of wood.

By June 2015, Tom had made contact with renowned luthier Ervin Somogyi, Mr Somogyi was impressed with Tom’s developing portfolios and invited him out to Oakland, California. During a two-week period, he undertook the challenging interview for a position as Somogyi's apprentice, thereafter securing a highly sought-after place on the team.

Tom’s philosophy is a holistic one, he believes truly great guitars are born of great relationships. In a relatively short time, Tom's guitars have earned the acclaim of players, builders and clients alike with meticulously honed designs informed by an equally skilled hand for woodwork, as well a musical ear.

We spoke to Tom at the Holy Grail Guitar Show in Berlin in May 2018: