Tom Bills Loves his craft. He passionately strives to push the envelope, challenging and testing tradition. Every guitar is an original, a harmonious collaboration of player and maker. The designs are fueled by faith, hope and a knowing that all things are possible. Tom's instruments are elegant and personify a delicate balance of timeless beauty and cutting edge advancements in acoustic achievement. Excellence in workmanship and playability are hallmarks of the Tom Bills guitar. The best materials, great design, and total commitment to excellence and integrity combine to make some of the finest Archtop, Steel String, and Nylon Jazz guitars in the world.
Tom holds a Bachelors of Music degree in Jazz guitar and Audio Technology from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. He has also studied Kasha principals and Acoustic theory with luthier Boaz Elkyam.
DAG REPRESENTS CUSTOM COMMISSIONS FOR THIS BUILDER!
DAG represents custom commissions for Tom Bills. We can only handle a limited amount per year and they are on a first come-first served basis with typical wait times ranging from 6 to 10 months. If interested please call for a preliminary discussion in regard to the guitar you'd like to have Tom build for you. If scheduling permits and it's an instrument that Tom is interested in building, we will proceed to the next step and have you consulting directly with Tom to work out all the fine details, as well as pricing and deposits, before the build commences.
"Some of the main elements that are believed to determine the quality and outcome of guitar design are bracing, wood selection, bridge design, neck construction, tap tuning, action, and playability. However, I believe these elements, as important as they may be, do not fully determine the overall sound and feel of the guitar. For example, let's take two equally skilled luthiers. They will build a guitar each from the same blueprint. They will use wood cut from the same tree. They can attempt to build the guitars the same in every way and the outcomes will be very different. Two guitars with different feels and tones will be produced. With this in mind we can conclude that the elements of design that usually get the most attention are not the only important aspects of shaping the sound and feel of an instrument. This intangible aspect is the intriguing mystery that keeps us drawn to and inspired by the enigma of the guitar and its design. I believe it's in understanding this secret that we can cross the fine line between good and great, and that the cause of this phenomenon is a fundamental truth that can bring us to new levels of accomplishment, in whatever we apply it to. I've found that the answer to why the guitars, though identical in design and materials, do not have the same outcome, is due to the attitude of the builder's heart." - Tom Bills
Tom Bills Autumn
The Autumn archtop guitar incorporates many of the finest tonal qualities of a flat top guitar while retaining the traditional roots of its heritage as an arched instrument. The Autumn's unique blend of warmth and clarity is what lead Tom Bills to choose its name. It reminded him of wearing a warm sweater on a cool autumn day.
"The Genesis model incorporates a bracing system whose foundation was inspired by the work of Richard Schnider and Dr. Michel Kasha. Tom Bills first learned the Kasha style of building from Boaz Elkyam one of Richard's former students, the main collaborator at present with Dr. Kasha, and master luthier in his own right."
The Natura Deluxe is an Archtop guitar that is free from limits. It goes far beyond the typical Archtop Jazz sound and is a true acoustic instrument. It has a sparkling, clean, liquid treble quality and adds a fat, punchy bass to bring a dynamic balance with power on demand and excellent sustain. The lightest touch or the heaviest attack is met with balanced sensitivity, clarity, and responsive power.
Tom Bills
