Tony Karol has been a luthier (guitar maker) for over 25 years. The guitars he has built have been used by internationally known musicians like Tommy Emmanuel, Bruce Cockburn, and Stephen Bennett. In this episode we discuss building guitars, how Tony got his start, working with well know musicians, and the environmental impact of building guitars.
About Tony Karol
At age 12, Tony began to play the guitar, something he fell in love with immediately. Thirty-plus years later and he still enjoys playing and learning. It wasn't long before he wanted a better instrument, but couldn't afford to buy one. With the help of his high school wood-shop teacher he made an electric guitar body. He had found my passion in life - building and modifying guitars to achieve the utmost in appearance and performance.
It was a few years later that he first saw a Larrivee acoustic guitar - a handmade cutaway model with astonishing inlay work. Beyond the look and beauty of the guitar, he was taken more so by the sound - it was stunningly beautiful. It played like a dream with its smooth low action - unlike most other acoustic steel strings he had ever played. Tony knew that someday he had to have one and that someday he would build one ...
Building all instruments solo in his shop, he creates between 8 and 10 works of art per year. Each guitar is built one at a time, carefully selecting and shaping each part to bring the best out of the materials chosen.
Website: http://www.karol-guitars.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tony.karol.96
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarolGuitars
