For more than twenty years I have made guitars for players of all levels and many different genres of music. I am pleased to note that nearly all of my instruments are still in the hands of their original owners. Below are some kind words that my clients had to say:
"Tom made a guitar for me in 1992 and I have played hundreds of concerts and gigs with it. I still love it and enjoy playing
it as much as ever. It has been very special to me to have such a fine guitar built by someone that I know and have a personal connection
with. Many of my students have bought his guitars after hearing mine in their lessons and they are all Bazzolo fans now! Thanks Tom for the
great instrument and for all the years of care."
Judith Handler, 1992 Cedar.
"Love this guitar. Beautiful tone, amazing playability, handcrafted with great care. A wonderful instrument."
Mary Weems, 2004 Spruce.
"I was so happy with my first Bazzolo, a cedar top, that
when the baggage handlers ate it, I went right back to Tom and bought another
one, a spruce top, which I now love even more than the first."
Joe Beninghof, 1997 cedar and 2002 spruce.
"What can I say, another work of art, and as with any
work of art, comes plenty of inspiration to continue to learn, play and
enjoy the instrument. I have been lucky enough to have tried hundreds of
guitars over the years and
yours are the very best. I hope one day I play well enough to do them justice!!
Thanks again."
Gerry Ceniglio, 2003 redwood, 2007 cedar.
"In 2006 I visited Tom in his workshop and learned about his meticulous approach
to guitar building. I especially liked the fact that there is almost a
Shaker quality of understated elegance to his guitars (he uses lovely woods,
and french polish shellac). The inevitable happened, and I bought one of
Tom's cedar top guitars. I own several guitars, but
I play the Bazzolo almost every day, and do so because it is so clean and
balanced, so even in its tone properties across all six strings, and so
dynamically responsive and rewarding (the trebles sing, the bases resonate
deeply but don't overwhelm). While I would rate myself as an intermediate
player at best, I get enormous pleasure from playing and experiencing a
wide diversity of music on my Bazzolo (from Bach to Sor to Albeniz and
Villa-Lobos to Barrios and Brower) and find that it rewards me with a strong
and confident sound that is as nuanced as my technique permits."
David EK Hunter, 2006 cedar.
"I continue to be inspired by the tone and balance of both of my guitars. I have
played them for hours a day and for many years now and have been completely satisfied. Thanks, Tom!"
Jim Rickevicious 1994, spruce and 2001 cedar.
"Dear Tom, I just wanted to let you know how much I am loving this new cedar-top steel-string I got from you.
The tone of this guitar is nothing short of amazing! It is very well balanced for my classical/jazz/folk finger-picking
style with its singing clear trebles, and has loads of power for flat-picking. What a brilliant idea on your part to wed
your classical guitar building skills and philosophy to an old-world pre-war Martin sort of vibe (12-fret neck, gorgeous slotted peghead)
to create this instrument. Everyone who sees this guitar is initially amazed by the beauty of its design and execution;
next they are blown away by its sound! Believe me, I am going to get a lot of mileage out of this guitar,
and I am going to enjoy every minute of it. Thanks again for the most excellent instrument."
Mark M. Davis, 2008 cedar.
"I have spent the past year looking for a nylon string classical guitar. In that time I have played everything from student model Cordoba's to Ramirez's and boutique builders galore. Finding a great nylon string guitar is no easy task as one person's "warm" is another's "bright", etc. Recently, after a recommendation from a well known steel string maker, I had the pleasure of meeting Tom Bazzolo an exceptional luthier based in Maine. After several conversations and with the confidence of solid referral I set out to Maine to meet Tom in person.
After a lot of talking and a lot of playing I walked away with not just a superior guitar built of the finest materials but also an education. Tom's explanation of every aspect of the build and materials as well as the sonic confirmation of these principles left me more than satisfied that I had made the right decision. The only difficult choice was whether to pick the cedar or the spruce. The spruce won by a nose and the balanced masterpiece I walked away with has only sounded better the more I have played it.
Anyone considering purchasing a guitar based solely on merit would be wise to reach out to Tom. Rarely when dealing with handcrafted items does the artisan's cumulative experience manifest itself so adroitly. For those looking for an objective measure of Tom's prowess should check for a used Bazzolo – my guess is that you won't find one."
Chris Arkin, 2011 spruce.