Ted Thompson T1

This is a 1995 Thompson T1 made in Vernon, British Columbia. It has a very nice sitka spruce top and Indian Rosewood back and sides. The tuners are Sperzel (the battleship grey variety). It has a beautiful sized neck, made for fingerpicking. I rate this category a 9 because of the tuners. They seem to detract from this gorgeous instrument.

After about three months of playing this guitar I gave away my Larrivee L10 because I won't be needing it anymore. This easily replaces the Larrivee, and is the sound I've been searching for, for many years. Rich and full are not adequate to describe what I hear coming out of this instrument. It is a sound that remains indescribeable. All I can say it is like a Larrivee on steroids. It has much more volume and projection as well. Every note blends perfectly.

I bought this used, but the previous owner must have been a neat freak. There was not a mark on this guitar! Set up was just right for fingerpicking. I can not find a flaw anywhere on or in this guitar.

I can only imagine it will last a lifetime. I've only had it a few months.

Wow. I've been at this for over 35 years. Had plenty of guitars, from Martins to Larrivees and everything in between. I don't believe I could replace this instrument, yet I'm told Ted Thompson guitars are very consistent. I absolutely love the Quaker-esque nature of the T1. Very simple, unadorned. I had my Larrivee for 25 years and I thought nothing could touch it. Until now.

Concert grand shape built in the mid-nineties.

Rosewood sides and back with maple top.

Sperzel tuners.

Limited inlay and decor.

Clear pick guard and simple binding.

From the first moment I played this guitar, it was one of those times when a voice in my head said, "this is the sound you've been looking for. No more excuses. Buy this guitar."

Rich,full and in tune throughout the register of the instrument.

Plays and records beautifully.

I recently used a Neumann 184 on it in an old barn... Yikes! The guitar really sang for me.

Finger stylists will love the action and feel of Thompson T1's.

The guitar is remarkable easy to play and loves dynamics.

The finish is modest, clean and flawless... reflective of an expert luthier who puts his heart into each instrument.

It is not a guitar that will turn heads by its appearance, but discerning listeners will appreciate its rich, subtle delivery.

My Thompson gets better and better with age.

Hope to pass it on to my nephew when I get too old to play.

It will take care of you forever if you take care of it.

Haven't had to contact Thompson but would love to visit his shop.

Should you be in the market for an upper end guitar, I strongly encourage you to look at a Thompson. They may not be the most easily found guitar on the web or in stores, but the value and quality are as good as if not better than Collings, Taylor, Santa Cruz and other high-end builders.

If you are looking for something visually distinct, the Thompson may not be your guitar. But for pure sound quality, I can think of few builders who offer a better guitar for the money.

Vernon, BC is also an incredibly beautiful place. Go pick it up from Mr. Thompson if you are able!!!

A handbuilt guitar from Ted Thompson, luthier in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. Ted builds around 100 guitars a year, with 2-3 of those left handed. So his guitars are rare enough, but left handed models are almost impossible to find! This T1 has delicious chocolate colored Indian Rosewood back and sides, with the most delicate figuring in the back, which you hardly ever see in quarter sawn woods. The top is Alaskan sitka, with streaks of honey and cinnamon running through it. Ted's approach to his guitars is to use understatement and simple elegance, rather than flashy and gaudy techniques. (Perhaps akin to the saying, "Money shouts, but wealth whispers"?) His rosette is three simple rings of mahogany, flanked on both sides by a thinner ring of ebony. His binding is maple, flanked by ebony and mahogany. The fretboard is bound in maple, with an underlying line of ebony that flows along, interrupted only by the half-moon shaped ebony fretmarkers in the traditional positions. A nice signature touch! The neck is mahogany, with a standard 1-3/4" nut width. Fretboard and bridge are ebony, nut and saddle are Tusq (soon to be replaced with bone!), standard pickguard is clear (replaced mine with a firestripe guard), standard tuners are brushed chrome Sperzels (replaced with gold locking Sperzels). All in all, a simple, unadorned, elegant look. The interior looks like it's been cleaned before a visit by a Marine drill sergeant! Clean work, inside and out.

Ted's guitars sound like he has a piano stuck inside somewhere! Full, rich timbre to the voice, resonant and clear to the sound. Excellent projection, whether using fingers or picks, and a wonderful balance of tone. Amazing bass for this body style, and clear, sparkling trebles. I had a T3 (jumbo) that I traded only because of a too wide nut width, and the sound of that stayed with me until I had a chance to buy another Thompson!

I am an architect/general contractor, and design custom homes where everything we do has to be constructed to the highest degree of quality. Ted's guitars are impeccable in fit and finish. They are second to none in cleanliness of lines, there are no glue drips inside, everything joins together perfectly, the woods are perfectly bookmatched... the guy is amazing!

Everything feels well constructed. This is one guitar that I now own that I can comfortably feel that we will grow old together! I can't wait to hear the tone in 10 or 20 years. Ted has told me on the phone that even though I'm not the original, warranted owner, that if anything ever goes wrong with this guitar, to let him know and "we'll work something out." Somehow I didn't get the feeling that he was very worried at all.

Ted answers the phone himself, gives direct answers, doesn't rush you when you're talking. I like that approach. Bottom line, even if something happened and Ted couldn't fix it, there are so many good luthiers around (Jim Grainger in Sparta, TN, etc.) that it shouldn't be a problem.

I've been seriously playing for 2 1/2 years now, and in that time frame have bought/sold/traded nine high quality guitars, including Martins, Larrivees, Goodalls, and a Huss * Dalton. My Goodall and Thompson are the best in quality that I have owned, and the Thompson is about 40% of the cost of the Goodall. There isn't any better quality, tone and workmanship in a handbuilt acoustical guitar anywhere on the market, in my opinion. Some of the other small shop luthiers have had nice things written about them, but their quality and tone are more hit and miss than Ted Thompson's. With Ted, you get a consistency that very few other luthiers are able to match. The T1 is perhaps his best all-around guitar, in size, comfort, sound and tone. I know intimately what GAS is, and how that can change opinions that once were set in stone (you THOUGHT!). If I could only keep one of the four guitars that I now own (Goodall KGC, Larrivee OM, '75 D-18 are the others), this would be the guitar. All of the others are replacable, and because of Ted's self imposed "vacation" this year, it would be very difficult to replace it from the open market.

Purchased in 1997 right from Ted Thompson. I live within 500 miles of him so I ordered by telephone. He's not on the net,, too bad! Rosewood back and sides. Smaller body fingerstyle guitar. Workmanship is impecable! Binding is wood. Schaller tuners. Came with basic case. Told me what level of humidity it was built at, and recommended string guage. Great guy to talk with and deal with. Just phoned him up and discussed details. My guitar is plain, no fancy ornamentation but that's what I wanted.

Sound is suited for fingerstyle or strumming. I asked him for an all around guitar and he suggested this model. For a smaller guitar it is still pretty loud. The only complaint I have is that action is a little high. I requested it set up for fingerstyle and strumming. I think he erred on the high side just in case. The sound is very balanced. I like it this way as the bass is nice and tight, not boomy as a lot of guitars are and not thin as many other guitars are. I have had the guitar a couple of years now and it is starting to open up alot to a more complex sound. I like rosewood for its clarity and this guitar delivers that.

As mentioned a little disappointed in the action but I can live with it. Top is very good spruce. Top notch wood only. Wood binding is a very nice touch. He was doing this before many makers that now do it.
Pick guard is clear thin plastic. This to me is the only way to go. Nothing like a big hunk of plastic on an acoustic guitar to help the tone. Never understood that idea anyway. Guess you could order a pickguard if you wanted but why? /Buy a cheap guitar like a Takamine if you are going to club it to death.

Finish is typical high gloss. I am very careful of my guitars so I see no problem with this finish. No strap button but one comes with the guitar if you want to have the guitar drilled to do so. No electrics but again, this is not the type of guitar I would buy to amplify internally. Mike it or external pickup but why put internal pickup on it? Defeats the purpose of buying a custom, handmade guitar. No assembly line system here.

Ted was always available whenever I phoned. Very helpful and detailed about my concerns.

I have a Larrivee and Morgan acoustics as well. Own several electrics and amps. I would love to replace if stolen. I think this guitar is a steal for the price. Any Americans would be crazy not to get custom handbuilt for 30% less than other name makers. I have seen his guitars for sale on the Mandolin Bros. website but only a few and have not seen any for a while. Check out the prices. US $ goes so much further in Canada. Definitely worthwhile checking Thompson out. Too bad he doesn't have a website.