Thomas Johnson made his first guitar in 1967. He retired from a career in social work in 1997 and now makes lutes, guitars, and experimental instruments as a therapeutic aid to maintaining health. He met Tuvan musicians at a studio near his shop and travelled to Tuva in 2001. His current workshop is a cabin purpose-built in Poland and shipped in sections to his garden in the UK.
▪ bio current as of 2011
2011
AL#105 p.42
Thomas Johnson Ray Cowell
▪ Cowell salvages wooden interior trim from Titanic sister ship Olympic for uke making, assisted by luthier Thomas Johnson.
2009
AL#99 p.3
Thomas Johnson
▪ Johnson’s letter introduces us to English uke maker Ray Cowell, who began his career by making instruments from wood retrieved from the ocean liner RMS Olympic, sister ship to the ill-fated Titanic.
2009
AL#98 p.44
Thomas Johnson
▪ The instruments are the igil and the morin khuur. They may figure prominently on the top of the pops in Tuva, but we bet you’ve never heard of them. Obscure instruments are fun and exotic, just like foreign places (where the heck is Tuva, anyway?). Both are fretless and played with a bow. One is covered in goat or fish skin and one is not. Either would have looked right in place in “Conan the Barbarian”. That’s a compliment, not a slight. Full scale plans are available as GAL plan #60. With 4 photos and a mini-plan. See the GAL website for a low-rez preview.