Interview: Matt Randall - Guitar luthier and technician

This month, Rinaro Isodynamics spoke to Matt Randall, a guitar luthier and technician who has toured with famous bands worldwide such as Queen, Mumford and Sons, Royal Blood, Bloc Party, Ben Howard, and many others.

We talk about Matt's journey into touring as a guitar tech, his inspirations and experiences on his career path, and the exact process of crafting his beautiful guitars.

RINARO: We know that you originally studied musical instruments at university and have focused on making lap steel guitars. Do you have an affinity to guitars and why the lap steel variety?

MR: I grew up playing piano and was drawn to playing guitar at 14, like a lot of kids. It certainly didn’t make me as cool or popular as I’d hoped! I was fascinated by how they worked - that a piece of wood could transform into a musical instrument. Unlike a piano, it felt much more accessible. There were screws to adjust, and parts to swap out.

There was a luthier in Southampton where I grew up called Vince Hockey who let me sit in his workshop and watch the acoustic guitars he was building and repairing. I didn’t really know anything about instrument making until then but it totally opened my eyes. I made my first instrument - a scrap wood ukulele - in the shed around that time. A couple of years later I went to study instrument making at university in London.

My first experience of a lap steel guitar was in my teens; a friend’s dad was a musician and played a lot of slide guitar. We dug out his 60s Fender Studio Deluxe and tried to figure out how to play it. I built my first few lap steels around that time; I was maybe 18 or 19.

The sound of slide guitar has always spoken to me, and the unique limitations of a lap steel continue to fascinate me.

RINARO: How did you get into touring and becoming a guitar technician?

MR: I played in bands for a few years and quickly realized I didn’t want to be the focus of anyone’s attention. A friend’s band was doing well at the time so I offered to look after their gear on tour. I didn’t really know what I was doing but I had some tools and was keen to learn! That was 2007 and I’ve been consistently busy since then. It’s a word-of-mouth industry and reputation counts for a lot; I’ve been very lucky to work for the level of artists I have.

Matt Randall - Model 1 Guitar

“There’s no ‘perfect’ guitar - something which is great in the studio might not work live, or a guitar which suits my playing style won’t necessarily suit someone else. It’s all about context...”

RINARO: Touring with bands such as Queen, Mumford and Sons, Royal Blood and Bloc Party, must be incredibly exciting. What is an average day for you like being on tour?

MR: Once a tour is rolling, there’s a lot of routine and repetition. My day begins at 9 am on showday when my gear comes off the truck. Normally by that point, the stage will have been built and the lighting, video and audio crews will have set up their gear; often the day before.

On some tours that’s half a dozen guitars, though I’ve had as many as twenty which needed re-stringing every show.

The equipment is checked, set up and tested with the audio team. Consistency is the main priority with tours at this level so making sure everything is exactly the same as the previous show is paramount. Both for the comfort of the artist, and the enjoyment of the crowd.

The band will normally soundcheck early afternoon which might involve working on new material or reworking parts of the show. There’s a little downtime after that to get some dinner, then making sure everything is ready for the show. During the show, I’ll be changing guitars, controlling effects and troubleshooting any problems. As soon as the show is over, we pack down and load everything into the trucks ready for the next show. On a good day we’ll get all the backline loaded within an hour of the last note, though not always so lucky.

Then it’s on to the bus to relax and get some sleep before we do it all over again.

RINARO: Previously touring with bands as a guitar technician must have shaped your approach to making instruments now, what did you learn from working with musicians?

MR: Having access to great guitars was the best education. I’ve been lucky enough to look after artists with some amazing instruments. Getting to know what makes an instrument shine; whether it’s the string spacing, the pickup height, neck angle, or the particular combination of every part of the guitar working together.

Over time, understanding what musicians need from their guitars has taught me a lot about the instruments too. There’s no ‘perfect’ guitar - something which is great in the studio might not work live, or a guitar which suits my playing style won’t necessarily suit someone else. It’s all about context: the environment it will be used in, the aesthetics, the playing style, the other instruments in the band…

Trying to identify what kind of guitar will suit a particular musician is a challenge, but immensely rewarding when it works out.

Matt Randall - Model 3 Lap Steel Guitar

RINARO: Can you talk us through your process for making a guitar?

MR: If I’m building a model I’ve made before, I have templates and designs all set up. If it’s a bespoke instrument, there’s a lot of designing, drawing, measuring and planning before I cut any timber.

The next stage is material selection. I’ve collected a decent range of domestic and exotic wood to choose from. Depending on the design and specification, I’ll choose the appropriate timber. Weight, colour, tonality, stability are all considerations and balancing those can be tricky.

After that, it’s a lot more measuring and planning then the body is cut to shape, and hollowed out to reduce the weight and improve the resonance of the instrument. The top and bindings are attached and it begins to resemble and instrument. Once the body is complete, I’ll work on inlays which are either pearl, stone or wood and can easily double the build time. Some instrument makers use CNC to automate some of the processes but I enjoy being in contact with the material from start to finish.

I French polish all of my Model 3 instruments and the quality of the finish relies on the sanding and surface preparation. There’s so much sanding. Probably five to six hours of fine sanding before any finish is applied.

The French polish process is time-consuming but the results are certainly worth it. Finishing will normally take a few weeks on and off. After that electronics are fitted, the bridge is glued and strings go on. I let the guitar settle for a few days before the final setup then I finally get to hear it.

RINARO: How long does the guitar-making process take for you?

MR: It varies depending on the specification, but for my Model 3 lap steel I estimate it’s around 50 hours. There’s a lot of variation and I rarely have the opportunity to work uninterrupted on one project. Touring and parenting are both very time-consuming!

Matt Randall - Model 3 Lap Steel Guitar

RINARO: Do you have any other instruments you would like to create?

MR: So many! I’m constantly inspired, whether it’s by a vintage instrument I’ve tried, or a piece of timber that I want to use in a build, or refining an existing design. There will never be enough time for all of the projects I’m planning but I want to give each one enough time and space to do it properly.

RINARO: What is your favourite album?

MR: Pet Sounds. There’s something new every time I listen. Honourable mention to In Rainbows too, which is completely sublime.

“A friend once told me that a good craftsperson is just one who has made all the mistakes before.”

RINARO: What are you currently listening to?

MR: I’ve been in rehearsals with an artist for three months so I’ve done a lot of listening to them! Often we’re trying to replicate particular sounds made in the studio which is one of the more creative parts of my job and requires a lot of very detailed listening.

Outside of work, I’ve had the new Low album - Hey What - on repeat. I’m a huge Low fan and the last two albums (Hey What and Double Negative) have moved in a great direction. There’s so much distortion and saturation but it’s still so clear and defined. It’s a magic that I don’t want to understand.

I listen to a lot of podcasts too, especially while running. Broken Record with Rick Rubin and Twenty Thousand Hertz are favourites.

RINARO: What traits should someone possess if they want to get into guitar making?

MR: Patience and attention to detail. A friend once told me that a good craftsperson is just one who has made all the mistakes before.

Some of the processes in instrument making are very slow and trying to rush really compromises the quality. Settling into a three-hour French polishing session with a good record or podcast is almost meditative.

Perfectionism is a dangerous trait, and I’ve definitely fallen victim to it a few times. Having said that, some things are either right or wrong. A miter join can’t be ‘good enough’, it can be right or it needs to be done again.

I want to make the best instruments I can possibly make, that will inspire musicians to create the best art they can.

To discover more about Matt Randall head to his website here