Tomasz Krol - The Luthier

Born 1 february 1952 in Poznan, Pland. A self-taugh luthier, he built his first guitar at age of 14. In the years 1969-1974 he studied in the Departament of Timber Production Technology of the Acacdemy of Agriculture in Poznan, at the same time expanding his theoretical knowledge of stringed instrument making with the help of professional literature. He was olso involved in reserch into the acoustic properties of resonance wood for the student Study Group run by Prof. Helena Harajda. On completing his studies, as a master of Engineering in Timber Production technology, he took up employment in the Lower Silesia Stringed Instrument Manufactures in Lubin, which gave him first-hand contact with instrument-building. In 1982 he moved to Zielona Gora, where he opened his own luthier's workshop. Since that time he has also worked as conservator of stringed instruments in the state-run primary and secondary schools of music in Zielona Gora.
He specialises in making guitars, although he also produces violins and bows.
In 1986 he was awarded a diploma for participation in the second round of the Seventh " H.Wieniawski International Luthiers Competition in Poznan. He achieved further succsees in the guitar category of the International Luthiers' Competition in Gdansk, which he held cyclically as part of the Gdansk Guitarists' Convention: 1993, First Prize; 1995, First Prize; 2001, First Prize for masterly guitar, First Prize for children's guitar, Second Prize for school guitar and Grand Prize for the best guitar overall. In 2003 he was invited to sit on the jury of the Sixth International Luthier's Competition in Gdansk.