“The more I play it, the more it reveals itself. It is, quite simply, an instrument to be discovered.”
It is a true honor to have Manuel Randi, an exceptional guitarist and composer, among my testimonials. For over 20 years, he has accompanied my work as a luthier, inspiring the way my instruments sound today. Manuel’s boundless virtuosity, his genius in composition, and his never-ending passion for the guitar have profoundly influenced the character and development of my guitars. I am deeply grateful for his guidance and support.
“I have the pleasure of playing the new Latemar model by THOM ORGLER, and I am genuinely enthusiastic about it. As a professional musician, I need an instrument that is reliable, solid, and high-performing, with a powerful acoustic presence and a perfect balance between bass and treble.
For reasons of practicality, I also need a guitar that can move across very different styles: fingerpicking in open tunings, sometimes tuned low and slack, the rhythmic drive and melodic flow of Manouche, strumming for modern songs, or even passages taken from the classical guitar repertoire. The Latemar model meets every one of these needs without compromise.
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Its sound is strong yet rich in harmonics, with an endless sustain that supports the music without becoming overwhelming. This is where the miracle happens: every note sings like a soprano at La Fenice in Venice—clear, expressive, and alive—while its percussive attack will delight any Django Reinhardt lover. Polyphonic textures are equally rewarding: every note of every chord is distinct, full of character, and never forced, even with a light touch of the right hand.
The Latemar model is also a joy in its details. The innovative comfortwave grants effortless access to the higher notes, designed so discreetly that it almost disappears to the eye, and yet it sacrifices nothing of tone or beauty. The fretboard is perfect across the entire range, the stainless steel medium jumbo frets offer brilliance and speed, and the neck profile—a well-judged C—feels comfortable for those who prefer both thicker and thinner styles. The action is finely balanced, adaptable to different string sets, and every guitar comes with two bridges to adjust tension to one’s own taste. The particular headstock design allows the strings to run almost without angle from the nut to the tuning pegs, preventing any possible friction at the nut. I find this solution extremely effective, especially when changing tunings during concerts.
And then there is the sound. To me, its greatest strength lies in the coexistence of vintage warmth and modern clarity. The guitar reacts to every nuance of the right hand: moving from round, warm tones near the fingerboard to a more aggressive, percussive character by the bridge, always expressive and never harsh. With a lighter pick it shines in strumming and melodic lines; with a heavier one it reveals an enormous, percussive power in the mid and bass range. And when played with fingers, the Latemar model opens up a world of colors and voices that I have rarely found in a single instrument.
Despite its versatility, the Latemar model has its own unmistakable voice—modern and vintage at once, refined, bold, and endlessly inspiring. The more I play it, the more it reveals itself. It is, quite simply, an instrument to be discovered.”
