BILL ARNOLD (A JOYFUL NOISE DULCIMERS)
GREENCASTLE, INDIANA
"A Joyful Noise Dulcimers" by Bill Arnold provides Weed Patch Music Company with a large variety of it's dulcimer family. Bill offers everything from affordable student dulcimers to get you started to beautiful dulcimers with incredible inlay work for any level player. Some of Bill's other interesting luthier work also includes the unique Marimbula - an amazing Bass Kalimba! You can often catch Bill traveling to many folk festivals around the Midwest, or you can stop by Weed Patch to play a large variety of his instruments today!
CLINT BEAR (O.C. BEAR GUITARS)
MADISON, INDIANA
O.C. Bear Guitars are the product of the one man guitar building shop of Clint Bear. Clint's background of 35 years in homebuilding, remodeling, and cabinet making helped him to develop the woodworking skills that he now applies to Lutherie. With incredible detail work and wonderful tone and playability, you just must check out these instruments in person!
BILL BERG (Mountain Made Music)
COLUMBUS, INDIANA
Bill Berg, of Mountain Made Music, has been creating dulcimers since the 1970's. All of Bill's dulcimers are made of all wood, no laminate, and each one is uniquely handcrafted. Bill's dulcimers have an incredible sound and quality making them a top of the line dulcimer. Bill is well-known for his dulcimers due to his shop, Mountain Made Music, which was located in Nashville up until 2006! Truly incredible craftsmanship in every dulcimer! Stop in and see for yourself!
ALAN BRITTINGHAM (ALAN GUITARS)
SEYMOUR, INDIANA
Alan Brittingham, of Alan Guitars, is a retired VP of Engineering turned luthier! He started woodworking 65 years ago when his father bought him his very own workbench with real tools to put in his Dad’s wood shop. Alan has unique pieces across the country from North and South Carolina to Whidbey Island, north of Seattle. After taking John Ressler’s “Making an Acoustic Guitar” class at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking in 2012, he began assisting John with his guitar classes at the Woodworking School. Now you can find Alan building guitars, pickin’ sticks, dulcimers, and more! Stop by Weed Patch Music Company to check out the wide variety of instruments by Alan!
TIM GARST (ARCHAIC GUITARS)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
Tim Garst of Archaic Guitars in Indianapolis, Indiana has been busy soaking up the knowledge of lutherie over the last 5 years and has since made 11 guitars. We especially love his attention to detail, artistic elements, and his dedication to environmental sustainability by using local woods and materials!
RON LUGINBILL
PERU, INDIANA
Ron Luginbill started building ukuleles in 2018 and has gained quite a following for his unique gourd ukueles, cigar box ukuleles, and rehabilitated instruments! Ron previously dabbled in woodworking, but after rescuing a broken ukulele from a Goodwill store, his passion for building began. His specialty is definitely his gourd ukuleles which are all completely unique, have a beautiful tone, and just must be played to see what all the fuss is about! Stop by Weed Patch Music Company to see a variety of Ron’s unique ukes!
NEW HARMONY DULCIMER COMPANY (RICK GOODEN & ROB WOODRING)
NEW HARMONY, INDIANA
New Harmony Dulcimer Company instruments are quickly growing in the ranks as some of the most sought-after dulcimers in the country. With models ranging from a Short-Scale Pudge to a Command Performance Professional, there is something for everyone. Long-time woodworker-turned-luthier Rick Gooden is the Company Founder and lead designer of the New Harmony Dulcimer line. Rob joined New Harmony Dulcimers a few years in, and has been training to continue the legacy ever since. With their combined backgrounds in music, acoustics, electronics, engineering, audio, and graphic design, these folks have a lot to offer to the world of dulcimers!
THOMAS ROEGER
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA
Thomas Roeger, of Tom's Handcrafted Guitars and Ukuleles, has been making instruments for over 10 years. His beautifully crafted instruments are incredibly unique and feature a wide variety of tonewoods. These instruments are made to last a lifetime. You can find several examples of Tom's wonderful work in our store, including Tenor Ukuleles, Fingerstyle Guitar Masterpieces, a booming Dreadnought, and more!
ROY SHEA
NASHVILLE, INDIANA
Roy Shea is a man of many talents, currently building everything from guitars to mandolins to folk fiddles and more. Roy makes an incredibly affordable and beautiful sounding instrument, so come in to the store and try one out!
SONGBIRD DULCIMERS (CHRIS FOSS)
MUSCATINE, IOWA
In 1976 Chris Foss saw a busker playing a hammered dulcimer on the streets of Key West and that moment changed his life forever. He attended the Charles Fox’s School of Guitar Research and Design in Vermont and created some beautiful instruments and then went into the woodworking field of cabinet-making for several years. In 1992 he quit the cabinet-making field and switched back to instrument-making with his eyes on the hammered dulcimer! Thirty years later and he has now taken on an apprentice, Chris Bierstedt, and they plan to continue to keep hammered dulcimers available, affordable, and well-made for years to come!
STEVE TAFT (TAFT GUITARS)
SHELBURN, INDIANA
Steve Taft first began his guitar-building journey with an Acoustic Guitar Build with Robbie O’Brien. After attending the Galloup School of Lutherie in Michigan, he perfected his skills and has now made several acoustics, electrics, and ukuleles! We particularly love his smaller-body guitars reminiscent of early 1900’s Martin builds. Stop by Weed Patch to play some of these beautiful guitars!
BRUCE TAGGART
NASHVILLE, INDIANA
Bruce Taggart started as a luthier due to his original desire to play the banjo. He picked up the book "Earl Scruggs and the 5 String Banjo", followed along, and began a career as a luthier. As he gained an interest in fiddles and mandolins, he began to build those as well, and he surely succeeded! Bruce really perfected the art of lutherie during his over 40 year career of building. Taggart mandolins and violins can be found and played at Weed Patch Music Company and appointments can be made to see additional instruments if desired!
DOUGLAS THUNDER HORSE (Thunder Horse Flutes)
GREENSBURG, INDIANA
Douglas Thunderhorse Goldsmith is the incredible luthier behind Thunder Horse Flutes. Douglas creates his instruments using only wood that is native to North America with respect to all that came before him. Each one of his instruments has been handcrafted and inspired by the flutes of the First People. The mastery in which he creates his instruments is second only to the passion he has for his work and his dedication to keeping this style of flute alive and accessible to the people who love to play and collect them. Come breathe life into one of these beautiful Native American flutes and hear the spirit of Douglas's work!
DAVID UNDERWOOD (FAUZ INSTRUMENTS)
HUNTINGBURG, INDIANA
Fauz Instruments is the collaboration between woodworking specialist Dave Underwood and his son Jesse. Each Fauz Cajon is handmade with a wide range of tones available on each box. These cajons have an incredible bass response not available in many cajons you find out there. Come and check out the locally made Crux, Spark, Blast, or Grind Cajons available in our shop now!
SUE WESTHUES
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA
Sue Westhues began her gourd creations with the planting of a single package of gourd seeds and the intention of creating a few birdhouses. Now Sue has created a full career of gourd art and instruments. Having appeared on the Home Gardening Channel and in several books and publications, she has gained quite a lot of popularity. Sue provides Weed Patch Music Company with a variety of primitive instruments, with everything from hand drums to friction drums to shakers and more, there is sure to be something for everyone! Come on in to check out our percussion section by Sue Westhues!
AND MORE!!!
Here at Weed Patch Music Company, we are dedicated to supporting our local luthiers and craftspeople. We are proud to support the many talented local builders in Indiana and around the Midwest. We are always happy to welcome new luthiers to the Weed Patch Music Company family, so if you are a builder or know someone who is, send them our way! We can't wait to meet them and give them a home to showcase their works of art and music!