Tom Nechville has announced this week that manufacturing for his Nechville Musical Products company in Minnesota is set to shutter at the end of this month, with all building and operations moving to his new home in Sisters, OR.
A facility was acquired in 2020 for this purpose, and Tom and his partner, Linda Leavitt, have completed the necessary renovations to convert the building into a banjo shop. They have operated Nechville Banjos West there for some time as a retail shop for the various instruments and products the company offers, and the two are looking forward to having everything all back under the same roof.
The various Nechville banjos, both acoustic and electric, will continue to be built in a small shop environment, under Tom’s watchful eye, and both the instruments and accessories (bridges, capos, arm rests, tone rings, and pickups) will be offered through the same network of Nechville dealers, or directly from Nechville Banjos West. This includes their new artist model, the Billy Failing Vintage Eclipse, a signature banjo for Failing, who plays the five with Billy Strings.
Tom says that he feels like Oregon is the perfect home for Nechville.
“Sisters provides an ideal physical and creative climate for the manufacture of musical instruments, as well as a supportive business climate tailored to artisans. Sisters is the home of Sisters Folk Festival, which produces two annual music festivals and monthly music events.
Our building is located a half block from Preston Thompson Guitars, which builds guitars for a long list of fine musicians, including Molly Tuttle, Peter Rowan and Billy Strings.”
He also shared his deep gratitude and respect to all the people who had supported him and the company in Minnesota, the many fine folks in the local bluegrass community, and the capable luthiers who worked so long and hard there.
Since moving west, Tom and Linda have made Nechville Banjos West into a regular stopping place for banjo players and bluegrass folks in the area, hosting informal concerts, as well as a series of YouTube videos billed as Live From The Banjo Kitchen, where Tom either interviews and picks with Nechville users, or gives them the stage to entertain. Guests so far have included The Kruger Brothers, Slocan Ramblers, Gangstagrass, and this one with Torrin Daniels of The Kitchen Dwellers.
Tom also invites anyone in central Oregon, or who might plan a trip there, to stop in and visit with he and Linda at Nechville Banjos West, where you can also see what sort of in-stock inventory is available for immediate purchase. They can be reached through the Nechville web site, or by email.
