While at the SPBBGMA convention in Nashville this pst weekend, I ran into Tom Nechville, founder and proprietor of Nechville Musical Products. They are the designers and builders of all the fine Nechville banjos, made in Minnesota for the past 30 years.
Tom’s mind has conjured up a good many design innovations for banjo, including his radical Heli-Mount frame that allows for two-minute head changes, and his Warp Drive pickup system. Nechville electric banjos are very popular among banjoists who perform in high-volume stage settings, or who like the ease and convenience of a solid body instrument.
Well, after 30 years working in Bloomington, MN, Tom is moving to Portland, OR to maintain a west coast presence for the company. He told me that this has been prompted by the recent retirement of his west coast rep, Al Price, who has carried the Nechville banner in the northwest for some time. The factory will remain in Minnesota, in the capable hands of his trusted staff, and Tom will keep his regular schedule of festival and workshop visits through the year, only now from a home base in Portland.
Nechville’s visibility and popularity in this part of the country is quite high, something Tom credits to Al’s hard work over the years, and something he wants to foster and nurture through his presence in the area.
Dealers in the northwest and west coast region can contact Tom as they had previously done with Al, and pickers in and around Portland can find him most Tuesdays and Thursdays at Artichoke Music.
He will also maintain a small inventory of banjos for sale in Portland. Anyone interested in seeing them is welcome to call him at 612-275-6602 to make an appointment.
