The Ethos of Sustainable Lutherie: Connecting Forest to Fretboard
It is often said that we get to choose our path in life, but in true luthiery, passion dictates purpose. The journey of Bedell Guitars began in 1964 with a deep reverence for acoustic sound and natural tonewoods. Re-launched with an uncompromising mandate for environmental ethics, Bedell Guitars operates from a state-of-the-art workshop in Bend, Oregon, USA. We engineer and handcraft luxury acoustic instruments designed for global music distributors, premium retailers, and discerning musicians worldwide.
Our core conviction is simple: magnificent acoustic tone must never come at the expense of old-growth forests or rainforest ecosystems. Every piece of wood utilized in a Bedell guitar is fully traceable from its origin on the forest floor to the final stringing in our Oregon workshop.
100% Zero Clear-Cut Guarantee
We strictly refuse clear-cut timber. Bedell tonewoods are sourced exclusively from naturally downed trees, individually selected fallen giant timber, or certified sustainable selectively harvested forests.
Full Legal & CITES Compliance
Every instrument strictly adheres to international environmental standards, including the USDA Lacey Act, CITES regulations, and FSC forestry certifications, guaranteeing hassle-free international export and import.
Hand-Voiced Frequency Tuning
Each soundboard and back set is individually measured for density and deflection, then hand-carved and hand-voiced by master luthiers to maximize acoustic resonance and projection.
The Four Pillars of the Seed-To-Song Supply Chain
To ensure complete integrity for global trade partners, commercial buyers, and players, Bedell Guitars enforces a transparent four-stage manufacturing process for every handcrafted acoustic guitar.
01
Direct Forest Partnership & Sourcing
We travel directly to the source — working with local forest stewards, indigenous communities, and certified sustainable mills across Alaska, Brazil, Central America, and Europe to verify timber origin firsthand.
02
Individualized Tonewood Profiling & Acoustic Matching
In our Bend, Oregon facility, each tonewood set (including Sitka Spruce, Mahogany, and Brazilian Rosewood) undergoes precise spectral profiling. Top and back woods are acoustically paired to optimize tonal warmth, sustain, and dynamic range.
03
Master Luthier Craftsmanship in Oregon, USA
Combining traditional hand tools with modern acoustic engineering, our team of veteran luthiers hand-shapes dovetail neck joints, hand-carves tone bars, and fits premium American-made electronics like K&K Sound pickups.
04
Complete Documentation & The Seed-To-Song Journal
Every completed guitar is accompanied by an individual Seed-to-Song Journal detailing exact forest coordinates, harvest documentation, CITES export verification, and signed craftsmanship logs.
Global Supply Reliability & Wholesale Distribution
As a premier American acoustic guitar manufacturer, Bedell Guitars provides international distributors, luxury music houses, and wholesale importers with dependable supply chain transparency, custom OEM batch options, and full legal documentation for worldwide transit.
Tom Bedell
Founder, Bedell Guitars (Bend, Oregon)
