About Us

I first became fascinated with resonator guitars when I was 18 years old, about the same time I started repairing stringed instruments. A few years later I was fresh out of school with degrees in Aviation Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering. With the job market drying up in aviation, and supported by family and friends, my musical career was launched as a teacher, stringed instrument technician, and performer. As a musician I became dissatisfied with the quality of available resonator guitars and focused my skills on design and construction of a next generation instrument. The first Beard resonator guitar was delivered to a customer in 1985. Since then, I have worked hard at making the highest quality instruments and the highest quality parts that take advantage of new technologies and techniques while honoring the tradition of the Dopyera family.