Paul Beard has been a highly esteemed name that resonates loudly throughout the resophonic guitar industry. Beard has set the precedence in research and development by creating a resonator guitar with metciulous attention to design detail. Paul has an engineering background that reflects throughout all of his designs. For a small example, the truss rod cover is installed with machine screws utilizing tapped in threaded inserts instead of wood screws commonly found on all other guitar makes.
Beard doesn't stop with the fine detail engineered into every model, he also offers a wide array of finishes and custom options allowing for a fully customized model that would truly be one of a kind.
I, personally, have always wanted to own and play professionally a Beard guitar. I'm having a customized Deluxe Model built for my own use that I hope to play and keep for a lifetime. Ever since I heard Mike Auldridge's "8-String Swing", I also wanted to try out an 8-string model. So, that's also on the wish list...please us at if you have any specific questions regarding how we can assist you in getting into the Beard system. Mickey
Click on images below for magnified views:
I would like to mention that Beard Guitars are made with the finest tone
woods and parts available. Sixteen years of experience in resophonic guitar
building have made Paul Beard a Master Luthier. Luthiers and large guitar
manufacturers all over the world seek his advice in building resophonic
guitars.
Beard Guitars also has a commitment to fine detailed craftsmanship,
which is poured into each guitar. Paul Beard personally inspects each
instrument before it leaves our shop. I think that you can hear the
difference between a Beard Guitar and ..."Other Brands", as well as see the
difference in craftsmanship. Paul Beard puts his name on his instruments,
so in a sense he is putting his reputation on the line with every instrument
that leaves our shop.
I can also speak on a personal level about the sound and exquisite
beauty of a Beard because I own one. Trust me when I say how jealous my
fellow musician friends are when the hear and play my Beard Guitar.
Of course, don't just take my word for it. I strongly encourage you to
check us out on the internet to see how the Beard reputation speaks for
itself.
I have attached an owner's list of some notable musicians who all own
and play Beard Guitars.
If you have any questions, please let me know. Please expect to hear
from Chet in the next few days. He can probably answer any technical
question that you may have regarding Beard Guitars. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Stone
Resophonic Outfitters
Junior Barber "Gibson Brothers"
Cindy Cashdollar "Asleep At The Wheel"
Buddy Emmons Nashville Session Great
John Fogerty "Creedence Clearwater Revival"
Josh Graves "Flatt & Scruggs"
Tim Graves "Cherokee", and "The Osborne Brothers"
Sid Cox "Cox Family"
Phil Leadbetter "J.D. Crowe", and "WildFire"
Leroy Mack McNees "Kentucky Colonels"
Kevin Maul "Mandala Hand" label recording artist
Bob Minner "Tim McGraw Band"
Gary Morse "Dwight Yoakam Band"
Steve Toth Author of "Dobro Classics Plus"
Fred Travers "Seldom Scene"
Please Note: "This list does not imply any endorsement by the owner."
Testimonials:
Subject: ...re Beard R Mahogany Reso # D0146...
Date: Thu, 8 May 2003
...most many thanks to all of you at Folk of the Wood...(Suzie, Shelley, Nathan and Mickey)...I have spoken with you all many times and much appreciate your personal consideration re my questions...my most proud purchase through "FOLK" is the Beard R Mahogany square neck resonator #D0146...I just recently played (another model) Dobro in Nashville, Tn...I can assure you that neither that Dobro nor any other resonator guitar there could match or even come close to the sound of my Beard R Mahogany square neck...thanks, Folk of the Wood, for supplying me with this most beautiful instrument...I must also mention the Johnson Metal Mandolin...boys and girls, if you play bluegrass...GET ONE...just make sure you don't hurt yourself..."FOLK", thank you for these and my other purchases...friend, RVE...
5/24/02: To whom may be interested:
Subject: Folk of the Wood Testimonial - LONG
Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 14:35:06 -0500
I've just completed a couple transactions with "Folk of the Wood" in Ruidoso
New Mexico, and I've gotta tell you, those folks really took care of me.
http://www.folkofthewood.com/
First I started bugging them about my interest in a Beard Vintage Birch
resophonic guitar. I had some questions about it that Mickey Cochran (the
owner) answered promptly via .
I didn't have the money to buy it right then, so I took advantage of their
layaway program... I used PayPal to pay them fifty bucks, and they put the
instrument on hold for me (I knew I could pay the balance in a week or two).
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page443.htm#layaway
Then I had some questions about what my particular instrument looked like...
the one on the website was quite attractive:
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page1569.htm
...and the high resolution images really showed great detail. But I also
looked at Elderley's page on the same instrument, and it differed from
FotW's page in several respects, so I ed Mickey again to ask him about
the appearance of the particular one they had on hold for me.
Mickey went and got mine out of the warehouse, drug it into his photo
studio, and did a complete photo montage of MY instrument, (just like the
one on the above referenced page) and ed the result to me so I could
really see what MY instrument looked like. I think that's pretty above and
beyond the call of duty, I was dumbfounded.
When payday came, I called them and paid it off, and I had it the next day
via FedEx overnight. It was everything I expected... superb workmanship and
sound and playability, and yep, looking at the grain and stuff it really was
the one Mickey photographed for me.
After playing it for a couple weeks I had convinced myself that I'd rather
have the fancier Beard "R Standard" mahogany model though. Normally, a
change of mind like that would cost you. You'd have to either sell your
existing instrument or trade it in, usually at a considerable loss.
Not at Folk of the Wood though. They have a policy that allows you to trade
up at any time, and 100% of what you paid goes toward the discounted price
of a more expensive instrument (doesn't even have to be the same KIND of
instrument... for instance, you could trade up from a cheap mandolin to a
more expensive banjo).
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page443.htm#tradeup
So, I ed Mickey, and he had a Beard R Standard in stock:
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page931.htm
I wiped down my less than two week old Beard Vintage Birch (which was in the
same flawless condition in which I received it), packed it securely, and
FedEx overnighted it to them. It arrived there yesterday mid-day, and all I
had to do was pay the $800 difference in price between the two instruments
(plus shipping), and this morning I picked up the R Standard at the FedEx
location around the corner from my house.
The R Standard is everything I'd hoped for... man, what a nice reso!
I am truly a VERY satisfied customer, and have no other affiliation with
Folk of the Wood. I just wanted you folks who may be in the market for a
resophonic guitar or other acoustic instrument to know about the outstanding
service this shop has provided me. I recommend them highly!
Michael Nelson
