Nechville Banjos Announces Relocation to Sisters

Nechville Musical Instruments: Harmonizing Craftsmanship and Community of Sisters, Oregon

Tom Nechville recently announced that Nechville Musical Products has wrapped up manufacturing operations in Minnesota, completing the last phase of Tom’s long-planned relocation to Sisters, Oregon. The relocation of the manufacturing operation will enable Tom to consolidate all Nechville operations in his hometown of Sisters.

In 2020, Tom finalized the purchase of his new company headquarters. While managing operations in Minnesota, Tom remodeled the building. With his partner Linda Leavitt, he opened a retail sales shop, Nechville Banjos West, in Sisters. The shop offers banjo repair, lessons, events, workshops and a music community gathering place. Ever since Tom arrived in Central Oregon, customers have regularly made the trek to Sisters from Seattle, Portland, the Bay Area, and from other far-flung places to visit Tom and Nechville Banjos.

Central Oregon is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country and home to an increasing population of musical instrument builders and musicians. Tom’s connection to the area runs deep. His father moved to the area during the 90’s, where he manufactured banjo bridges for Nechville. For the past three decades, Tom has been envisioning his eventual relocation to the area.

Since his move in 2020, Tom has become an active force in the Oregon Bluegrass Association and a sponsor of the Sisters Folk Festival. Tom and Linda host a monthly jam at his Sisters shop. Touring musicians regularly stop by the Nechville Banjo Kitchen to pick with Tom and to record videos for his YouTube series, “Live From The Banjo Kitchen.”

According to Tom, "Sisters provides an ideal physical and creative climate for the manufacture of musical instruments, as well as a supportive business climate tailored to artisans. The city is home to the Sisters Folk Festival, which produces two annual music festivals and monthly music events, and 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.”

Tom is grateful for all of the support he has received through the years from the wonderful Minnesota bluegrass community and from the fine luthiers he has employed over time since his humble beginnings building banjos in his garage.

For more information about Nechville Banjos visit www.nechville.com. More about the retail store, Nechville Banjos West, is available at banjoswest.com.