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BEDELL ANGELICA COLLECTION
SEED-TO-SONG JOURNAL
THE BEDELL ANGELICA COLLECTION WAS
LOVINGLY HANDCRAFTED IN BEND, OREGON.
3
4
CONTENTS
A LETTER FROM TOM 5
INTRODUCTION 9
SPECIFICATIONS 12
THE WOOD STORY 13
THE BUILD 24THE CRAFTSMEN 31
DOCUMENTATION 46DRUNKEN CEDAR 47
EAST INDIAN ROSEWOOD 57
HONDURAN MAHOGANY 66
5
WELCOME TO THE BEDELL SEED-TO-SONG JOURNEY The adventure creating the Bedell Angelica Series has been a delightful
mission. There is a special sound I have longed for: warm, full bodied,
embracing…almost like the music delivers a big hug. Not a strumming gui-
tar, but masterpiece finger style instruments that deliver each note with
clarity, fullness, warmth and beauty. The Bedell Angelica Series is happily
a solo instrument, or if accompanied by other instruments, it will occupy
first chair.
Our journey started by experimenting with a new body shape we have
named the Bella Voce. Based on our Bedell Orchestra, we have increased
the body depth to TKTK Inches. By using a 12 fret, slotted headstock neck,
the bridge is positioned right in the center of the lower bout giving the
most efficient activation of the soundboard, and allowing for added sus-
tain AND projection.
The first challenge of obtaining the tonewoods I dreamed of was on the
coffee plantations of Eastern Inda. Working again with our friends the
Yogi family, we were able to obtain some of the most strikingly figured
6
Peace,
Tom Bedell
East Indian Rosewood we have ever set our eyes on. The figuring was so
ornate and incredible, we started to call these sets Royale Rosewood.
On a visit to the Fraser River in Vancouver, Canada with our friends at
Pacific Rim Tonewood, Angela Christensen and I encountered a large riv-
er skiff with a crane mounted on it. It would go up and down the river
randomly and blindly searching the river bottom for sunken cedar logs.
After a short conversation he agreed to sell us a salvaged sunken cedar
log, saving it from the pulp mills along the river banks. Steve McMinn,
owner of Pacific Rim Tonewood, facilitated having it processed in Canada
so it could be legally transported to his mill in Concrete, Washington. The
resulting sunken cedar soundboard sets are full of character with their
mineral deposits, reflecting their continuing journey from when the cedar
tree left the forest. And as it turned out this particular tree created stiff
and hardy quarter sawn tops, that when married to the Royale rosewood
bodies delivers exactly the sound I had longed for.
On the following pages of this Seed to Song Journal we tell the story of the
woods used in the Bella Voce, how and where the trees grew, the story of
their legal harvest and journey to be reborn in these incredible guitars.
We provide all of the documentation and chain of custody due diligence to
confirm that every stitch of wood in your Bella Voce was thoughtfully and
legally harvested. We guarantee that you can obtain permits in the United
States and throughout the world to travel with your Angelica Collection
instrument. And should you, someday, wish to sell your prized instrument,
it can be legally sold in all 180 CITES convention nations.
The Bedell Bella Voce is a dream come true. A very special and unique
instrument. A one-of-a-kind design, build and sound.
A LETTER FROM TOM
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8
“There is a special sound I have longed for: warm,
full-bodied, and embracing. Not a strumming
guitar, but a masterpiece finger style instrument that
delivers each note with clarity, fullness, warmth and
beauty.”
- TOM BEDELL -
9
INSPIRED BY OLD WORLD EUROPEAN DESIGN and high quality American
hand craft, Bedell Guitars proudly introduces the Angelica Collection. These
instruments masterfully merge design aspects that pay homage to one of the
modern guitars antecedents, the European vihuela, while celebrating our Amer-
ican roots proudly.
In the mid-15th century, an instrument called the vihuela began to gain popular-
ity in Portugal, Spain and Italy. While today the vihuela has less renown than
another stringed instrument of the same time, the lute, it had a much stronger
influence on the design of the modern guitar than its more popular, and much
older, cousin. Vihuelas were constructed with thin, flat slabs of wood, and in
general had more frets and six courses of strings. By the late 15th century, the
vihuela started to be designed with the bent sides so familiar in today’s acoustic
guitars, although it is worth noting that there is not an exact shape or size for a
vihuela since the advent of mass production was still centuries away.
The story of guitars in 19th century America is incredibly well documented.
Highly trained craftsmen began to immigrate to America along with the masses
of people from the Old World seeking freedom, adventure, opportunity and pros-
perity. Combining their years of training and skill, with the spirit of America,
these craftsmen started to create the acoustic guitar of today. The Angelica
Collection borrows heavily from these luthiers who created an instrument with
more volume, longevity and tone.
Bedell Guitars Angelica Collection is a group of three instruments created to
bring to life the best of the old and new worlds, and to create a superior instru-
ment for today’s fingerstylists that is ethically and sustainably sourced in accor-
dance with the Bedell Tonewood Certification Principles.
Three beautiful guitars make up the Angelica Collection: Bellissima, Bella Voce
and Grandezza. The shape of these guitars is a Parlor, Orchestra and Dread-
nought respectively. What makes the size of each one unique from other Bedell
guitars is an increase to their body depth of 1/4”.
The Angelica Collection also has other unique specifications to meet our goal
of creating a rich fingerstyle response. Two of the most noticeable features we
have added to delight the fingerstylist are our 12 fret-to-body neck and an ex-
tended bridge width. The 12 fret-to-body neck will deliver a more responsive feel
to the strings while the extended bridge width will increase the strings ability to
vibrate the top, both of which while deliver the depth and nuance to your music
INTRODUCTION
10
that you’d expect from such a stunning instrument.
Of course, an instrument of this caliber has to be made from hand graded, high
quality tonewoodstonewoods in the world. For our Angelica Collection, we have
selected a wood combination to make even the most discerning fingerstylist
pleased.
The Angelica Collection’s tops are made from a centuries old Western Red cedar
tree that sank to the bottom of the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada,
approximately 100 years ago. The tree was felled using turn of the century
lumbering techniques and then floated down the Fraser in an attempt to get the
newly fallen tree to the mill. Along the way, this particular tree sank to the bot-
tom, to be left there untouched for over 100 years until our tonewood partners
at Pacific Rim salvaged it. These tops are a product of their one-of-a-kind life:
Old growth cedar that has absorbed the minerals of the longest running unob-
structed river in North America, creating a top for your guitar that will never be
able to be reproduced.
A top of such magnificence must be paired with a tonewood for its back and sides
that is its equal. We were fortunate to find such a tonewood in the hot and humid
climate of Eastern India, rooted amongst the coffee beans it shades and protects.
We did not just select the best sounding East Indian Rosewood, we also selected
among the most beautiful and rare, our Royale Rosewood. This rosewood lived a
long life shading some of the best coffee beans in the world. As these rosewood
trees approach the end of their life, our wood partners, the Yogi family, will come
by and remove the entire tree for use in other applications, including our guitars.
Some of these trees have grown in unique ways in which place differing stresses
on its trunk. These stresses can create very unique patterns in the grain of the
wood that are visually stunning. We have selected the most stunning and best
sounding for the Angelica Collection.
There are those times when you will want to amplify our fingerstyle performance,
and a guitar of such visual and aural beauty needs to have electronics up to the
task. For this, we selected K&K’s Pure Mini pickup, a bridge plate transducer
that is the optimal choice for achieving a rich, natural guitar sound.
Your Angelica Collection guitar will also ship in a deluxe hardshell case with a
Bedell Plant and Animal listing detailing the source for all the natural ingredi-
ents that make your guitar a masterpiece.
INTRODUCTION
11
12
BODY SHAPES
TOP WOOD
BODY WOOD
NECK
FRETBOARD
BINDING
FINISH
SCALE LENGTH
NUT WIDTH
INLAY
TUNERS
NUT/SADDLE
ELECTRONICS
CASE
Deep bodied: Dreadnought, Orchestra and Parlor
Western red cedar
Figured East Indian rosewood
Honduran mahogany
Ebony
Maple
Gloss
25”, 12 frets to body
1 3/4”
Angelica
Waverly, 3-on-plate with ebony buttons
Bone
K&K Pure Mini
Bedell deluxe hardshell case
SPECIFICATIONS
13
TOP WOODWESTERN RED CEDAR
Western red cedar, also known as Pacific red cedar, originates in the Pacific Northwest of North America. It is a very large tree, ranging up to 210 to 230 ft tall and 9.5 to 13 ft in trunk diameter.
Thuja plicata
Western red cedar is among one of the most widespread trees in the Pacific Northwest. It grows from sea level to 7,510 ft. It is shade-tol-erant and able to reproduce under dense shade.
Western red cedar is a wonderful wood for fin-ger style players. It is softer than spruce, so it requires a careful and accurate touch, and it rewards with sweet, extended harmonic content. A highly resonant tonewood.
Warm color with straight grain. The color ranges from light to reddish.
WOOD
BOTANICAL NAME
ORIGIN
TONAL QUALITIES
AESTHETICS
14
TOP WOOD | Western Red Cedar
15
TOP WOOD | Western Red Cedar
Since Western Red cedar can live over a thousand years, we don’t know the exact
moment our tree’s life began, but it could have easily germinated while the lute
and vihuela ruled the stringed instrument world in Europe. Its life would span
the Renaissance, the formation of the New World, and the Industrial Revolution
before being harvested for use.
Our tree’s neighbors would be cut down with a primitive adze by First Nation
communities for use as either canoes or totem poles. Cedar’s light weight and
strength made it just as great of a choice for those communities as it does for gui-
tar builders worldwide.
An important aspect of our tree’s character starts high in the Canadian Rock-
ies. Here lies the source of the Fraser River, named for the North West Company
explorer, Simon Fraser, who was the first European to fully navigate the river,
searching for suitable passage ways between the interior of British Columbia and
the Pacific coast. The river was far too fierce to allow this, but in a few decades it
would serve as a bed for our tree. All the minerals and sediment would flow over
our tree after it sunk to the bottom in transport to the pulp mill. During these
decades on the riverbed, our tree absorbed the rich minerals that flow down this
river until Pacific Rim Tonewoods stopped its barge over this old-growth treasure,
lowered the crane and pulled this beautiful timber from the water. Once destined
for the pulp mill, this treasure is instead a part of your beautiful guitar.
The journey of this precious resource was not a simple one. Bedell Guitars had to
work closely with Pacific Rim Tonewoods and the Canadian Government to make
sure the entire process of timber to tonewood was done perfectly. Canadian red
cedar can’t be exported to the States as round logs; it has to be processed first.
So, Pacific Rim Tonewoods hauled the recovered tree to a mill in Mission, BC,
where the tree was quartersawed into flat boards. Then, the team at Pacific Rim
Tonewoods, hauled the boards to Concrete, Washington, where they carefully cut
out blanks for sets. Then they dried these sets prior to re-sawing, and after they
finished this last step, the new soundboards were graded and shipped to Bedell
Guitars in Bend, OR.
16
Pacific Rim Tonewoods has had a longstanding mission to provide luthiers
with the best available soundboards for guitars and other musical instru-
ments.
Their shop is nestled in a forested valley of the North Cascades; neighbor-
ing British Columbia and Alaska are rich with spruce, the industry stan-
dard for guitar tops. They also have relationships throughout the world
that allows them to source a wide range of woods for guitar makers.
Theirs is a trade that starts with trees and ends with music, and is equally
about the people along the way.
ABOUT PACIFIC RIM TONEWOODS
17
BACK & SIDE WOODEAST INDIAN ROSEWOOD
East Indian rosewood has been the standard rosewood choice for decades. It is often associat-ed with the great dreadnoughts, and is an amaz-ingly neutral wood that takes its personality from the player, making it a natural choice for many styles.
Dalbergia latifolia
India, Indonesia, Nepal
Well-balanced lows, mids, and highs. Famous for rich basses and clear treble response.
Black-streaked wood with coloration that usually leans toward purplish brown, and then oxidizes to a rich brown color. The grain is straight, some-times wavy or interlocked.
WOOD
BOTANICAL NAME
ORIGIN
TONAL QUALITIES
AESTHETICS
18
BACK & SIDE WOOD | East Indian Rosewood
19
Over a century ago, a rosewood seed sprouted in Karnataka, India, destined to
become a part of your Coffee House guitar… but first it had a job to do. Shortly
after the Titanic collided with a formidable iceberg and during the months pre-
ceding WWI when all of Europe was on edge, this little seedling took root and
prepared to serve its first purpose: to provide protection and shelter. Throughout
its life, this beautiful rosewood tree offered shade to the coffee plants that flour-
ished near its roots. It matured more quickly than its wild relatives, thanks to the
farming practices bestowed on the coffee plants, such as fertilizer, compost, and
plentiful water.
Prior to its incarnation in your Bedell guitar, the tree that provided your tonewood
benefited from the care given to its soil mates and in return, provided cool shade
for the crop, shelter and habitat for an array of insects and dozens of species of
birds, and contributed plentiful leaf mulch and cuttings to return nutrients back
to the soil. This tree was harvested with the permission of Indian forestry officials
when it could no longer contribute the requisite amount of shade to benefit the
coffee crops it was serving. In most cases, whenever a rosewood tree is legally har-
vested in India, another seedling is planted nearby to ensure continual renewal of
Indian forest resources.
Stringent governmental regulations dictate very specific guidelines for the har-
vest and sale of all Indian hardwoods. There is only one source for acquiring legal
East Indian rosewood that grows in India: The auctions overseen by the govern-
ment. All auctioned woods are subject to very strict regulation. It is illegal to cut
any living East Indian rosewood tree in the wild. Rosewood trees may be harvested
on private property, such as a coffee plantation, however a permit is required.
The tree must be at least 175 centimeters in diameter (nearly six feet), and the
landowners are not allowed to harvest the tree themselves. Once a permit is ac-
quired (if it is granted), a licensed third party harvests the tree, assigns it a unique
number and transports it to the nearest government depot for auction. All legally
harvested Indian hardwoods must follow these procedures. There are checkpoints
throughout the country and if a driver is found transporting Indian hardwood
without the proper permits, the wood and the driver’s vehicle will be confiscat-
ed on the spot.
BACK & SIDE WOOD | East Indian Rosewood
20
ABOUT OVERSEAS TRADERS
Overseas Traders is owned and operated by the Yogi family, and is located in the
bustling town of Hubli, about 250 miles northwest of Bangalore, in the state of
Karnataka. Overseas Traders was founded in 1968, though the Yogis have been in
the lumber business for five generations. The company is FSC-certified, a member
of NAMM and specializes in providing spectacular rosewood for the musical
instrument industry. The wood buyers from Overseas Traders attend 60 to 70
government auctions a year to acquire the most promising trees. Every tree is
numbered from the moment it is harvested, and it is tracked through the auction
process. Once the trees are in Overseas Traders’ possession, fastidious records are
kept through transport, processing, storage and sale, ensuring flawless chain-of-
custody documentation and assurance to Bedell devotees that their tonewood was
acquired legally through the proper channels that benefit the citizens of the state
in which the trees were selectively harvested or salvaged.
21
NECK WOODHONDURAN MAHOGANY
WOOD
BOTANICAL NAME
ORIGIN
AESTHETICS
Honduran mahogany is a medium-lightweight wood, ranging in color from light brown to dark, primarily used for necks because of the feel and the stability it provides.
Swietenia macrophylla
Mexico to southern Amazonia in Brazil
Ranging from light brown to reddish brown in color, with an open pore structure.
The Honduran mahogany used for the neck of Bedell Angelica Collection was se-
lectively harvested in Guatemala in 2011 and was imported into the U.S. by Bedell
Guitars in the same year. It was then warehoused in Bedell’s humidity and tem-
perature-controlled warehouse in Central Oregon.
22
NECK WOOD | Honduran Mahogany
23
THE BUILD
24
This page
BENDING OF THE SIDES
Top
BELLA VOCE ON THE BINDING
TABLE
Right
BACK WOODS BEING PREPPED FOR THE BODY LINE
This page
SMOOTHING THE FACE OF THE DOVETAIL WITH SAND-
PAPER
Top
TOP OF THE GUITAR, READY FOR
FINISHING
Right
BACK OF THE GUITAR, READY FOR
FINISHING
29
30
The Craftspeople
31
32
DALTON BELL FINISH
Growing up in La Pine, Oregon, Dalton was an artistic, musical kid who learned to
play guitar in the seventh grade. His mother, whom he describes as “a hardwork-
ing single mom,” was a formative influence in his life, and to this day, his favorite
day of the year is any day he gets to spend with her.
At Bedell, Dalton is responsible for sanding, buffing, inspection and repairs, but
he enjoys repairs most of all due to the variety and the challenge involved. Dal-
ton is particularly good at his job for two reasons: He works hard (a skill he
learned from his mother) and he has an artistic eye, which enables him to see
the most minute details in his work. He’s very proud to work for Tom Bedell and
wholeheartedly believes in what Bedell Guitars stands for. As a guitar player
and music lover, he feels fortunate to be able to make instruments and do what
he loves. When Dalton isn’t applying his skills in the Bedell workshop, he can
be found playing guitar or drums, singing, drawing, hanging out with friends and
family, or woodworking and making things with his hands, including the electric
guitar he’s currently building. He’s also an avid outdoorsman who enjoys camp-
ing, hiking and swimming.
FAVORITE SCENIC VIEW IN OREGON:
Seaside, Oregon.
FAVORITE WEEKEND GETAWAY IN
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST:
Newport, Oregon.
FAVORITE TONEWOOD:
It’s so hard to choose between koa
and myrtlewood.
PREFERRED MODE OF TRANSPORTATION:
I prefer teleportation, but I’m
stuck driving.
YOUR OBSESSION IN LIFE:
Music and art.
FIRST ALBUM YOU BOUGHT AS A KID?
Neon Ballroom by Silverchair.
MOST SENTIMENTAL THING YOU OWN:
My guitars and my great grandfather’s war
patches.
MUSICIAN YOU’D MOST LIKE TO
HAVE OVER FOR DINNER:
Guthrie Govan.
THE BUILD | The Craftspeople
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34
BRANDON BOLING BODIES & NECKS
I am originally from San Luis Obispo CA. Before coming to work for Bedell I
worked for Ernie Ball/Music man, doing finishing. Knowing that I always wanted
to build things for a living, I thought engineering would be a good fit for me. After
working with instruments, I found that building stringed instruments was for me
and it has only progressively gone deeper from there.
I went to school for mechanical engineering, but found it wasn’t a fit, in the pro-
cess, I obtained a math degree then moved onto Audio technology, getting certi-
fied along the way. While I was finishing up my certifications, I started building
my first electric guitar, all the while, researching and acquiring my tools. I look
forward to continuing with my guitar building, and I will hopefully do something
bigger with it in the future.
FAVORITE ARTIST:
Salvador Dali
OBSESSION IN LIFE:
Innovative stringed instruments.
FAVORITE SCENIC VIEW:
Sahalie Falls
BEST LIVE SHOW YOU HAVE EVER SEEN:
DTP/Gooira
FAVORITE WEEKEND GETAWAY:
Portland, OR
DREAM VACATION:
Scandinavia
THE BUILD | The Craftspeople
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36
JOEL CHADD STRING UP
I am a born and raised Oregonian, I moved to Bend nine years ago and quickly fell
in love with this amazing place.
I love photography and the beauty of Central Oregon. My love is to experience it
to the fullest by: fly fishing, hiking, snowboarding, rock climbing, disk golf, and so
much more.
I’ve always had a keen eye for detail and love working with my hands. Music has
been a passion of mine my entire life, it is in my blood, so having the opportunity
to incorporate and direct that passion into building instruments is one of the best
things that has ever happened to me.
FAVORITE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION:
Walking.
OBSESSION IN LIFE:
Music.
BIGGEST MUSICAL INFLUENCE:
Jackson Browne & James Taylor
MOST SENTIMENTAL THING YOU OWN:
Something of my grandfather’s.
FAVORITE SCENIC VIEW:
Summit of Mt. Bachelor on a bluebird
day.
FAVORITE GUILTY PLEASURE:
A bag of Skittles.
DREAM VACATION:
A year of traveling the world.
ITEM ALWAYS IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR:
Mom’s homemade pickles and good beer.
BEST LIVE SHOW YOU HAVE SEEN:
Devil Makes Three in Humbodlt county.
FAVORITE SOUND IN THE WORLD:
The river and the sound of my snowboard
carving fresh powder.
THE BUILD | The Craftspeople
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38
JASON CHINCHEN INLAY
Walk into the inlay room at the Bedell workshop and, invariably, you’ll be greeted
by a big, happy smile from Jason Chinchen. Jason is a man who loves his work,
and for good reason. His talents and skill are perfectly suited for the demanding
position of Bedell inlay artist.
Jason spends his days at Bedell immersed in art – conceptualizing, designing, and
then cutting and fitting the tiniest pieces of precious materials into the fretboard,
peghead, and soundboard of Bedell guitars. Jason is well versed in various artistic
mediums, but inlay is where he truly shines. He has an innate feel for “painting”
with the materials, for using flash to create shadow and light. Jason finds creative
inspiration in both the past and the present – in the tried and true aesthetics
found in classical art and Art Nouveaux, as well as beauty found in the organic,
natural world.
As an avid outdoorsman, Jason is especially passionate about Bedell’s reverence
for the forests. He volunteers regularly for trail cleanups and firmly believes in
stewardship – showing respect and being responsible for what we’re using, and
being aware of our footsteps to minimize our impact and find a way to have a re-
sponsible, respectful relationship with the outdoors and the special places we love.
As Jason likes to say, “We’re all in it together.”
PREFERRED MODE OF TRANSPORTATION?
Hiking boots.
YOUR ONE OBSESSION IN LIFE:
Writing songs.
FAVORITE TONEWOOD AND WHY?
Claro walnut: the figure and color
variations and the warm, clear tone across
the entire range from highs to lows.
BIGGEST MUSICAL INFLUENCE?
Neil Young, Avett Brothers.
BEST LIVE SHOW YOU’VE EVER SEEN?
Ben Harper, Les Schwab Amphitheater,
Bend, Oregon.
WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH EVERY TIME?
My daughter, Avery.
YOUR SUPERPOWER:
Cooking bacon.
FAVORITE BAND OF ALL TIME?
Pearl Jam.
THE BUILD | The Craftspeople
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40
FAVORITE SOUND:
My son’s belly laugh.
FAVORITE SONG:
“Imagine” by John Lennon.
FAVORITE TIME OF DAY:
Sunrise. It is a visceral experience to
me, a special time in the day that is
renewing and energizing.
FAVORITE CRAFT BEER:
Sinister Ale by 10 Barrel Brewing Co.
FAVORITE FLOWER:
Peony.
ON WEEKENDS YOU CAN BE FOUND:
Slowing down and soaking it in.
ANGELA CHRISTENSEN BRAND MANAGER
Angela has always been talented at working with her hands, she has a degree
in sculpture and has been working with wood -- jewelry, high-end cabinetry and
musical instruments -- for most of her adult life. In 1999, while studying at ASU,
a summer road trip launched her passion for wood when she stopped at the
Wolf Education and Research Center in Idaho, and was awed by the impressive
hand-carved doors that graced the information center. Struck by the beauty
of this functional artwork, in that moment, she knew wood was her medium
of choice. When she returned from her trip, she started working for a custom
furniture shop, and never looked back.
Angela moved to Bend, Oregon, and has been working in the musical instrument
industry since 2002. She started managing raw wood and parts and then moved
into purchasing wood and working with suppliers. She apprenticed under a
master luthier in inlay in 2006, and at the same time, learned string up and
assembly. Currently, Angela oversees the Bedell brand, the Seed-to-Song Studio,
the inlay department, and manages all wood purchasing for custom instruments.
She says the most satisfying part of her job is working directly with clients,
helping to design the ultimate custom instrument. In her spare time, she’s
focused on her family. “It’s all about family,” she says. She and her husband also
have a jewelry line called Snap Dragon Studios.
THE BUILD | The Craftspeople
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42
JUSTIN FRANCIS NECKS
Justin Francis is a musician, a skilled woodworker, a retired professional
snowboarder, and an avid fly fisherman. He has an eye for immaculate detail, and
enjoys immersing himself in the minute detail and technical perfection required
of all Bedell craftsman. On any given day, you’ll find Justin in the workshop hand
shaping, dovetailing, wood binding, hand finishing and meticulously executing
every other detail that goes into completing Bedell guitar necks.
Born in Humboldt County, California, Justin’s family moved to Bend when he was
nine years old and Justin has lived in Oregon ever since. The Francis family is full
of talented musicians, so Justin’s passion for music and musical instruments is
practically coded in his DNA. Justin grew up playing sax in the school band and he
currently plays guitar (and drums, on occasion).
Justin’s favorite wood in the Bedell Wood Library is Brazilian rosewood, because
every single set is different from the last, and because, as he says, “The grain
orientation is incredible, it’s definitely not a boring wood, though Ziricote is a
close second choice because it has crazy three-dimensional figure, the figure pops
so much it doesn’t even look like wood.” Justin believes in Bedell’s sustainability
mission because he wants to ensure that these beautiful exotic woods are around
for the next generation.
YOUR ONE OBSESSION IN LIFE:
Fly fishing.
MOVIE YOU COULD WATCH OVER & OVER:
Super Troopers.
BEST LIVE SHOW YOU’VE EVER SEEN?
U2, Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon.
FAVORITE SOUND IN THE WORLD:
Running water.
FAVORITE ADULT BEVERAGE:
Rum and Coke with lime.
YOUR SUPERPOWER:
The Kavorka.
YOUR KRYPTONITE:
The Kavorka.
DREAM VACATION:
Tarpon fishing the flats.
THE BUILD | The Craftspeople
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44
SIMON HAYCRAFT FINISH
Simon is a sculptor and a painter with a deep appreciation for tonewoods, and
a comprehensive understanding of finishes. He has almost a sixth-sense for the
perfect finish, which is essential since he hand finishes all Bedell instruments.
Simon sees each instrument as a piece of art, as a canvas that he has the honor
to complete. Like many artists, beauty is something Simon strives for, no matter
what he does.
Simon grew up in England, studied art in college, and has a diploma in
design from Leamington Spar College. He moved to the U.S. in 2000, and has lived
in Oregon since 2005. Prior to joining Bedell Guitars, Simon ran his own custom
interior finishes company for high-end residential homes. In his spare time, Simon
can be found fishing, carving, or working on other creative projects in his home
studio.
FAVORITE TIME OF DAY:
Sunrise. It’s beautiful and there aren’t
many people around.
FAVORITE POEM:
“If ” by Rudyard Kipling.
YOUR OBSESSION IN LIFE:
Fishing.
FAVORITE CRAFT BEER:
Dead Guy Ale by Rogue.
SIGNATURE DISH:
My chili and my spaghetti bolognese.
DREAM VACATION:
New Zealand.
BEST SKILL AS A CHILD:
Drawing.
IS ELVIS REALLY DEAD?
No, he lives in my basement.
THE BUILD | The Craftspeople
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46
PATRICK PARKINSON STRING UP
I was born in Colorado, lived in Utah,California, and Massachusetts. I moved
here for its close proximity to snowboarding, mountain biking, rock climbing, and
amazing beer. My Spare time is spent fixing up our old house built in 1947 and as
of October spending time with our new baby boy.
I love to travel, I studied visual art in college and love making things. I worked two
seasons at McMurdo Station in Antarctica.
For the last 12 years I have only played the acoustic guitar, once picking it up at
the age of 13, I didn’t want to play anything else. I do love a wide range of music, I
started playing the piano at 6, moving onto the drums, and the saxophone.
FAVORITE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION:
Bike.
FAVORITE SCENIC VIEW:
The summit of South Sister.
BIGGEST MUSICAL INFLUENCE:
Jimi Hendrix.
FAVORITE SOUND IN THE WORLD:
The river and the sound of my snow-
board carving fresh powder.
ITEMS ALWAYS IN YOUR FRIDGE:
Butter and good beer.
FAVORITE GUILTY PLEASURE:
Watching fail compilations on Youtube.
MOST SENTIMENTAL THING YOU OWN:
WW2 foot locker of my grandpa’s.
DREAM VACATION:
A year of traveling North America with a
truck and camper.
THE BUILD | The Craftspeople
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FAVORITE SCENIC VIEW IN OREGON:
The Fall River in the snow
(in the Cascade Mountains).
FAVORITE WEEKEND GETAWAY IN THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST:
Bandon, Oregon.
FAVORITE TONEWOOD:
Myrtlewood.
PREFERRED MODE OF TRANSPORTATION:
4X4.
YOUR ONE OBSESSION IN LIFE:
Building.
BIGGEST MUSICAL INFLUENCE:
Stevie Ray Vaughn.
FAVORITE SOUND IN THE WORLD:
Red-winged blackbird.
DREAM VACATION:
Alaska.
DAVID PETO PRODUCTION LEAD
Growing up in Central Oregon, David never had a babysitter. His grandfather,
father, and step-dad were all tradesmen, and as a child, the men in his family
kept an eye on him – and often put him to work. At the age of fourteen, David
taught himself to play guitar. He built his first guitar in high school woodshop and
he’s been building and playing ever since. In 2006 he moved to the Oregon coast,
where he worked for K&K Sound and then headed to California to attend the Mu-
sician’s Institute in Los Angeles, California. At M.I. Dave earned his A.A. degree
with an emphasis in guitar building.
At Bedell Guitars, prior to finish, David works with the neck and the body, to fit
the dovetail joints. After the finish has been applied, he attaches the necks, bridg-
es, hardware and strings to complete the instruments. Dave admits to having a
healthy amount of O.C.D., but says the key is knowing when to stop. He particular-
ly loves working with woods from the Pacific Northwest, and has a soft spot for the
Bedell Earthsong series guitars. He’s a self-taught craftsman, and has read every
book on the subject. In his spare time, when he’s not building guitars, he works on
his house, goes fishing, and takes road trips.
THE BUILD | The Craftspeople
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JAKE SPECE LEAD CRAFTSMAN
Before Jake was promoted to lead craftsman, he worked in the body department,
and he still holds the shop record for the most bodies assembled by one person.
Before he started building guitars, Jake worked as a short-order cook. His
experience in the kitchen was the ideal training ground for the intensity of the
production environment; he learned how to work hard and remain cool under
pressure. As a guitar player, he has a deep appreciation for both the beauty and
tonal properties of the exquisite tonewoods in the Bedell Wood Library.
A Central Oregon native, Jake is the son of a welder and a piano player and the
grandson of a mandolin player – he has music and craftsmanship in his blood.
Jake’s dad taught him to weld at the tender age of seven. When he was fourteen,
Jake saved enough money moving pipe to buy a guitar from the local pawn shop;
he learned five chords from a library book, and formed a band called The Kronk
Men with two friends. They’ve been playing together since 1998. Jake can’t believe
it’s been fifteen years. He said, “It’s like we’re the Rolling Stones of Central Oregon.”
He plays with The Kronk Men around Bend regularly and is known for his uncon-
ventional playing style. When not building bodies for Bedell, or shredding on stage,
Jake spends his time taking care of his family, skateboarding, and hanging out with
his rad dog, Rudy.
BIGGEST MUSICAL INFLUENCE:
Latin Beats, post-punk.
FIRST ALBUM YOU BOUGHT AS A KID:
Nirvana, “In Utero.”
BEST LIVE SHOW YOU’VE SEEN:
Nick Cave, 2009, Crystal Ballroom,
Portland, Oregon.
FAVORITE SOUND:
Reverb-drenched electric guitar.
WHAT DO YOU COLLECT?
Guitar effects boxes.
FAVORITE ADULT BEVERAGE:
Maker’s Mark.
FAVORITE BANDS AT THE MOMENT:
T-Rex, Jesus Lizard, Daughters.
PERSONAL HEROES?
Dad, Mom, and Jimi Hendrix.
THE BUILD | The Craftspeople
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THE BUILD | The Craftspeople
WOODSTOCK TEAM WOOD SELECTION AND PROCESSING
52
DOCUMENTATION
53
BEDELL FISH AND WILDLIFE PERMITPERMIT TO IMPORT AND EXPORT WOOD ISSUED TO BEDELL BY U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
54
BEDELL PROTECTED PLANT PERMITPERMIT TO IMPORT AND EXPORT WOODS REGUL ATED AS THREATENED OR ENDANGERED SPECIES
ISSUED TO BEDELL’S PARENT COMPANY BY THE U.S.D.A.
55
BEDELL PROTECTED PLANT PERMITCONTINUED
56
Soundboard Documentation:
Western Red Cedar
57
WESTERN RED CEDAR HISTORY DOCUMENTSUPPLIED BY BEDELL WOOD PARTNER, PACIFIC RIM TONEWOODS
SPECIES
BOTANICAL NAME
ESTIMATED AGE
TYPE OF HARVEST
LOCATION HARVESTED
HARVESTED BY
WOOD PARTNER
Western red cedar
Thuja plicata
Approximately 500 years old
Salvaged sinker log
Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada
Pacific Rim TonewoodsPurchased by Bedell Guitars
Pacific Rim Tonewoods38511 Washington 20, Concrete, WA 98237
58
Back & SidesDocumentation:
East Indian Rosewood
59
EAST INDIAN ROSEWOOD HISTORY DOCUMENT
SUPPLIED BY BEDELL WOOD PARTNER, OVERSEAS TRADERS
SPECIES
BOTANICAL NAME
ESTIMATED AGE
TYPE OF HARVEST
LOCATION
HISTORY
WOOD PARTNER
East Indian rosewood
Dalbergia latifolia
Approximately 100 years old
Individual selective cut, with approval from the Indian Forest Service
Karnataka, India
Acquired by Overseas Traders at government auction in Karnataka, IndiaPurchased by Bedell Guitars
Overseas TradersPlot No. 12,13,14 & 15, Ravinagar,Gokul Road, Hubli, India 580030
60
EAST INDIAN ROSEWOOD HISTORY DOCUMENT
SUPPLIED BY BEDELL WOOD PARTNER, OVERSEAS TRADERS
KARNATAKA
DELHI
CHENNAI
INDIA
TIBET
SRI L ANKA
PAKISTAN
MUMBAI
61
EAST INDIAN ROSEWOOD PURCHASE ORDER
TOH (BEDELL PARENT COMPANY) PURCHASE FROM OVERSEAS TRADERS
62
EAST INDIAN ROSEWOOD INVOICETOH (BEDELL PARENT COMPANY) PURCHASE FROM OVERSEAS TRADERS
63
EAST INDIAN ROSEWOOD PACKING LIST
TOH (BEDELL PARENT COMPANY) PURCHASE FROM OVERSEAS TRADERS
64
EAST INDIAN ROSEWOOD BILL OF LANDING
TOH (BEDELL PARENT COMPANY) PURCHASE FROM OVERSEAS TRADERS
65
USDA PLANT AND PLANT PRODUCTDECLARATION “LACEY FORM”
66
USDA PLANT AND PLANT PRODUCTDECLARATION “LACEY FORM”
CONTINUED
67
Neck Documentation:Honduran Mahogany
68
SPECIES
BOTANICAL NAME
TYPE OF HARVEST
HARVEST LOCATION
YEAR HARVESTED
HARVESTED BY
IMPORTED TO THE U.S. BY
WOOD PARTNER
Honduran mahogany
(also known as bigleaf mahogany)
Swietenia macrophylla
Selective cut, FSC-certified
Guatemala
2011
GIBOR, S.A., Guatemala
Sitco Lumber Company, Desoto, TX
RFL Group
PO Box 361, Lake Oswego, OR 97034
MEXICO
GUATEMAL A
BELIZE
SOUTHAMERICA
HONDURAN MAHOGANYHISTORY DOCUMENT
USED ON GUITARS WITH SERIAL NUMBERS 0414XXXX AND LOWER
69
GIBOR, S.A. exported the mahogany
to Sitco Lumber Company in Desoto, TX.
CITES permit #008-2011
Sitco Lumber Company sold the mahogany
to RFL Group in Lake Oswego, OR
Bedell Guitars acquired the mahogany from
RFL Group
MARCH 2011
OCTOBER 2011
DECEMBER 2011
HONDURAN MAHOGANYCHAIN OF CUSTODY
USED ON GUITARS WITH SERIAL NUMBERS 0414XXXX AND LOWER
70
HONDURAN MAHOGANYPURCHASE ORDER
TOH (BEDELL PARENT COMPANY) PURCHASE FROM RFL GROUP
71
HONDURAN MAHOGANY INVOICETOH (BEDELL PARENT COMPANY) PURCHASE FROM RFL GROUP
72
HONDURAN MAHOGANYPURCHASE ORDER
RFL GROUP PURCHASE FROM SITCO LUMBER COMPANY
73
HONDURAN MAHOGANYCITES PERMIT
ISSUED TO GIBOR, S.A. TO ALLOW EXPORT TO THE U.S.A. FROM GUATEMAL A
74
SPECIES
BOTANICAL NAME
HARVEST LOCATION
YEAR HARVESTED
HARVESTED BY
IMPORTED TO THE U.S. BY
Honduran mahogany
(also known as bigleaf mahogany)
Swietenia macrophylla
Bolivia
2008
Agroindustrial La Perla de San Julian,
Bolivia
Continental Hardwoods, Portland, OR
Newman Lumber Company, Gulfport, MS
BRAZIL
BOLIVIA
PERU
ARGENTINA
HONDURAN MAHOGANYHISTORY DOCUMENT
USED ON GUITARS WITH SERIAL NUMBERS 0514XXXX AND HIGHER
75
Exported to Newman Lumber Co.
CITES permit #00678
Newman sold to Specialty Forest Products in
Algona, WA
Specialty Forest Products sold to Continental
Hardwoods in Portland, OR
TOH acquired a small quantity of this
mahogany from Continental Hardwoods
and a larger quantity of the same original
import from Newman Lumber directly.
NOVEMBER 2008
OCTOBER 2013
MAY 2014
HONDURAN MAHOGANYCHAIN OF CUSTODY
USED ON GUITARS WITH SERIAL NUMBERS 0514XXXX AND HIGHER
76
HONDURAN MAHOGANYPURCHASE ORDER
TOH (BEDELL PARENT COMPANY) PURCHASE FROM CONTINENTAL HARDWOOD
77
HONDURAN MAHOGANY INVOICETOH (BEDELL PARENT COMPANY) PURCHASE FROM CONTINENTAL HARDWOOD
78
HONDURAN MAHOGANYORDER CONFIRMATION
CONTINENTAL HARDWOOD PURCHASE FROM SPECIALT Y FOREST PRODUCTS
79
HONDURAN MAHOGANYPURCHASE ORDER
CONTINENTAL HARDWOOD PURCHASE FROM SPECIALT Y FOREST PRODUCTS
80
HONDURAN MAHOGANYPURCHASE ORDER
TOH (BEDELL PARENT COMPANY) PURCHASE FROM NEWMAN LUMBER COMPANY
81
HONDURAN MAHOGANY INVOICETOH (BEDELL PARENT COMPANY) PURCHASE FROM NEWMAN LUMBER COMPANY
82
HONDURAN MAHOGANY INVOICESPECIALT Y FOREST PRODUCTS PURCHASE FROM NEWMAN LUMBER COMPANY
83
HONDURAN MAHOGANYCITES PERMIT
ISSUED TO L APERL A DE SAN JULIAN TO ALLOW EXPORT TO THE U.S.A FROM BOLIVIA
84
85
Original Photography by
RA Beattie
Written by
Catrina Gregory
Designed by
Breedlove Creative, Inc.
BEDELL GUITARS61573 American Loop
Bend, Oregon 97702
888.234.2210
86