7 - Ukulele Builders, Luthiers and Manufactures: E

EARNEST INSTRUMENTS are created for musicians who require functional, distinctive, high quality tools for making music. These are not your garden variety music store axes, but uncommon musical instruments designed to meet the needs of innovative players looking for something a little different. Rather than build reproductions of standard manufactured items, EARNEST combines time-tested styles and designs to create unique, original instruments with a classic appearance. Every effort is made to build the finest sounding and playing instruments. Their expense results from the quality of the materials and workmanship rather than unnecessary detail or excessive ornamentation. Materials are chosen for utility, tone, and appearance. Domestic and lesser known exotic tonewoods are favored over rare, overpriced, and often endangered species. Natural and manufactured materials are combined with appropriate adhesives and fasteners, at optimum humidity, to insure the stability and durability of the instruments. Earnest Instruments are built for a lifetime of music making!

In 1992, Qian Ni, who had come to the United States from China to study music, founded Eastman Strings. In the beginning, he and his two musician colleagues bought instruments from Western-trained violin makers from their home town in China, but before long, they saw that a different approach was needed.

From the distinctive soundhole resonance to the exotic woods used to hand craft each one to tonal perfection, every one has a song waiting to be played. Pick up an Eddy Finn and it's like a blast of warm sea air hitting your senses. Hand set ocean abalone, fishbone, herringbone's all here. But the truth? It has to sound great first or it's just a decoration hanging on a wall. Nobody wants that. At the core it has to be musical. It has to breathe.

Epiphone is one of American’s oldest and most revered instrument makers.  Since 1873, Epiphone has made instruments for every style of popular music and in 2013 will celebrate its 140th anniversary. Epiphone fretted instruments, amplifiers, strings and accessories are known worldwide for offering the best combination of quality, performance and value. One of Gibson’s most formidable competitors through the first half of the 20th century, Epiphone was acquired by Gibson Guitar in 1957. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Epiphone is part of the Gibson family of brands.

I began making instruments with my dad as a means to pay off my law school loans and ended up loving it so much I decided to put a pin in me endeavors to pursue a career in environmental law and instead learn all I can from my dad in order to preserve and carry on his incredible trade. I had no idea I would enjoy making instruments for people as much as I do, but since it has become such an exciting pastime I have decided to try my hand at being a luthier. Nestled here in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, I am surround by incredibly talented musicians and instrument builders, the most talented of which being my dad, Wayne Henderson.