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<aside> 💡 NBN Guitars was founded in 1967, Longmont, Colorado by ex employees of ODE banjos. ODE had been sold to Baldwin in 1966 and Monty Novotny, Reb Bennett, and Bernie Nettesheim went on to found NBN.-Prototypes were developed from 1967 onwards before launching the company in 1969. Nettesheim soon left but the others stayed on until 1976.
NBN was a small company and during its time produced around 350 steel string guitars, 20 banjos, and 10 classical guitars. Musicians like Paul Simon, James Taylor, Steven Stills, Leo Kotke and Elvis Presley owned and played NBN guitars. Some NBN guitars are even pictured on album covers by these and other artists of the time.
Special thanks to Paul Turner the original author of the NBN registry website for his permission to use his materials!
If you have an NBN you would like to add to the database, please fill out email me at: [email protected]-This guide/database/registry is by no means complete & we would appeal for your help if you should own an NBN or have information to share! -We have not yet assigned dates to individual guitars as not enough data is available to do so accurately. This is compounded by the fact that dates are fluid in that the year the guitar was sold may not be the year of manufacture.
NBN wanted -I am personally interested in all models. Please email me if you have one of those for sale.
Appraisals -If you would like an appraisal, I'd be happy to help. -I have historical data going back to 2000 and can provide a professional appraisal service for insurance etc. -This is priced at USD$30. IÂ ask for .Front and back photos of the instrument (required). Additional photos can be uploaded in order to include detailed photos if necessary. Please limit file size to 25MB. .Serial and model number .Description of modifications, repairs and other issues not apparent from photos .Email address .Paypal payment is accepted.
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Updates 10/11/23- guitars added 4/11/23- site started, articles added, database added
CF Morrison
Andy Bennet
Monty Novotny
Reed Munns
Cripple Creek Dulcimers- Bud and Donna Ford
The Longmont Daily Times-Call - January 18, 1969
"It's actually a fine art form that fulfills something in us. There is just a certain fascination in the work when we are doing the best that we possibly can."
This feeling is expressed by three men who joined as partners to build and repair string musical instruments, now in a basement workshop, with hopes to move into a larger shop after they form a corporation.
The men, Monty Novotny, 10 Ninth Ave., Longmont; Bernie Nettesheim, 5562 Olde Stage Road, Boulder; and Reb Bennett, 1010 Pleasant Drive, Boulder, have been working in their own shop in Nettesheim's basement on musical instruments for more than a year. Their desire to work on their own instruments stemmed from training they all received while working for the Ode Manufacturing Company and the Baldwin Manufacturing Company, who both build string instruments.
The men are now in the process of trying to build a steel string acoustical guitar that will achieve perfect tone quality. The guitar will be an original design that they have all contributed something to.