History of  Joyful Noise Music
(preserved from Bob's website - www.bobbedardhammers.com)

Welcome to my shop! Born in Vermont in 1935, I first became interested in woodworking while I was a Boy Scout.  I started making hammers in January of 1992 while pastoring in New Hampshire.  I had always been intrigued with wooden musical instruments, and after making some hammered dulcimers, mountain dulcimers, bowed psalteries, harps, a hurdy-gurdy, a suitcase bass, a kantele, and even a fiddle, I settled on making hammers for the hammered dulcimer. I have made thousands of them in the years since.  I experimented with different hammer designs, and over a period of time I came up with some practical designs that folks seemed to like. These are the hammers I sell on this site.  I gave up the wholesale side of the business a few years back, just before my wife passed away, and today I handle only retail sales.  My customer list is nearing 700 folks who have purchased and used my hammers.  I have made many wonderful friends in the dulcimer community.  I cannot adequately express my thanks to the many professional folks, business people, and shops around the country that helped get me started in this art.  I consider this business to be as much a ministry as it is a job. My mission is, and has always been, to put quality hammers into the hands (literally) of young and old, novices and professionals, men and women alike, so that all can "make a joyful noise" on their beautiful instruments.  My business license expires in August of this year, and I plan to retire at that time.  The business will pass into the capable hands of my friend, Ron Jordan.  Till then ... HAMMER ON, my friends!
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Bob Bedard, 2020