Our Story
Our History
At the turn of the century, Rudi Bults changed tack and sold his landscaping business. He chose to devote his attention and energy to his great passion: acoustic guitars. He started buying 4 vintage guitars, sold them at lightning speed, and a new guitar shop was born!
However, the seed had been planted years before:
‘"The older I get, the more I look back into my family history and realise that if my grandfather had not decided to learn to play the organ around 1930, and if my father had not joined him in the same choir years later, neither I, my youngest brother or my children would have been involved in music today. Realising the historically significant decision my grandfather made, perhaps taken immediately and spontaneously within just a crucial minute, made me realise how one simple decision can change the course of history.’"
In 2001, Rudi officially founded ‘The Fellowship of Acoustics’. It marked the beginning of a great acceleration of change and growth, with passion for music as a common thread within the Bults family.
Specializing From The Start
Of course, running a shop in Bergentheim was quite difficult to begin with. There is no history or heritage to emulate, and no big towns in the area to attract customers from.
So we decided to take a different approach and started in the ‘American Way’. We looked at the world as a place without borders and advertised online in English, so that hopefully every guitarist would understand our offer and our philosophy: Life's Too Short To Play A Shitty Guitar!
One of the key aspects that sets us apart in this is that we have focused entirely on quality handmade guitars from the start.
Rudi: "From day one, we sought out master luthiers, invested in vintage guitars and deepened and expanded our knowledge on topics such as history and technology related to guitar design and all the details that affect sound."
From Guitar Barn to Guitar Villa
As befits a family business, the shop in Bergentheim was located in the barn next to the Bults family home. In 2011, Erwin van de Ven joined the team as the first luthier for setups and repairs. But when you want to run a shop with a growing product range, more staff and a workshop, the shed next to your house eventually becomes too small. The search for larger premises brought TFOA to Dedemsvaart.
When Rudi glanced at the former town hall, also known as ‘Villa Dina’, he could already see the guitars hanging on the walls and hear the sounds ringing through the rooms. We moved into Villa Dina in 2015 and today it is known as ‘the villa with more than a thousand guitars’!
Besides the shop, the premises also offered space for new opportunities. For events and workshops, we use our own theatre, a music school is located in the building and you can also enjoy a cup of coffee or a sandwich in the lunchroom of Dina's Fellows. There was even a parking spot left for the ‘58 Chevy Del Ray... right in the middle of the shop!
After what started as a passion project in a barn in Bergentheim, TFOA has now grown into one of the country's largest guitar shops. With more than 40 employees and our own luthier workshop, we ship our guitars all over the world. Always with at least one year warranty and our Gold Standard setup!
In our specialised guitar shop, you can find a wide selection of the world's best acoustic guitars from both this century and bygone eras. We not only offer acoustic and electric guitars, but also a fine selection of classical guitars, bass guitars, mandolins, ukuleles and banjos.
Join The Fellowship!
TFOA is run by and for guitar lovers. It is a meeting place for guitarists, musicians, and music fans. That's why customer service is our top priority! Our mission is to be a knowledgeable partner for anyone looking for that one special guitar. Whether you are a seasoned guitarist or a collector, looking for an upgrade or just starting your musical journey, you are welcome in our Fellowship!
In our villa and test rooms, you can try out the guitars at your leisure while we pour you another cup of coffee. Our mission is only accomplished when your new instrument fully meets your needs and expectations. Our luthiers adjust your instrument to your wishes and they even have a PLEK machine at their disposal to do so. And our service extends beyond the front door. If something is not to your satisfaction, we will provide a suitable solution.
You can always contact us if you have questions about tone, technical problems, which pickup to install or which amp to choose. Our advice is always free!
Your Expert Partner
Our enthusiastic experts are on hand every day to answer all your questions and help you in your search for the perfect guitar.
TFOA Gold Standard
Every guitar in our shop passes our Quality Control upon entry and is tuned by one of our own luthiers before shipment. This is how we guarantee our ’Gold Standard'!
Warranty
All our products always come with a minimum 1-year warranty. For new guitars it is even 5 years!