Banjos and Ukuleles Handmade in Hood River, OR.  

Traditional craftsmanship, beautiful tone, domestic materials, easy playability and a classic aesthetic. 

The Beansprout, since 2007.  

Aaron and Nicole Keim are Beansprout Musical Instruments. They live a musical and artistic life in Hood River, Oregon with their son Henry. While Aaron builds the instruments, Nicole runs the business and adds artistic touches. Aaron is known for creating musical instruments made from local and salvaged woods with traditional tools and techniques. Each instrument he creates is considered a piece of folk art, designed not only to produce beautiful music but also to foster joy within the musical community. Beansprout instruments are characterized by ease of playability, rich tone, significant volume, and a profound connection to the natural world. 

Aaron founded Beansprout in 2007 in collaboration with Heidi and Rob Litke in Colorado. Together, they built over 100 instruments before Aaron moved to Oregon to work with Gordon and Char Mayer at Mya-Moe. During his tenure at Mya-Moe, Aaron contributed to the creation of more than 2,000 instruments, refining his craftsmanship and exploring new designs. In 2018, Aaron and Nicole re-launched Beansprout, introducing a unique line of ukuleles, banjos, and tenor guitars, and have since produced over 700 instruments. In 2023, Aaron received the Mortise & Tenon Magazine woodworking research grant, which he used to study the first ukuleles made in Hawaii. Beyond their work with Beansprout, Aaron and Nicole perform and teach worldwide and publish books under the names The Quiet American and Lazarus Books.