Experience

Now in our second generation, the Bonds of The BELLMAN, have made handbell repair and maintenance our sole, full-time vocation. In our career so far, we have personally serviced over 330,000 handbells. We service all brands of musical handbells, both American and European-made, and we have serviced bells at our Texas shop from 46 states plus the Virgin Islands. In addition to the bells serviced at our shop, we have performed on-site handbell service for thousands of clients from coast to coast. Our annual onsite coverage area includes 46 of the lower 48 states.

Innovation

Early in his career, Mark Bond, our founder, recognized the need for dependable and effective polishing equipment, so he designed and built his own unique, variable-speed polishing machines that adjust the speed of rotation to accommodate all sizes of bell castings. This machine-assisted process assures every bell receives the same exposure to the various cleaners and polishes, all of which are hand applied. This measured approach provides a smooth, even finish on all surfaces of the bells, and eliminates the possibility of over-polishing or under-polishing the castings which could result in pitch alteration.

Dedication and Commitment

From the innovations in polishing machine design and construction, to the pioneering efforts to provide on-site service for virtually the entire U.S., the Bond's have demonstrated an unrivaled dedication and devotion to furthering the handbell service and repair industry. In 2008 we unveiled the new home of The BELLMAN, a brand new handbell service facility designed for and dedicated exclusively to the service and repair of musical handbells. This facility has the capacity and expandability to handle the increasing demand for The BELLMAN's work, both now and in the future.

No “Assembly-Line Approach” To Handbell Service

Many service providers employ part-time, seasonal workers and briefly train them to work on an assembly-line. The BELLMAN roundly rejects this approach to handbell repair. In order to service handbells correctly and thoroughly, the service should include playing action adjustment and clapper head voicing on every bell, all performed by the same hand. Allowing several different people to work on different bells of the same set will almost certainly render a result similar to that of hiring a committee to tune your piano.

The sheer volume of bells that pass through the Bonds’ shop dictates the need for occasional assistance from additional employees, but at The BELLMAN, these assistants are involved only in packing and unpacking bells, shop maintenance, disassembly, polishing, parts inventory, and office chores. All service, repair, parts replacement and/or installation, and most importantly, playing action adjustments and clapper head voicing, is performed only by the Bonds themselves. This level of personalized service takes more time and expertise than most service providers are willing to commit, but it results in finished bells that play and sound as good as they look. We believe that your bells and bell choir programs are worthy of the time and devotion we commit to our craft.

Communication

Communication is the backbone of any successful business relationship. There is nothing more frustrating than being screened out of contact with your intended party by a phone receptionist who is trained to answer your questions from a written script or being transferred multiple times and never actually getting the answers to your questions. Far too often, this is the client’s experience with larger corporate service providers who never allow the client to speak directly with anyone who actually works on their bells.

At The BELLMAN, the owner/technicians are solely responsible for all the work that is done on your instruments. We maintain a nation-wide toll-free phone number for our clients’ use and most of the time we answer our own phone. While our schedule is busy and you may need to leave a voice message, we will call you back and you will get to talk directly with the technician(s) who actually do the work on your bells. We are particularly conscientious about personal service and prompt, open communication with all our clients. Your call is always welcome.