Joel Eckhaus began building instruments in 1973. He studied woodworking with cabinetmaker, James Krenov before his apprenticeship at the Tourin Musica, in Duxbury, VT, with harpsichord and viol maker, Peter Tourin. He opened the Earnest Instruments shop in 1976, where he has been playing, teaching, designing, building, and repairing string instruments ever since. Eckhaus has a BS degree in vocational education and also teaches woodworking and instrument making at Maine College of Art.

Source: Earnest Instruments website (4 April, 2017)