FIA presents Talented Artful People
TAP into creativity 🎭🎨
This month we are featuring an organization worth getting to know, NVision Guitars.
How It Began
The roots of NVision Guitars reach back to 1991, when our family’s life changed forever. My father was involved in a motorcycle accident that left him paralyzed, with the use of only one hand. It was a devastating experience, but through rehabilitation and support from Easter Seals of Iowa, he discovered leatherwork. That craft gave him renewed purpose, dignity, and a way to express himself creatively.
Years later, after my retirement from the military, I faced significant health challenges that required bi-weekly trips to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. During one of those drives, my son Tristan and I began talking about dreams, purpose, and what truly matters in life. He shared his dream of building and selling guitars.
As we talked about craftsmanship, I shared my father’s story—how access to a meaningful craft helped him reclaim his sense of purpose. That story inspired Tristan to envision guitars designed intentionally for musicians of all abilities. Together, we imagined instruments that would remove barriers rather than create them.
From that vision, NVision Guitars was born on March 4, 2025.
About Our Company
NVision Guitars is more than a guitar company—it is a movement toward inclusivity in music. We believe musicians of all abilities deserve access to high-quality instruments that meet their individual needs.
Each of our handcrafted guitars can be modified and customized for disabled, blind, and visually impaired musicians. We offer ergonomic designs, adaptive features, and tactile markers to enhance accessibility and playability. We have also created a dedicated subsection of our business that donates a portion of sales toward providing custom instruments for disabled musicians seeking adaptive solutions.
Every NVision instrument is handcrafted from raw materials. Our guitars begin as wood blanks and individual hardware components, which are shaped, assembled, and finished entirely by hand into premium instruments.
Our guitar picks are also handcrafted. Our most popular product, Tagua Picks, starts as a hard natural nut sourced from Ecuador. Through cutting, staining, shaping, and sanding, we transform this raw material into a refined, high-performance plectrum.
Additionally, our Re-Nvisioned Art line is created using off-cuts and leftover materials from our guitar builds, allowing us to reduce waste while creating meaningful art pieces.
We operate out of Ankeny, Iowa. Our work serves musicians from all walks of life—from beginners to advanced players—and especially individuals who require adaptive or customized instruments due to disability, blindness, or low vision.
We believe every person deserves the opportunity to experience fulfillment through pursuing a passion. Music is ours, and through it we strive to help others “Speak Uniqueness Without Words.” Ensuring access to music for all abilities is central to who we are and why we exist.
{FIA} What motivates you in your work?
Our motivation comes from a deep belief that each person has a purpose and a mission in life. Ours is to serve others through craftsmanship, creativity, and music—doing work that brings meaning not only to us, but to those we serve.
{FIA} Describe a success story
Every time we create an instrument that removes barriers, enhances a musician’s experience, and allows them to play more freely, we consider that a success. Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations, we have worked directly with clients to design and build instruments that exceed expectations and restore confidence, independence, and joy in music-making.
{FIA} Who are your mentors or who supports you the most?
We are a mother-and-son team who support one another fully in every aspect of the business. Our goal is to leave a legacy of creativity, service, and hard work.
We are also guided by mentors including fellow luthiers, business owners, and professional musicians. We collaborate with professionals in rehabilitation and recreational therapy through local care facilities. Most importantly, we regularly consult with blind and disabled guitarists—their insight and lived experience are invaluable in shaping truly accessible instruments.
{FIA} What do you see your organization accomplishing in three years for the blind and low-vision population?
In the next three years, we aim to:
- Foster a supportive community of empowered musicians
- Continuously innovate in accessible instrument design
- Donate 10% of sales to fund custom adaptations for disabled, blind, and low-vision musicians
- Become synonymous with empowerment through inclusive musical design
{FIA} What is the most oddly interesting thing about you and why?
Our story blends very different life paths. I am a retired Air Force Officer who began my career as an Aerospace Ground Equipment Mechanic in 1996 at RAF Lakenheath in England, where Tristan was born with dual citizenship. I completed a 23-year military career, finishing as the Executive Officer for the Adjutant General of Iowa, and later worked in emergency management and personal training.
Tristan showed an early passion for music and initially pursued a traditional college-to-corporate career path. While it met practical needs, it lacked purpose. Recognizing the importance of fulfillment and service, he chose to step away from corporate progression and build a life aligned with passion and meaning.
In 2025, I resigned from my position, and together we combined our skills to create NVision Guitars.
{FIA} Do you listen to music while you work?
Yes. We both gravitate toward rock, especially acoustic guitar-driven music. Our playlist often includes Jack White, Bob Dylan, Chris Tomlin, Dan Fogelberg, Don Broco, and Elton John.
{FIA} What are you most proud of?
While pride is not something I focus on, I am grateful for a fulfilling military career, a 22-year marriage, and the privilege of raising three incredible children
Contact NVision Guitar:
Website:
https://nvisionguitarsllc.square.site
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/1GVmsdCwQm/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Instagram: Nvision_guitars
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