Schulmerich Bells

What Schulmerich Bells does

Schulmerich Bells, LLC is a privately held, Pennsylvania-based manufacturer founded in 1935 that designs, casts, and sells tuned handbells, handchimes, and related percussion instruments. The company produces the broadest catalog in the handbell category, spanning seven complete octaves (85 notes from C2 to C9) of brass handbells alongside MelodyChime handchimes, Silver Melody Bells (nickel-plated brass), the Bell Matrix System, and a recently launched orchestral glockenspiel designed by Greig Ashurst. Manufacturing relies on artisan craftsmanship combined with proprietary technologies including the MasterTouch Disc voicing system and Select-A-Strike / Quick-Adjust clappers, with products sold as individual bells, complete octave sets with cases, or Enhanced Packages bundling accessories, parts, and a one-year Handbell Musicians of America membership.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model through its e-commerce storefront and phone sales, complemented by short-term rentals and a 36-month Lease-to-Own program that applies 100% of rent toward purchase, and a network of Authorized Refurbishment Centers that service instruments under a lifetime warranty. Pricing spans $50 collectibles to $115,500 full 7-octave sets, with Enhanced Handbell Packages ranging from $13,350 (2-octave) to $68,100 (6-octave). Customer segments are diversified across professional and community handbell choirs, schools and universities, churches and places of worship, and individual musicians, with global shipping supporting thousands of institutions worldwide. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales (handbells, MelodyChimes, Silver Melody Bells, accessories, parts) supplemented by recurring refurbishment services and rental subscription streams.

The company has cumulatively produced over one million handbells across more than 50 years and holds a self-described position as the world's largest and oldest existing handbell manufacturer. Operations are lean (11-50 employees) with headquarters in Green Lane, Pennsylvania, regional refurbishment partners in Virginia and Texas, and no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or recent M&A activity, consistent with a founder- or family-controlled specialty manufacturer.

Name

Schulmerich Bells

Legal name

Schulmerich Bells, LLC

Website

https://schulmerichbells.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Schulmerich Bells is a 1935-founded, Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of handbells, MelodyChime handchimes, and orchestral glockenspiels serving choirs, schools, churches, and individual musicians worldwide via direct e-commerce, rentals, and a lifetime-warranty refurbishment network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Handbell Manufacturing

NAICS

Musical Instrument Manufacturing (339992), Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140)

SIC

Musical Instruments (3931)

akta.pro primary industry

Instrument Parts, Repair & Maintenance (Luthier, Tech Services, Spares) (MPAIAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Instrument Accessories & Consumables Retail (Strings, Reeds, Sticks, Cables) (CRALAEAE), Instrument Rentals & Leasing (Band/Orchestra Programs) (CRALAEAG), Instrument Repair, Maintenance & Luthier Services (CRALAEAF)

Keywords

• Handbell manufacturing
• Musical instruments
• Handchime instruments
• Instrument refurbishment
• Bell tuning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hatfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Handbell Sales: Sale of handbells ranging from individual bells to full 7-octave sets with cases. Individual bells priced $380-$675, sets from $1,850 to $115,500
2. MelodyChime Sales: Sale of MelodyChime handchime instruments, available as individual notes ($105-$275) or sets ($1,850)
3. Silver Melody Bells: Premium nickel-plated brass bells in two-octave chromatic range (C5-C7), priced at $9,550 per set
4. Accessories: Cases, tables, mallets, gloves, polishing supplies, and maintenance equipment priced from $6.75 to $625
5. Parts: Replacement parts including handles, clappers, springs, MasterTouch discs, and repair kits
6. Refurbishment Services: Factory and Authorized Refurbishment Center services for maintaining and restoring Schulmerich instruments with lifetime warranty support
7. Handbell Rentals: Short-term rentals (up to 4 months) and Lease-to-Own plans (up to 36 months) with 100% rent credit toward purchase
8. Educational Materials: Sheet music, method books, DVDs, and CDs for handbell education and training

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Schulmerich Bells manufactures and sells handbells (individual bells and complete sets of up to seven octaves, 85 notes C2-C9), MelodyChime handchime instruments, Silver Melody Bells, the Bell Matrix System, and the Schulmerich Glockenspiel. The company also offers replacement parts, protective cases, performance accessories, educational materials, factory refurbishment services, and short-term rental and lease-to-own programs, serving professional choirs, schools, churches, and individual musicians worldwide.

Product overview

Schulmerich Bells is the world's largest handbell manufacturer, offering a comprehensive portfolio of tuned musical instruments and related products. The core product line includes handbells (up to seven octaves, 85 notes from C2-C9), MelodyChime instruments (handchimes in multiple octaves), Silver Melody Bells (nickel-plated brass bells), Bell Matrix System, and the Schulmerich Glockenspiel by Greig Ashurst. Products are sold as individual bells/chimes, complete sets with cases, or enhanced packages bundling accessories. Supporting offerings include replacement parts (handles, springs, MasterTouch discs, clappers, yokes), protective cases, performance accessories (tables, foam pads, gloves, mallets), educational materials (sheet music, instructional books, CDs, DVDs), refurbishment services, and rental/lease programs. The company operates factory-authorized refurbishment centers and offers a Convenient Refurbishment Shipping Program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Silver Melody Bells: Brass bells extruded and fabricated, tuned and nickel plated for distinctive bright bell timbre, available in two-octave chromatic range C5 to C7 with Select-A-Strike clapper assemblies and wheeled case. Five year warranty.
• MelodyChime
• Bell Matrix System
• Schulmerich Glockenspiel

Products and services

• Handbells Schulmerich's flagship tuned handbells, available individually by octave or as full multi-octave sets with cases, for professional choirs, schools, churches, and individual musicians.
• Enhanced Handbell Packages Bundled handbell sets that include cases, gloves, mallets, toolkit, polishing supplies, instructional book/DVD, and a free 1-year Handbell Musicians of America membership, targeted at new programs and ensembles.
• MelodyChime Instruments Handchime instruments in multiple octaves (1st through 5th), sold as individual notes or sets, designed for blending and tonal balance in ensembles.
• Silver Melody Bells Premium nickel-plated brass bells in a two-octave chromatic range (C5-C7) with Select-A-Strike clapper assemblies and a wheeled waterproof polypropylene case.
• Bell Matrix System A specialized bell system (C5-C7) designed for ensemble use, providing a distinctive tonal dimension to musical presentations.
• Schulmerich Glockenspiel by Greig Ashurst An orchestral glockenspiel designed by percussionist Greig Ashurst and built from authentic bell castings, available in two styles (F6-C9 and C5-C7).
• Handbell Accessories Cases, handbell tables with adjustable legs, Greig Ashurst mallets, performance gloves (white and black, sizes SM-XL), foam performance pads, and polishing supplies for performance, storage, and instrument care.
• Handbell Replacement Parts Replacement parts including handles, clappers, Pellethane springs, MasterTouch discs, yoke assemblies, and comprehensive repair and spare parts kits for ongoing instrument maintenance across all octave ranges.
• Sheet Music and Educational Materials Sheet music, method books (including 'Successful Ringing' and 'Begin to Ring' series), CDs, and DVDs that support handbell and handchime technique learning for educators and ensembles.
• Handbell Refurbishment Services Factory and Authorized Refurbishment Center services for restoring and maintaining Schulmerich instruments, offered at multiple service levels (Complete, Essential, and MelodyChime Service) under the lifetime warranty.
• Handbell Rental and Lease-to-Own Program Short-term rental (up to 4 months) and Lease-to-Own plans (up to 36 months) for complete 2, 3, 4, and 5-octave handbell sets with cases, with 100% of rent applied toward purchase.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produced over 1 million handbells for thousands of institutions worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Ringmaster Services (Al Paul)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorized Refurbishment Center located in Moneta, VA. Performs refurbishment work under factory supervision with uniform pricing schedule. Work backed by Schulmerich's lifetime warranty.
• Texas Bell Ranch (Thomas Smith)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorized Refurbishment Center located in Fort Worth, TX. Performs refurbishment work under factory supervision with uniform pricing schedule. Work backed by Schulmerich's lifetime warranty.
• Handbell Musicians of AmericacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit organization supporting handbell musicians. Schulmerich offers 'Round Up' donations during checkout and includes free 1-year membership with Enhanced Packages. Joint promotion of handbell education and community.
• Greig AshurststrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPercussionist and music educator who designed the Schulmerich Glockenspiel. This is the only orchestral glockenspiel built from authentic bell castings, combining Schulmerich's expertise with Ashurst's design vision.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Roland Corporation: Roland is a leading electronic musical instrument manufacturer whose V-Drums and digital percussion products compete for budget allocations in schools, churches, and ensemble programs alongside traditional acoustic instruments like Schulmerich's handbells.
• Conn-Selmer: Conn-Selmer is the largest US band and orchestral instrument manufacturer (including Selmer, Bach, Ludwig, and Musser brands). Musser marimbas and vibraphones place it in adjacent percussion categories served by the same school and worship customers.
• Yamaha Corporation: Yamaha is a global musical instrument conglomerate whose percussion, brass, and educational instrument lines compete for the same school and ensemble budgets that drive Schulmerich's institutional sales.
• Adams Musical Instruments: Adams is a well-established timpani, marimba, and percussion manufacturer serving professional ensembles, schools, and conservatories - the same institutional customers Schulmerich targets with handbells and the new Glockenspiel line.

Others

• Hal Leonard: Hal Leonard is the largest sheet music and educational music publisher, competing with Schulmerich's educational materials line and serving the same band, choir, and handbell directors as content suppliers.
• Sabian: Sabian is a major cymbal and percussion manufacturer serving drummers, schools, and ensembles. It is an indirect peer in the broader percussion category and shares overlapping educational-music distribution channels with Schulmerich.

Direct peers

• Jeffers Handbell Supply: Jeffers is a handbell-focused retailer and supplier that resells multiple brands and supplies gloves, tables, and accessories to the same handbell choir customers Schulmerich sells directly to.
• Malmark Handbells: Malmark is the other major US handbell manufacturer and Schulmerich's most direct head-to-head competitor, offering cast bronze handbells in overlapping octave ranges to the same choir, school, and church customer base.

Emerging players

• Rhythm Band Instruments: Rhythm Band makes Orff and classroom percussion instruments for music education, competing for the same school-music budget pool that funds Schulmerich's handbell and handchime purchases.
• Suzuki Corporation: Suzuki manufactures handchimes (the closest analog to Schulmerich's MelodyChime line) along with Orff and educational percussion instruments. Overlaps with Schulmerich in the handchime category and in school music programs.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/schulmerichbell
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schulmerich-bells

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Schulmerich Bells