Dearth Guitar Studio

LIMA — The sound of music filled the air for decades at Dearth Guitar Studio. In fact, many credit the store’s founder, Ron Dearth, with bringing the sound of guitar music to Lima. It was Dearth who fell in love with the sound of the guitar. Born on the Fourth of July in 1908, he decided to stay in his hometown of Lima and share that love of guitar music with local residents.In the 1920s, he began offering guitar lessons to anyone interested. By the 1930s, he was successful enough he quit his factory job, and with his wife Catherine, was able to make a living teaching Lima residents to play. By 1941, he had changed the name of his shop to reflect his guitar of choice — the Hawaiian steel guitar — calling his shop the Dearth Hawaiian Conservatory and Music Shop.Among his musical patrons was a Central High School graduate, Jerry Byrd, who was interested in guitar. In 1937, Dearth arranged for Byrd to get a Rickenbacker Electro lap steel guitar, working off the $150 cost by transcribing guitar pieces for $1.50 each.That Rickenbacker is now in the Country Music Hall of Fame. And Jerry Byrd, who died in 2005, took the skills that Dearth gave him, and changed the world of guitar music forever.But for his teacher, Byrd was just one of many students. And Dearth invested the same amount of time and interest in every one of his guitar pupils.He believed it important to get students involved in competitions to sharpen their skills. As he wrote once for Accordion and Guitar World, “contests give any student a definite goal. The friendly competition induces real interest and keeps alive the musical ambition of students.”Along the way, he expanded his title from teacher and store owner to inventor.In 1950, Dearth was granted a patent for an automatic tuning changer. The device was attachable to the Hawaiian steel guitar, electric or steel guitar. It was marketed to allow players to use nine different tunings automatically, without having to stop to tune manually. Prior to his invention, the guitar had only one tuning in use at a time.Dearth continued to teach music in Lima for more than 31 years, specializing in Spanish and Hawaiian guitars. In 1961, he was honored by the International Music League for his “outstanding achievement, unselfish devotion and inspirational guidance to America’s young musicians.”Ron Dearth died March 22, 1964, of a heart attack. He was only 55 years old.After he died, the business was taken over by his niece and student, Kathy Foscardo Davis.It was important to Davis that the shop, which she once dubbed the “oldest family-owned music instrument shop in town,” continue the tradition of teaching guitar.And she continues to be loyal to the cause of good guitar music. Thanks to her, guitar music is still associated with the name Dearth.