Tuning up two passions under one roof

The Webb Family in the workshop. From left: Phyllis, Dale, Ben and Josh Webb, and project manager Hannah Schiffer.
Natalia Zukerman
The Webb Family in the workshop. From left: Phyllis, Dale, Ben and Josh Webb, and project manager Hannah Schiffer.
Magic Fluke Ukulele Shop and True Wheels Bicycle Shop are not only under the same roof in a beautiful solar powered building on Route 7 in Sheffield, but they are also both run by the Webb family, telling a tale of familial passion, innovation and a steadfast commitment to sustainability.
In the late ‘90s, Dale Webb was working in engineering and product design at a corporate job. “I took up instrument manufacturing as a fun challenge,” said Dale. After an exhibit at The National Association of Music Merchants in Anaheim, California, in 1999, The Magic Fluke company was born. “We were casting finger boards and gluing these things together in our basement in New Hartford and it just took off,” Dale explained. “It was really a wild ride, it kind of had a life of its own.”
For the first few years of business, Dale and Phyllis Webb were making and shipping 3,000 to 4,000 instruments a year. They soon moved out of their basement and into an old, abandoned service station in New Hartford where they were also fulfilling orders for books written by Phyllis’s brother, Jim Beloff. “He was a guitarist, songwriter and performer,” said Dale of his brother-in-law. “He picked up a ukulele at a flea market and he never went back to guitar.” Beloff established Flea Market Music, which published the wildly popular Jumpin’ Jim’s Ukulele Songbook series. Beloff’s songbooks, instructional books, DVDs and the Webb Family’s Fluke and Flea ukuleles have contributed greatly to the popularity of the instrument.
Developed in the 1880s, the ukulele is based on several small, guitar-like instruments of Portuguese origin that were introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by immigrants from Madeira, the Azores and Cape Verde. In the Hawaiian language the word ukulele roughly translates as “jumping flea.”
Since its first shipment of concert Flukes in three distinct color options in June of 1999, the product line has expanded exponentially with a diverse array of offerings. From the traditional Soprano, Concert, Tenor and Baritone Uke Banjos to the more contemporary solid body Electric Uke and Timber Bass, Magic Fluke has carved out a niche in the world of stringed instruments. Said Dale, “Our niche has been the nontraditional look, which, I think, has served us well. We have an iconic, unique headstock and then we do a lot of customizing with either laser engraving or printing. We can print anything on a face, and we do that in-house. People send us their pictures or artwork and we can put that right on the instrument.” Recent additions, such as the five-string violin introduced in 2021, signify the company’s ongoing commitment to innovation. A short-scale electric cello is slated for release later in 2024.
With a keen eye for locally sourced materials and a commitment to eco-friendly practices, Magic Fluke stands as a testament to the power of conscientious craftsmanship. This ethos of environmental responsibility has been proudly passed on to the three Webb boys: Josh, Ben and Sam, who are not only continuing the family ukulele business, but expanding to include their own interests and areas of expertise. Ben Webb is building an inventory of furniture and home objects, “highly functional, very simple forms that are made of local hardwoods,” he explained. “The whole idea is to build something of quality and put it in the hands of as many people as possible. I feel like it’s often one or the other. It’s like, build something of quality and put it in the hands of people that can afford it or put it in as many hands as possible but compromise on quality.”
The Webbs do not compromise on quality, while forging deep relationships within all their various networks. “It feels really good to be able to sell something that is made with dignity and has a really thoughtful environmental impact,” Ben explained.
This careful and skilled craftsmanship doesn’t end with ukuleles or handmade home objects: enter True Wheels Bicycle Shop.
Led by Josh Webb in partnership with his younger brother Sam, the foray into bicycle rental and repairs seamlessly intertwines with Magic Fluke’s mission of creativity and sustainability. Said Josh, “The whole family has been into cycling from a young age and then in college I did some competitive riding and found out about this company called Seven Cycles in Watertown.” After studying mechanical engineering in college, Josh went to work for Seven Cycles for a time before returning to the family business.
“I guess in the back of my mind since then it has been a goal to have some kind of a bike shop, just because I enjoy repairing bicycles and keeping things rolling for people.” Asked how the skills of instrument building and bike maintenance are related, Ben offered, “It’s the same, really. It’s attention to detail, understanding how things work and having the fine motor skills to do anything.” He laughed, “You know, sometimes I think if I wasn’t so queasy, I could go into surgery.” Josh added, “I’m reminded of a quote that I stumbled on recently that talks about how the Shakers and the Native Americans both shared a love of craft without materialism. They were not materialistic people, but they had a love of craft. And that for me, is something I strive for.”
As the workshop buzzed with creativity and production, Phyllis Webb reflected on the 25 years of the family business as she and Dale prepare to take a step back. “I think we never expected to have our kids in the business. We never wanted anybody to feel obligated, so we wanted everybody to go off and do their own thing and feel like they had wings to spread. The fact that they’re here is wonderful.”
In an age of mass production and disposable consumerism, Magic Fluke and True Wheels stand as bastions of authenticity. “My brother Jim coined the phrase ‘uke can change the world,’” Phyllis mused, “and I feel like we have changed the world in our way.”
On Saturday, Sept. 6, from 12 to 5 p.m., Rock Steady Farm in Millerton opens its fields once again for the third annual Farm Fall Block Party, a vibrant, heart-forward gathering of queer and BIPOC farmers, neighbors, families, artists, and allies from across the Hudson Valley and beyond.
Co-hosted with Catalyst Collaborative Farm, The Watershed Center, WILDSEED Community Farm & Healing Village, and Seasoned Delicious Foods, this year’s party promises its biggest celebration yet. Part harvest festival, part community reunion, the gathering is a reflection of the region’s rich agricultural and cultural ecosystem.
Rooted in justice and joy, the event will feature over 25 local vendors and organizations, live performances, healing workshops, family-friendly activities (yes, there’s a bouncy castle), and abundant local food. And while the festivities are certainly reason enough to show up, organizers remind us the purpose runs deeper.
“This isn’t just a party. It’s a place to build the kind of relationships that keep our food system alive,” said Maggie Cheney, Rock Steady’s co-founder and worker-owner. “We’re creating space where farmers, growers, families, and community organizers can connect, celebrate, and support one another.”
Proceeds from the event support Rock Steady’s POLLINATE program for queer and trans BIPOC beginning farmers, as well as Catalyst Collaborative Farm’s food justice initiatives. With sliding-scale tickets from $5 to $250, the organizers aim to make the event accessible to all, including free entry for children under 12 and volunteer options for those who want to pitch in.
For those who’ve attended before, it’s a welcome return. For newcomers, it may just feel like coming home.
More info and tickets: rocksteadyfarm.com/farm-block-party
Waterlily (8”x12”) made by Marilyn Hock
It takes a lot of courage to share your art for the first time and Marilyn Hock is taking that leap with her debut exhibition at Sharon Town Hall on Sept. 12. A realist painter with a deep love for wildlife, florals, and landscapes, Hock has spent the past few years immersed in watercolor, teaching herself, failing forward, and returning again and again to the page. This 18-piece collection is a testament to courage, practice and a genuine love for the craft.
“I always start with the eyes,” said Hock of her animal portraits. “That’s where the soul lives.” This attentiveness runs through her work, each piece rendered with care, clarity, and a respect for the subtle variations of color and light in the natural world.
After painting in oils earlier in life, Hock returned to art when she retired from working as a paralegal with a goal: to learn watercolor. It wasn’t easy.
“Oils and watercolor are opposites,” she explained. “With oils, you build your darks first. In watercolor, if you do that, you’re in trouble.” She studied online, finding instructors whose approach clicked, and adapted to the delicacy of the medium.
“When I’m working, everything else falls away,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what’s going on in life. While I’m painting, time disappears.”
Her studio, formerly a home office, is now her sanctuary and the pieces in this exhibition are the result of three years of that devoted studio work. While this is her first full public show, Hock previously tested the waters at a small fundraiser at Noble Horizons, where one of her pieces sold. That experience — and the consistent encouragement from her family, especially her husband — pushed her to pursue a full exhibition. With gentle encouragement from her husband and family, Hock reached out to the Town Hall’s curator, Zelina Blagden. “My husband kept saying, ‘You’re as good as all those other people out there, why not show your work?’” And so, here it is.
All paintings in the show are for sale, though Hock admits a few are priced high — not because of their size or complexity — but because she’s not quite ready to let them go. “There are a couple I’ve priced high because I’m not sure I want to part with them. But we’ll see,” she laughed. “It would be nice to support the habit a little bit.”
As for aspiring artists or anyone hesitating to begin something creative, Hock’s advice is simple: “Go for it. If it fails, toss it in the basket and start over.”
The exhibit will be on view at Sharon Town Hall through Oct. 31 with an opening reception on Sept. 12 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
Carissa Unite, general manager of Oblong Books in Millerton.
Carissa Unite of Millerton, began working at Oblong Books 16 years ago as a high schooler. She recently celebrated her eight-year anniversary as the general manager.
Unite’s journey at Oblong began even before she applied for her first position.An avid reader from a young age, she was a frequent customer at the store. During those years, Unite bonded with a former employee who encouraged her to apply for a position after connecting over their shared love of reading.
As a teenager, Unite enjoyed reading Ellen Hopkins, John Green and Ann Brashares. With the busyness of adulthood, she now favors the convenience of audio books. In the past year, however, she has made it a point to read more physical books.
With a preference for contemporary fiction, she raved about “Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The story, set in the 1980s, follows two women who become astronauts at a time when women were not widely accepted in the field. A beautiful love story emerges between the two characters. Unite described the writing as sensational and commended Reid’s ability to tackle complex themes without them being muddied.
Unite has developed a deep appreciated for classic literature. Her two favorites are “Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin and “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. She was amazed by the philosophical nature of both words and the way their dialogue challenged her perspective.
In an effort to read beyond her preferred genre, she recommends the following:
“Some Desperate Glory,” by Emily Tesh, “Midnight Rooms,” by Donyae Coles and “Clear” by Carys Davies.
For Unite, the beauty of reading lies in its power to develop perspective, empathy, and compassion. Through books, readers learn that everyone is fighting different battles and no two stories are the same. She encourages people to choose kindness because you never know what someone else is facing.
Above all, reading brings Unite peace. If offers transcendence to another world, a pause from outside noise, and for Unite, it is where she feels most at home.
For anyone hesitant to being reading, Unite suggests: just do it! Read 10 pages a day and find the book that speaks to you. Any Oblong staff member would be happy to offer recommendations.
Oblong is located at 26 Main St., in Millerton and 6422 Montgomery St. in Rhinebeck.