Starting a Repair Shop

[The F-Bomb]

Hi Everyone,

I'm in the planning stages of starting my own repair business. Basically I want to take on some set-ups but also get into Fret work, pick-up install, nut replacements, etc.

I've picked up Dan Erlewine's Guitar repair guide & I'm going to purchase his DVD's as well.

My question is: Does anyone on this forum have their own repair shop? How did you learn? What are your "must have" tools? Any general advice?

Your help is appreciated!!!
Blair

[Turnaround]

I've been doing instrument repair work for over 30 years now, so I might have one or two things to say about it.

Start with the easy stuff - setups, wiring, pickup replacement, etc. And invest what you earn in learning and tools. Read everything you can find on lutherie and repair. Learn to distinguish between good solid techniques and cheap easy methods.

Then undertake what you know you can do with confidence. At the same time push the envelope a bit to tackle those things that seem just beyond your reach. Be careful you don't extend yourself too far - you don't want to develop a reputation for botching jobs, especially for paying customers.

And when it comes to customers, be sure that you do work of sufficient quality that your customer will be unreservedly pleased with the result at the price he paid. If you want to develop a clientele, there's nothing that will succeed like word of mouth and a great reputation.

As you work and learn, invest in the tools that will help you do a better job. I probably have in excess of $30,000 worth of tools - not all of them are necessary at the time you start out, but with few exceptions I would say all of them have enabled me to do better work or to produce consistent results more easily.

But at every step on the road, invest all the time you can in learning. I've been at it a long time, but I'm still learning. And I do it by searching out new methods, techniques, ideas, practices, theories. Be voracious about knowledge.

Or not. I'm a fanatic. And getting old. Is this what you want?

[santucci218]

if you have never done a specific repair before, and youre weary about it. dont take the chance of messing up a customers instrument. Save money. Buy a really cheap, but working bass. See if you cant do some fretwork on it to fix it up. Try to make it fretless. Change the pickups on it. Go crazy, split the fingerboard and replace it. Just make sure you are accepting jobs that dont feel queer to you.

[chicago_mike]

A good thing...get broken stuff...buy broken amps, and guitars... break them some more and learn how to repair them. Learn on busted stuff...this really helps. Crack off a headstock of a warped neck...then leanr how to repair it, stuff
like that.

Santucci sorta beat me to it, but its so worth repeating. Also theres a real, REAL good book on acoustic guitar making..its an old book still in print and thick like a bible. Because it is. The tube amp book with the guy with the soldering iron on the cover, thats a great book too....has flow charts for when stuff aint working.

Turnaround really put it in a good perspective. Customer service is what its all about. youre doing a real honest to god grass roots level job.

Down side..when its broken and you just cant get it to go...the upside..when it does work...thats such a high.

[202dy]

Most people dream of fame or fortune. Others lust for power. The luthier will have none of that. Like the artist, if there is any to come his way it will arrive in abundance after his death.

If all you do is repair, you won't even get that.

Turnaround tells the story from many years of experience. He knows of which he speaks. Mastering a craft is a process of life long learning. Listen to him.

Here are some more thoughts:

1. If you have never performed an operation before it is important to practice the technique before producing the final product. Buy some junk guitars at flea markets, swap meets, and garage sales. Use those instruments to figure out what works best for you.
   
2. It doesn't matter if you have never performed a particular service before now or have done it a hundred times. The product must always be of the best quality. In other words, top notch factory quality or better. That means that you may have to make a string nut several times before it is good enough to install on the clients guitar.
   
3. Practice on scrap. Save and buy scraps of mahogany, maple, alder, birch and any other kind of wood used in guitar making. If you are doing any kind of finish work it is important to try the techniques and materials on the same kind of wood as the subject guitar. It may take a few tries before you get it right.
   
4. The great paint job that your client got on his car isn't good enough for his guitar. He looks at his car from five feet. He will look at your work from six inches.
   
5. Charge the market rate from day one. The service performed has a value. The fact that you are new to the trade has nothing to do with the value of the service. Refer to 1, 2, 3, and 4.
   
6. When you start to feel comfortable with what you are doing you probably aren't reading enough. Start studying again.
   
7. There are many cross disciplines in luthiery. Read general woodworking books. You need to read (and practice) books on finishes. That includes wood and automotive finishes. Basic electronics should also be on your book shelf.
   
8. Delving into machining is a good idea, too. Sooner or later you will have to make a few tools. Or rework some metal. Or make a part that isn't available anymore.
   
9. When you are not working on a guitar you should be working on hand or machine techniques. Go to the shop and make sawdust and metal filings.
   
10. If you did not have shop class in middle or high school, a class or two at the local vo-tech is a good idea.
    
11. As far as machinery and tools go, more is better. You can buy the tools as you go. Buy only professional tools from reputable firms like LMI and StewMac. Yes, they are expensive. However, they are the right tools and most of them will outlast your career.
    
12. Starting a repair shop is starting a business. Having a job is not the same as having a background in business. Even if you are a manager, unless you have bottom line responsibility you do not realize at a gut level what it takes to be in business. If you have no background in business it would behoove you to seek out the SBA and take a couple of their inexpensive classes for the beginning entrepreneur. Also consider taking an accounting class at the community college. A marketing class would be very helpful, too.
    
13. If you regularly use the phrase, "That's good enough." quit before you start.

[toomanybasses]

There is a lot of great advice here, heed it all...

Let me toss in my two cents; I have been in business for almost 25 years and have been in startup businesses my whole life and one thing I have learned is:

Quality equals Longevity and cheap advertising!

Yours will start out as a small business and you will live or die on word of mouth. Do quality work at a reasonable price and people will come to you or recommend you to some one else. Do crap work and you will still get word of mouth advertising and it will be all bad.

[202dy]

Originally Posted by toomanybasses

There is a lot of great advice here, heed it all...

Let me toss in my two cents; I have been in business for almost 25 years and have been in startup businesses my whole life and one thing I have learned is:

Quality equals Longevity and cheap advertising!

Yours will start out as a small business and you will live or die on word of mouth. Do quality work at a reasonable price and people will come to you or recommend you to some one else. Do crap work and you will still get word of mouth advertising and it will be all bad.

Quality is key. Word of mouth is great.

Forget "reasonable pricing." Do not undercut your colleagues. Charge the market rate. You will need the funding to buy tools, books, advertise, and maintain all of it.

Most folks who go into business with this strategy usually figure on raising their prices when they've established some clientele. It doesn't work that way. What they've done is establish themselves as a discount repair. When they raise their prices their budget conscious customers will leave because they can't afford it. The folks that can afford it will not want to pay more for what they perceive as a "cheap repair." Presto-chango! You are out of business. Your old clients will miss you.

However, they won't pay for your kids to go to college.

[The F-Bomb]

Wow! Thanks for all the advice guys.

That REALLY helps & I appreciate it!!