Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

[Pierre]

Well right now I'm studying management with Operations management at Heriot Watt university in Edinburgh. My mom just told me that she thought it wasn't for me and that I needed some manual since I was always touching my guitar and doing things to it... And well I've been playing for 6 months now but I just love the instruments, I'm buying another one in a few minutes (leaving to get it right after I post this, I'll post pics of it whenever I can). A lot of people probably will say 'wow that's soon for another guitar' and to a certain extent I agree, the only thing I can do very good is pinch harmonics :smack: Don't ask me to play the major scale at anything faster than 70 bpms, I don't know many solos... well I'm quite your typical-never-had-lessons beginners. But I just love the instruments... And I was thinking, eh maybe my mom is right ya know... If I could stop studying management and move on to guitars. Unfortunately here in Europe a beater guitar is at least 200 euros (The Charvel 1a I'm getting is this price and that's the reason I'm getting it: cheap great guitar) and money is an issue.
What's a good thing to start with? I have both of Dan Erlewine's books, I already did some adjustements on the model 4 and I'm about to learn how to take care of a maple fretboard too.
Suggest anything that'd help reach that goal I guess, if you heard of ways... I already fear I decided to pickup the instrument way too late

 

[jayK]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

Pierre,

You did not start the guitar too late, I'm 47 and just started playing last year, so you got a good thirty years on me!

The way I look at it, yeah, I'm sorry I started so late buy I have a kids outlook and excitement about it at my "advanced" age which is a great thing to have!

As far as becoming a guitar tech, go to some local shops and introduce yourself, maybe somebody will give you job & you can see if it is really something you want to do.

Good luck, and dont be ridiculous, you've got your whole life ahead of you to become a famous guitar hero!

 

[Pierre]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

Nah I doubt I'll be much of a player haha!
The main problem here is that I don't speak Dutch and I live in Holland. To work it's a very big handicap and I already asked but yeah...

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

I too would like to know how a person becomes a guitar tech/luthier. I know there are a few of you on here ... how did you get to where you are today?

 

[tone?]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

well i dont think it is a good idea to stop your education to become a guitar tech especially since you are a beginner at guitar.
dont get me wrong, what i am trying to say is that i think it is too early to distinguish it as a 'phase' or a real long term interest.

unless you completely hate Operations Management.

what i think you should do is take the music store job on the side and learn the trade that way while you are in school. or you could ask to work for little to no money at all just to learn the trade ( that is for a few hours a day)
i think i would do that now even at age 36 ( good idea actually i am getting my MBA now and when i finish in a year i think i will do this,thanks for the idea!).
i totally agree that it is not too late to learn how to play. i started at around 17 and have been playing ever since. i worked my butt off though cause nothing comes easy. I mean i played 8-10 hours a day when i first started. really!

just work hard and it will pay off no matter what you do. But dont let your dream go cause of lazyness. go learn without pay!

 

[pac112]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

pierre,we are on the same boat.beginner guitarist too. i am like you but my interest is in pedals.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

I don't want to quit my studies, and I have absolutely no work experience so it's very hard for me to get a job, especially in a foreign country (Holland) and even in Edinburgh it's not that easy (in music shops that is). I already gave out a lot of CVs but people don't really care for people working 'for free' hehe... If I do learn this, it'd be after my current program and in a school specialised for it.
Eh PAC, you have to come over to Holland sometimes and teach me about pedals

 

[marvar]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

Something to think about-
When you set yourself up as a guitar tech, you have to remember that you are taking responsibility for someone's beloved instrument, and unless you really know what you are doing, you can do alot of harm.
You will need to learn, not just the basics of setup, but, refretting, refinishing, electronics, neck angles, truss rod repair, binding, removing and replacing fretboards, repairing broken necks etc.
Also keep in mind that most guitar techs don't make alot of money- at least not until they become established, with a professional reputation, which can take years. Most techs are where they are today by word of mouth.
I'm not trying to discourage you, but you should think about the big picture.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

Something to think about-
When you set yourself up as a guitar tech, you have to remember that you are taking responsibility for someone's beloved instrument, and unless you really know what you are doing, you can do alot of harm.
You will need to learn, not just the basics of setup, but, refretting, refinishing, electronics, neck angles, truss rod repair, binding, removing and replacing fretboards, repairing broken necks etc.
Also keep in mind that most guitar techs don't make alot of money- at least not until they become established, with a professional reputation, which can take years. Most techs are where they are today by word of mouth.
I'm not trying to discourage you, but you should think about the big picture.

Personally I have no problem with taking responsibility for someone's instrument, so long as I am confident in my skills (and my insurance is good ). I don't see it as being any different that any other job. In my current line of work, hospitals trust me with very critical data, and if I make a mistake it could cause a lot of problems.

The money thing though ... hmm ...

 

[Pierre]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

About the responsability, it's no problem for me, I just need the experience and confidence. And I don't want to make this a full time thing, but I do want to learn about it in a more academical way later on. I'm not interested in the money. Just in repairing, modding, doing stuff to the darn thing. I mean today I realise that a guitar tech gets paid 30 euros for a full set up, I have the skills to do that for sure :smack: and I do it myself already.

 

[pinto79]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

My advice, as a guy who had the interest, and now am on the verge of starting my own repair and custom shop, fiddle with everything, don't be afraid. Play with your own guitars, swap pickups, take the bridge apart and figure out how to put it back together, and read EVERYTHING you can find about it. I probably spend about 4 hours a day reading this and other forums gahtering information. I also help my friends with their guitars, (some pay, some don't, some buy lunch) it's all experience. I find it fun and look forward to every challenge. I'm in the process of building my first guitar now too. And I can "hear" it already in my head...

Good luck with your interest. We're all here to help you learn and to support you!

Trevor

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

Good advice. +1

well i dont think it is a good idea to stop your education to become a guitar tech especially since you are a beginner at guitar.
dont get me wrong, what i am trying to say is that i think it is too early to distinguish it as a 'phase' or a real long term interest.

unless you completely hate Operations Management.

what i think you should do is take the music store job on the side and learn the trade that way while you are in school. or you could ask to work for little to no money at all just to learn the trade ( that is for a few hours a day)
i think i would do that now even at age 36 ( good idea actually i am getting my MBA now and when i finish in a year i think i will do this,thanks for the idea!).
i totally agree that it is not too late to learn how to play. i started at around 17 and have been playing ever since. i worked my butt off though cause nothing comes easy. I mean i played 8-10 hours a day when i first started. really!

just work hard and it will pay off no matter what you do. But dont let your dream go cause of lazyness. go learn without pay!

 

[Pierre]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

My advice, as a guy who had the interest, and now am on the verge of starting my own repair and custom shop, fiddle with everything, don't be afraid. Play with your own guitars, swap pickups, take the bridge apart and figure out how to put it back together, and read EVERYTHING you can find about it. I probably spend about 4 hours a day reading this and other forums gahtering information. I also help my friends with their guitars, (some pay, some don't, some buy lunch) it's all experience. I find it fun and look forward to every challenge. I'm in the process of building my first guitar now too. And I can "hear" it already in my head...

Good luck with your interest. We're all here to help you learn and to support you!

Trevor

I do all this already and I have for a while hehe... looks like I'm on the right way then, thanks.
4 hours on the forums? Damn you make me feel like I have no life :laugh2:

 

[Guest]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

Well, age and guitar playing skill never bothered Leo Fender.

That was the motivational part.

There are some courses all over the world, some of them aren't real expensive and some masters even have living arrangements 8I think Cumpiano had a while back).

Buy a lot of yard specials, mess with them, make them the best instruments possible. Consider it as an investment, training. You'll be reapiring problems and learning how to avoid some in advance. Stay away from big jobs and if it goes a little south just be honest, call the owner. Start building your own instruments too, you'll get some more info that way.

I hate do do this again, it's like I'm advertising but I think he might need it. I'm not associated with the site in any way (no more than I am here). You would be wise to visit the the Musical Instrument Makers Forum (www.mimf.com). Read a lot of their faq's, visit the library, ask some questions (in that order).

Good luck.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

I have no money to buy stuff or build my own instruments Living in a foreign country while a student makes it much harder to find anything. I already spent all my birthday money onto my second guitar which I'm working on making it play great now.
Yards special? Mhmm here in Holland people only sell things in their front door in April for Queen's day and I usuall am at uni (i.e Edinburgh) for that But I do plan on getting my hand on any guitar cheaper than 100 pounds when I get to Edinburgh. But for you Americans who pay less than 200 dollars for a Squier, think that we pay 250 euros, i.e about 300 dollars It's hard to find 'cheap' instruments because we can't get much cheaper than that or else it's not even worth it haha! That's why I got that Charvel (200 euros).

 

[Guest]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

Go to pawn shops, if you got them, chinese stores (around here there an invasion which is fine by me), thrift (sp?) stores. Anywhere you'll be able to find any guitar. Around here I can find classical's for 50€ and electrics for 150€. Needless to say, no quality but the money you spend on better parts is kept if you later on use those parts on other projects or if the instrument gets good (some just need better hardware) enough to play without bringing shame.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

:laugh2: Yeah... I guess my main problem now is to get patience! I'd never be able to spend 150 euros at once, I need to save up a whole christmas or birthday for that, then wait for another (birthday in July, christmas in December = about as long as I could wait between two money arrivals :smack: ) to upgrade it. Right now I'll work on the other Charvel and see what it gives. I'll try to find paw shops too, thanks.

 

[Guest]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

Put an ad in the papers. "Will purchase musical intruments in any shape or condition."
This ought to atract the POS and you can turn down the nice (but expensive) gear, unless someone makes a really good offer (not knowing the value).

 

[Pierre]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

'I got this thing that i bought in '59, it says Gibson Les Paul on it. Yeah I don't like it, maybe you can have it for 100 bucks'

I wish Yeah I think I'll do just that once I get back to Edinburgh and find a job. To do all this I need money which I won't have unless I get a job and here in Holland it seems to be a lost cause. Thanks

 

[Guest]

Re: Academic/non academic ways to become a guitar tech

'I got this thing that i bought in '59, it says Gibson Les Paul on it. Yeah I don't like it, maybe you can have it for 100 bucks'

You, my friend, have been quoted. LOL