A career as a guitar technician offers a fulfilling path for anyone with a passion for music and skill for working with their hands. This guide outlines the steps to pursue certification and a career in this specialized field, combining technical ability with a deep appreciation for musical instruments.
Understanding the Role of a Guitar Tech
A guitar technician’s primary function is the maintenance, repair, and optimization of stringed instruments. Their days are spent ensuring that guitars and similar instruments play and sound their best. The environment for a tech can vary, from the workbench of a local music shop to the fast-paced setting of a world tour, where they are responsible for the artists’ instruments.
A guitar tech’s role is distinct from a luthier’s. A luthier builds stringed instruments from raw materials, and while some also perform repairs, their focus is on creating new instruments. A guitar tech specializes in working on existing instruments. This specialization allows a tech to work on hundreds of instruments annually, gaining extensive experience in diagnosing playability issues.
Essential Skills for a Guitar Technician
Setups and Adjustments
Performing setups is a core responsibility for a guitar technician. This involves precise adjustments to optimize a guitar’s playability and feel. This includes adjusting the truss rod, a metal rod inside the neck that counteracts string tension. Proper truss rod adjustment ensures the neck has the correct amount of “relief,” or slight curvature, preventing fret buzz and making the instrument comfortable to play.
Following the neck adjustment, the technician addresses the “action,” which is the height of the strings off the fretboard. This is modified at the bridge and the nut. Finally, the tech sets the intonation, which ensures the guitar plays in tune across the entire neck. This is done by adjusting the individual string saddles on the bridge to slightly change the string length.
Fretwork
Fretwork is another area of focus. Over time, frets can wear down, leading to buzzing, poor intonation, and an uncomfortable playing experience. Fretwork begins with leveling, where the technician files all the frets to the same height to create an even playing surface.
After leveling, the frets are “crowned” to restore their rounded shape. A properly crowned fret provides a precise point of contact for the string, ensuring clear notes and accurate intonation. The process is completed by polishing the frets to a smooth finish for effortless string bending. In cases of extreme wear, a full “refret,” where all the frets are removed and replaced, may be necessary.
Structural Repairs
Guitar technicians also handle a variety of structural repairs. A common issue, particularly with acoustic guitars, is a bridge lifting from the body due to failed glue and string tension. This repair requires carefully removing the bridge, cleaning both surfaces, and reglueing it securely.
Other frequent problems include body cracks and broken headstocks. Repairing a headstock break involves aligning the pieces, applying wood glue, and clamping it to dry. These repairs require an understanding of wood, adhesives, and clamping to restore the instrument’s integrity and appearance.
Electronics and Wiring
A technician must be proficient in electronics for electric and acoustic-electric guitars. This work centers on soldering to join electronic components. Technicians use this skill to install new pickups, replace potentiometers (volume and tone knobs), switches, and output jacks.
Troubleshooting is another part of the job. A technician must diagnose problems like a crackling output jack, a dead pickup, or an intermittent signal. This involves checking wiring, testing components with a multimeter, and identifying faulty parts or solder joints.
Formal Training and Certification Programs
While no single governing body certifies guitar technicians, “certification” means completing a program at a respected lutherie or guitar craft school. These institutions provide structured, hands-on training covering foundational skills. Graduating from such a program signals to employers and clients that an individual has received comprehensive instruction.
Several well-regarded schools offer programs for aspiring technicians. The Musicians Institute (MI) in Los Angeles offers a Guitar Craft program with certificate options in guitar design, construction, and maintenance. Students at MI build an instrument from scratch, providing an intimate understanding of its construction. The Galloup School of Guitar Building and Repair in Michigan and the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery in Arizona also have long-standing reputations for producing skilled graduates.
These programs vary in length and focus. Some are short courses lasting a few weeks, while others are comprehensive, multi-month programs. For example, Northampton Community College offers a 16-week luthier certification program where students build seven different instruments. Many schools, like the Chicago School of Guitar Making, offer courses in a functioning repair shop for direct exposure to the professional environment. The curriculum includes lectures, demonstrations, and extensive hands-on work at a dedicated workbench.
Gaining Practical Experience
Formal training provides a foundation but must be supplemented with practical experience. Many aspiring technicians begin by working on their own guitars or those of friends to practice setups, fretwork, and minor repairs. Building a portfolio of completed work demonstrates developing skills.
Apprenticeships or entry-level positions in a repair shop are invaluable. Working under an experienced technician provides exposure to a variety of instruments and repair challenges not found in a school setting. This environment accelerates learning and helps develop the problem-solving skills needed to diagnose unique issues. The goal is to gain the intuitive understanding that comes from repetition and encountering diverse repair scenarios.
Finding Work as a Guitar Tech
A certified technician with hands-on experience has several career avenues to explore, including:
- Retail Music Stores: Working in the repair department of a music store offers a steady flow of work and a chance to interact with the local music community.
- Dedicated Repair Shops: These shops may handle more complex and specialized jobs than a general music store.
- Guitar Manufacturers: Companies employ technicians for final assembly, quality control, and setup, offering insight into the production side of the industry.
- Touring: A touring technician travels with a band and is responsible for maintaining all their gear on the road.
- Self-Employment: With enough experience and a solid client base, many technicians open their own repair business for greater autonomy and financial potential.