Musical Instrument Repair Service
Repair and maintain guitars, band instruments, and stringed instruments
Overview
Instrument repair services charge $40-$300 per repair or $50-$120 per hour for setups.
Servicing 20-60 instruments weekly generates $80,000-$400,000 annually with 60-75% margins.
In 2025, quality instruments cost $500-$5,000+, with regular maintenance and repair needed.
Services include guitar setup and intonation ($60-$120), fret work and replacement ($150-$500), electronics repair ($80-$250), instrument cleaning and maintenance ($40-$100), brass and woodwind overhauls ($200-$600), string instrument repair (violin, cello), and vintage instrument restoration ($300-$2,000+).
Successful instrument repair technicians develop expertise with specific instrument families (guitars, band instruments, strings), build relationships with music stores and schools, provide quick turnaround for school band repairs, maintain inventory of common parts, and understand setup preferences for different playing styles.
Can specialize in guitars (most common), band instruments (school market), or vintage instruments (collector market).
Guitar repair and setup most accessible entry point.
Marketing through music stores, school band directors, private music teachers, and musician communities.
Required Skills
- Instrument Knowledge
- Woodworking (for guitars/strings)
- Electronics Repair
- Setup & Adjustment
- Music Understanding
- Precision Work
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Musicians passionate about instrument quality
- School band programs provide steady work
- Can specialize in specific instruments
- Music stores outsource repair work
- Vintage instrument restoration very profitable
Cons
- Need expertise across multiple instrument types
- School band work seasonal (slow summer)
- Some repairs require specialized tools
- Lower volume than other repair businesses
- Competition from music store in-house repair
How to Get Started
- Master repair for specific instrument type
- Build relationships with music stores for referrals
- Set up workshop with proper tools
- Target school band directors for maintenance contracts
- Set pricing by repair type and complexity
- Build reputation through musician word-of-mouth
- Consider specializing in guitars or band instruments
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