The rumors of my moving to Florida are greatly exaggerated. I’ve heard this story from two different sources now. So now I wonder just how rampant this rumor is. Well it ain’t so. I’m living in Lakewood, and available to work in the Cleveland area. I have a funny feeling that one of my many competitors out there started this rumor. Like it’s not hard enough to get something going as it is. I’ve tried not to badmouth other folks over time, though. Things tend to take care of themselves, if you let them.
I do have some pet peeves, though. There are some folks who have no business touching an instrument; like a repair, or set up. I also have had some weird experiences with the folks at Guitar Center. Twice over the years I was stood up for a pre-arraigned appointment to talk to the heads there. The first time was when they first moved to town, and the last time was last year. Great folks they have out there. I would be careful taking my instrument to the poor sob they have working out there like a wrestling bear in an open kitchen. I was actually told the right person could make a six-digit income out there. When I asked for proof that this was in fact going on in locations in California and Texas, it was met with the same seriousness as the return phone call that was to be made to me. Both things never happened. Buyers beware! Of course, you’re not left with a lot of other local choices out there.
The rumor of my moving to Florida has been heard from Brunswick to Lakewood. That’s what made me bring up the above story. Another peeve: It’s always more involved to work on something that has been trashed by a previous ‘craftsman’. That’s always fun to inform the owner about. It has been a cause of depression, being a guitar repairman. Many years ago, a young mom came into my shop in Strongsville with three kids in tow, and asked me what I do. After I made a lame attempt to describe what I did, she claimed, ”Oh, you’re like a guitar tinker.” Man, the truth can really hurt sometimes.
On news with the shop’s rebirth, I’m still looking for day work just yet. However, I’m also making preparations for a sort of grand reopening. Chris Vance and I are making plans to have seminar on ‘How to String, and Tune Your Fretted Instrument’. This will not be new material for anyone that’s heard the info before, and practices using it. This is roughly planned for sometime in March. Another teaching plan I would like to initiate is ‘How to Maintain Your Own Instrument’. This would be presented over a six week-once a week course.
That’s all I’ll say for now. I am doing work through Vance Music Studios in Lakewood. The way to get it to me is simply to drop it off at Chris’s store. You can go to his website by clicking on the logo below. Hope to see many of you again in the New Year. Keep practicing.
Thanks,
Kurt
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