The repair shop in a music rehearsal space

Whether it is that small niggling noisy guitar pot or a major repair on your PA head, having easy access to a local Repair Shop can be a life saver.

With fewer music shops on the high street, it is becoming increasingly difficult for musicians to know where to take their instrument when things go wrong.

Repairing a snare drum

Any kind of kit regularly used will need routine cleaning and maintenance to keep it in a good working condition. Often this can be minor maintenance such as electrical re-solder, a good clean, etc. Of course, most music rehearsal spaces maintain a whole host of equipment available to hire including guitar amps, PA systems and drum kits. Many also operate recording studios with computers, outboard and monitoring systems.

Well-run spaces will have some kind of routine to maintain their kit and access to someone to repair it. This article won't go in to the full range of repair and maintenance required for instruments and equipment - there are plenty of websites explaining this and also services providing such services. However, a small number of music rehearsal spaces operate a small repair shop facility either on or off-site. The list of kit maintained by a music rehearsal spaces is almost endless but could include:

• guitar

• guitar amp

• PA

• drum kit/percussion

• synthesisers/electronic instruments

• FX pedals

• Mixers

• interfaces/recording kit

• lighting

• keyboards

• cables

  
  

Utilising existing skills

Individual staff members at some music rehearsal spaces have acquired sufficient skills to maintain in-house kit. Some spaces have even extended this to offer a repair service to their customers for a fee. If you regularly use a rehearsal space you can ask if they are able to carry out a repair or modification.

Abbey Music Studios

Steve Norman at London's Abbey Music Studios said: "Being a rehearsal space we have a good turnover of musicians who need repairs and maintenance of their gear."

Opening his Repair Shop in 2002, Steve said: "We gained lots of expertise in re-wiring the studio. The skills we learned have come in useful in offering equipment repairs in-house, but if there is anything we can't do we can refer to a specialist. We also offer PAT testing and can carry out mods such as replace guitar pickups.

We carry out a free initial inspection before quoting the cost of the repair/mod to the customer."

Absolute Music

Bournemouth's Absolute Music has developed a dedicated Repair Centre able to offer repairs and routine maintenance to in- and out-of-warranty products, no matter when or where they were purchased.

Qualified technicians and a fully equipped workshop caters for live gear such as guitar amps, mixing desks and PA speakers and pro audio gear, from interfaces to synths.

Its links with national and international music suppliers gives a reliable supply of parts and resources, however obscure the product or fault is.

Playing Aloud

Scott Nairn at Lincoln's Playing Aloud has operated a Repair Shop since 2012. He found there was a demand from musicians using his rehearsal space for a repair service. He said: "Between the two owners we repair kit. I do the drums and my partner looks after guitars and amps. We undertake basic repairs on guitars, amps and drums. We also make our own cables. Anything more complicated involving circuit boards and components we outsource to a local AV repair business. We are also able to do simple mods such as kick ports."

Engineering flowchart

Things you can do yourself

A repair service can sometimes not be needed. There are a few things you can do yourself before reaching for the phone. If there is a problem with an instrument or piece of kit it is worth considering the following:

1. Check the product manual for any information

2. Does the problem relate to something else e.g cables, attached equipment etc.

3. If recently purchased, check if the item is still in warranty. If so, contact the seller.

4. If computer related, and the problem just arisen, check whether there has been a software update

5. Check the manufacturer's website and forum.

   
   

If you are still experiencing difficulties, then the Repair Shop is the place to go.

Miltron Musical Electronics

The Repair Shop

Beyond a routine service, The Repair Shop can offer a range of more in-depth and specialist services including:

• PA head repairs

• Spare part sales

• Electronic repairs to amps

• Amp refurbishment

• Digital valve matching

• Valve replacement

• Portable Appliance Testing

• Speaker repairs

• Drum kit repair and servicing

  
  

Repairing a mic stand

The Repair Shop in a music rehearsal space

Smaller rehearsal spaces may find it difficult to directly employ staff to repair gear. However, larger operations such as Manchester's Brunswick Mill Rehearsal Studios rents a room to a self-employed technician, Miltron Barton. He has rented a room at the space since 2019 repairing guitars, synths, FX pedals and sometimes carries out mods on amps. As a self-employed technician he says: "I've had to make my own way working for myself. It can be difficult to expand the service because there is a limited amount of work coming from bands using the space."

Ackworth Guitar Setups in West Yorkshire has begun an initiative working directly with music rehearsal spaces. It has been established for 10 years and in 2021, it launched the UK's first chain of guitar repair shops in Leeds, Nottingham, Manchester, Cambridge and Northampton.

Tristan Johnson

Tristan Johnson at Ackworth Guitar Setups said: "We work with Eiger Studios in Leeds and Brunswick Mill Studio’s new site at Salford offering both off-site and on-site services. Having worked at scale across the UK, we’ve become well versed in the art of managing repairs and working with our customers."

The company offers guitar repairs, setups, fret levelling, rewiring, headstock repairs, neck resets and finished repairs on electric, acoustic and bass guitars.

Its technicians are experts in working with Fender, Gibson, Gretsch and Rickenbacker guitars and worked with international touring bands. Tristan continued: "Guitar and amp repairs are a niche skill. We are able to offer repair courses to those interested in learning. We have introduced a membership scheme to offer people access to a great way of paying for work at reduced prices. It’s just making a difference to people and it’s our way of saying thanks to our customers."

Electric guitar bridge

Whether you’re a casual musician looking for a repairer near to where you live, or a professional on tour in need of an emergency repair, FindRepairers is a useful web-based directory of instrument repairers, makers, luthiers, ateliers and specialist instrument crafts people. A quick search on google will also reveal small businesses able to offer amplifier, drum repairs or the repair shop in a music rehearsal space.

At any stage of learning to play an instrument it is vital to know how to perform at least a few basic repairs and know some maintenance tips in order to get the best out of your kit. Only once you have exhausted your skills could you think about a specialist repairer.