Meet Craig Carpenter | Musical Instrument Repair and Customization

We had the good fortune of connecting with Craig Carpenter and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Craig, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started doing the work out of necessity. I wanted more from my guitars and couldn’t afford to pay someone to do the work. So I read books, asked Kurt Wright questions, and got enough confidence to use my instruments as test subjects. Business grew only by word of mouth for many years. The decision to make it full time was a rare opportunity to do what i really enjoy.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What sets my business apart is, well, me. Being a one man shop isn’t easy, but it allows me to control quality and insure customer satisfaction on a very personal basis. I think the most unique aspect of my business is manufacturing my own products as well as repairs. I make hand-built effect pedals, hand-wind pickups, work as a tone consultant if a customer needs advice. And I get my hands into a tube amp or two on occasion.
Becoming a full-time business was pretty easy to start. I’d already been doing the work, just made it official. Since then, I have learned the difficulties small business owners face. And not having a storefront is actually a challenge. I have to schedule my work around appointments and insure I am available to greet every customer. Scheduling in this manner may limit what I work on that day. I think I’m starting to get better at that. lol.
My goal has always been to gain the reputation for Guitar Tech Craig products and services as having fair pricing, good turnaround, great warranty, and expert work done by hand. I do things distinctly my way, but that seems to be a good thing so far.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
For some great activities for guests, I would check out the go-karts at Swings-N-Things, see the enormous selection of candy at B.A. Sweeties, and stop for a bite to eat at Winking Lizard. An evening at lake Erie is always nice and relaxing. We’re so lucky to have that; the lake is one of our biggest assets. I recently discovered the Lorain Palace Theater, and the place is amazing. They book a lot of fun acts.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to shout out to a few people. First, Brian White taught me the essentials of how instruments work and how to adjust them. He was a great wealth of knowledge. Secondly, Billy Sullivan for trusting me enough to work on his gear, and for recommending my services to lots of local musicians. Lastly, a book. Guitar Electronics by Donald Brosnac. This book instigated a life-long affection for expanding the tonal palate of an electric guitar.

Website: https://www.guitartechcraig.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GuitarTechCraig