Musical Instrument Repair
Apprenticeship
12 months of in shop training to start your career off right
ABOUT THE APPRENTICESHIP
Instruction. Business Education. Job Placement
Graduates will complete a full year's cycle of the repair process from establishing and maintaining profitable relationships with private individuals and public school programs to experiencing the needed level of output during the summer rush. Apprentices will successfully complete multiple instruments (not just one like at the trade schools) and will develop many of the necessary skills and speed needed to contribute profitably to a working repair shop.
Instruction
Course Materials, Supporting Video, Hands-On Experience
Apprentices will use all of the proven course materials from Repair Masterclass (a $9500 value) and will receive 12 full months of in-shop, hands-on experience and training. Repair instruction includes brass repair, soldering, woodwind repair (including overhaul processes) and orchestral repair. Business training in cost analysis of repairs and equipment, estimating repairs, ordering supplies and customer relations is also part of the experience.
Apprentices will complete several overhauls on flute, clarinet and saxophone as well as play condition work on over one hundred instruments. You will complete a total rebuild of a piston instrument including dent repair to like new condition, total tear down and reassembly of the instrument. You will also complete over one hundred play-condistions on brass instruments including chemical flushes and all the associated work. You will learn to carve a high quality bridge for all string instruments, soundpost adjustments, crack and bout repairs and overall setup from the scroll down.
Additional Opportunities
- canTours to other repair shops in the surrounding area (Vegas & Salt Lake) will be arranged so you can experience first hand how other shops are organized and run. Visits to guitar repair, dedicated orchestral repair, band and piano repair facilities will all be arranged.
- Manufacturer visits are part of your year as well. Facility visits in Utah and California will be arranged so you can see the music industry from a more full perspective.
- The NAMM show is the music industry's premier annual event and you can attend as our guest. You'll have the opportunity to inspect every new instrument on the market, visit industry leaders and make introductions to shop and business owners from around the country.
Tools You Need To Buy:
- Tools are an essential part of being a tradesman, but too often mistakes are made when it comes to purchasing equipment. Too few tools and you can't get the job done right, too many and your profit is sitting in your toolbox and not your pocket. I'll guide you through this process by providing a tools list from various suppliers and then teach you how to make profitable decisions in the future.
- A tools list will be sent if you are awarded an apprenticeship. In the meantime, get an idea of the tools you'll need here.
- All additional tools, equipment, parts, materials and supplies will be provided during your apprenticeship.
No Experience Necessary
If you've never worked on an instrument before, fine. I'll walk you through every step, show you how it's done and then oversee you doing the work yourself so you know you're doing it right. This is an active and working repair shop and you will be working on customer's instruments, so feedback is a daily expectation.
The Repair Trade
sLet me tell you about a letter I received from Glen. He had just retired from 30 years as the repair technician for a major east coast university and was moving to sunny St. George, UT and was wondering when I would like him to show up for work. Does this sound audacious? It's not. Glen knew that as a repair technician he could show up to any music store anywhere in the world and get a job.
Technicians are in such short supply. When I finished my own apprenticeship, I sent out 27 resumes and received 31 job offers! There is a worldwide shortage of instrument repair technicians. In fact, at the NAMM show one year, I attended an industry group meeting with 41 businesses represented, the 41st being new to the group and was given the opportunity to introduce themselves. During the introduction, they asked if anyone knew of a repair tech looking for a job; we all laughed and they thought we were being rude. The president of this organization, to help educate this new store owner and member of our group, asked for a show of hands for anyone NOT currently paying for a job ad looking for a technician. Only 1 hand went up. Every store needs a tech right now.
Some technicians complain there is no money to be made in this industry. I strongly disagree and have tax returns to prove it. These techs need education on how to charge appropriately for their time, lessons on how to make estimates and an appreciation for how rare they are. Perhaps they need to find a new business to work for that allows them to charge appropriately for their time and skill set, but there is a significant need for technicians in the world today and people are willing to pay handsomely for the skills. I will teach you all of these soft skills in addition to the hard skills on the bench.
Averages & Shop Accomplishments
$8,931.96
The average cost of repairs per year per school.
1245
Average number of instruments repaired per technician annually in our shop.
100K+
Expected Profit (not gross) per technician annually. Seriously.
4
School Districts we repair for currently.
Owner & Technician
Steve France
I started repairing in 1995 while in college and then did my apprenticeship at Badger State Repair. I'm excited to share my experience with you and help you start off right in this exciting and fulfilling career.
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Educational Background
In addition to a Music Education degree, I have earned a Business Management degree from Wayne State College. I completed my apprenticeship at Badger State Repair.
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Work Experience
I managed a repair shop for Summerhays Music before opening my own store and repair shop in St. George, UT. I sold my store in 2020 to focus on Repair Masterclass.
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Current Endeavors
In addition to an active repair shop, I teach repair through Repair Masterclass, I distribute a student training service called Maintenance Monday's and I own Tech-Oil Lubricants.
Core Values
My shop has to be a good fit for you, otherwise you'll be miserable for a year... and make me miserable too. I live my life and run my business by the following core values. They hang on the wall; I teach them to my children. These values are not some corporate ad campaign, they drive and are weaved into everything I do. If these values feel right to you, then apply. If they don't, I totally get that and wish you the best as you explore other options such at Renton Tech, Western Iowa Tech, Minnesota State or Badger State. Not every situation is a good one and I want to ensure this is a good fit for us both.
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Obey Your Conscience
Always do what you know you're supposed to be doing, especially when it's hard.
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Seek Truth
Continually search for, then defend what is right.
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Develop
People and systems need constant attention to get better.
Daily Life
Allow me to paint a bit more of the picture so you have an idea of what daily life will be like. My shop is located in my home in St. George, Utah. I have a wonderful and large workspace from which I service repairs and film my courses. From the large windows in the shop, you will have a delightful view of the park in the backyard and Pine Mountain towering in the distance. Taking breaks by walking around the park is a regular occurrence. Willie, my dog, is a nut ball and he'll bark his greeting every time you walk in while George, my cat, could care less you're there.
My wife and I homeschool our kids so they're always around making noise. My wife teaches piano and violin lessons and we get to hear a rather constant musical hum drifting down the stairs. It's an active and busy house with a warm and welcoming spirit about it.
The shop has its own entrance where you'll come in at 6am and get to work. I'll check in with you after my morning run, make sure you know the path you're to be exploring and then I'll feed my family and study with them. I'll join you fully at 9am. Your day will be full of learning new skills on various instruments while we share music, podcasts and stories with one another or, because of personal tastes, we'll each adorn our headphones and work in self-absorbed bliss.
It gets hot in St. George, so shorts are common, t-shirts are not (we still dress for work with a button-up shirt), aprons are always on and we are always on task.
Your work day ends at 2:30 so you can have a part time job and earn some cash while you're here paying for an education. St. George has around 80,000 people and help wanted signs everywhere. Most every religious affiliation can be found and there is a world of outdoor activities to explore with Zion National Park visible from town and Snow Canyon State Park in town. The shop sits on a city park and lunch is often had there under the shade of a tree. Bike paths in the park lead to a network of trails around town with over 60 miles of paved trails available in town. Biking to work every day is a real possibility; there is no public transportation directly here, but it does get you within a 15 min walk.
This is a working repair shop with active customers. Your training will be hands-on with instruments every day. There is no classroom work or lectures on theory. We go to work and learn from what's in front of you. New topics will certainly be discussed, supported by the online resources of Repair Masterclass, demonstrated to you and then your work will be observed until you're ready to try things on your own. You'll understand the concept before being turned loose on an instrument and you'll develop in depth questions for me through experience. On a daily basis you will practice working with customers, triaging instruments, and working on issues large and small. This method of teaching the trade is what sets this apprenticeship apart from all others; you will be equipped to work alongside other technicians in a profitable way when you're done rather than merely being prepared to actually start learning as is the result with other programs. Come join me and start your training off right by applying today.
Apply Today
Applications are currently be taken for the 2025 apprenticeship.
There is only 1 position available every 12 months. Apprentices typically start in September and finish in August. This timing allows you to build up skills and be ready to apply them when seeing instruments at the NAMM show in January and then get a lot of turns using those skills during the summer rush from May through August. Alternatives to this schedule may be available depending on circumstances.
Tuition is $20,000 and can be paid in up to 4 installments. This includes access to all of Repair Masterclass' materials (a $9500 value), all of your training, all instruments to be worked on (feel free to bring your own if you have a pet project), arrangement for shop and manufacturer visits, introductions and letters of recommendation to employers around the country.
This is not a first come, first serve opportunity. It is a selective process. I come to work excited to be there and if you are not a good fit for me, I'm no longer excited and my family suffers. There will be multiple interviews, allowing me time to understand who you are and give you time to consider who I am and then develop questions for me and decide if you want to hang out with me for so long. I promise this elongated process is for our mutual benefit.
First round applications can be submitted by clicking on the button below. Those will be reviewed and if you make it past the first round, you'll be invited to a second phone interview. If that goes well, a Zoom interview will be scheduled so you can meet my wife and have a more full awareness of who I am, and vice versa. If this opportunity sounds intriguing, I look forward to reviewing your application!
If you have more questions, reach out to me on the Contact Page. I'm always happy to meet you and discuss this opportunity.
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