Those Unsung Repair People. Love 'em.

Subject: Those Unsung Repair People. Love 'em.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 02:02 AM

For three weeks I've been without "Woody" my dearly loved '49 Martin 0-18....and it's been Hell! It even caused me to do something VERY reckless, namely buying a 1985 Martin Herringbone D-35 (for all those Bluegrass songs I plan to do at some festivals this summer). Nope, I didn't win the lottery...I took out a bank loan!

But I still missed my priceless "little" guitar, cause that's what I use for blues, old time country, and Ragtime. Well today I got "the call" from Bruce Dowd, saying "It's ready, come and get it!"

What a job he's done! The only minor drawback to "Woody" was a typically "clubby" 40s neck. Not anymore! Bruce shaved it down perfectly and put 20 coats of finish on. Each one wet-sanded smooth. Looks and feels marvellous. Now I can easily use my thumb to play both the 6th AND 5th strings right up to the 9th fret. I can barely stand to put it down.

I'm truly amazed at craftspeople like Bruce Dowd. He doesn't make much money (what he charged me was obscenely low) the work ethic is exceptional, and three times he called me in to try the new neck shape before final finishing. He explained in detail how it worked, and if there might be drawbacks (unlikely with Martin's neck reinforcement). If Bruce worked in a store he might have to be quicker, less personable and more expensive, but he has his own small shop, and works by his own rules.

These folks don't get a lot of thanks, and I think we're very lucky to have a guy like Bruce in Toronto.

Anyone else have a favourite repair guy/gal?

Rick

Subject: RE: Those Unsung Repair People. Love 'em.
From: Callie
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 03:22 AM

My saxophone is too precious for anyone except Steve Giordano in Church Street. He isn't just a technician, he HEALS!! One has to be so careful with repairers. Often they do more harm than good (esp saxes, which have fiddly bits and springs). I always look forward to picking my instrument up from Steve because he's always full of good tips - he ENJOYS talking about instruments.

Callie

Subject: RE: Those Unsung Repair People. Love 'em.
From: MichaelM
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 08:02 AM

I take my guitars to Al Clegg (on Thorncliffe in Toronto). He has kept my instruments in good nick, kept me away from a few costly mistakes (instruments that were on the verge of major repair) and is in the process of building a Brazilian small body (please, no guitar from Ipanema jokes). He has also just become the first authorized Taylor repairman outside of the Taylor factory. If your Taylor has a warranty problem they will likely be shipping it to Al for service.

Michael P.S. He's also a friend.

Subject: RE: Those Unsung Repair People. Love 'em.
From: Midchuck
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 08:34 AM

Rick said:

"...The only minor drawback to "Woody" was a typically "clubby" 40s neck. Not anymore! Bruce shaved it down perfectly..."

Did he give you two or three spare saddles of different heights to correct the action when the new skinny neck flexes like a willow wand with the change of seasons? Oh? It's a pre-early-'60s Martin with the long saddle that's glued in, so you can't change it without routing it out...? Oh well, live and learn...Then there's the hand cramps from playing for a few hours with no support for the palm of the hand to rest against....

It always makes me sad to see a real honest manly old Martin neck ruined...but I guess it's a matter of taste...

Peter. (who sold a perfectly good Taylor Jumbo with a great sound, because he got tired of the twice-a-year fight with the action)

Subject: RE: Those Unsung Repair People. Love 'em.
From: Mooh
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 09:13 AM

Rick, "unsung" is right! Glad you like your "new" Martin.

In these parts, so-called "Southwestern Ontario", Ernie King is the man for stringed instruments. Two stores bear his name but he doesn't own them any more. Having retired from retail and selling his business, he set up shop at home in Wingham where he builds and repairs. He is a most gracious and helpful and inexpensive artist, who always has time for you, and can always do the job. He's also a mine of information which he willingly shares.

Joe Melady in Goderich does some fine repair work, and has brought one guitar of mine back from the dead. I send my students to him for repair work.

As I own 3 Marc Beneteau acoustics, Marc gets that work, but so far I haven't had to have anything done. However I will be seeing him this week to have a new nut and saddle made for my baritone because I've settled on a very different set of string gauges than what I first thought when I had it built. Marc's work is among the best anywhere, and like Ernie and Joe he too is an honest and gracious man with an enthusiasm for his work and art that defies mortal understanding. I believe Marc is almost exclusively building rather than repairing now, the demand for his guitars keeps him that busy. Oh yeah, he's in St. Thomas Ontario.

I'm always amazed at what musicians will tolerate, not knowing that most instruments can be improved by a good repairman.

I do all my own electric guitar maintenance, and any acoustic guitar tweaking that comes up. Big jobs go to the pros. We couldn't do without them.

Peace. Mooh.

Subject: RE: Those Unsung Repair People. Love 'em.
From: Midchuck
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 02:35 PM

I just read my prior post and realized I probably should have put a little smiley face on it, and didn't. I'm really not very good at making them, but consider one added.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Those Unsung Repair People. Love 'em.
From: black walnut
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 04:44 PM

i've taken my dulcimer to twelfth fret in toronto, and they're great, but the excellent maker, Dwain Wilder, (Bear Meadow Dulcimers) from Rochester, is always easy to reach for work on my dulcimer if i am willing to take it the distance.

despite a SEVEN-YEAR waiting list for new dulcimers, Dwain is going to make me a bowing bridge for my dulcimer this july, which is the time that fits best into my schedule. it's more of a manipulation than a repair, but i think it deserves a mention...

~black walnut

Subject: RE: Those Unsung Repair People. Love 'em.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 01:12 AM

My God, 7 YEARS! I could never be that optimistic about staying alive! Talk about delayed gratification.

Actually 'Chuck, were my Martin in mint condition I WOULDN'T have had the neck taken down, but it already has a lot of cosmetic scratches and gouges, so although it's antique value will continue to be high, it'll never be one of those "20 grand" Martins. It's a superb working axe....BUT....this is "be kind to Rick month", and Damn it, I wanted a slimmer neck. So I dun the deed!

I've known a couple of folks who had the same trouble with "fluctuating" Taylor necks. It's also common on some Takamines. Just the price of doing business when you have a REALLY thin neck. Taylor made their reputation on those "rock 'n roll" necks, and naturally a little stability is lost. I DO however carry several saddles for all my guitars though (the Martin and the 12 string are 2 piece split saddles) 'cause I use different guages for club work and outdoor festivals. Usually in the outdoors venues I use Masterclass Medium-heavy and indoors, Masterclass light-medium. Gotta admit, I put my instruments through hell...but boy do they know they're loved.

I do most of my repair work myself, but meeting Bruce Dowd at a bluegrass jam 30 years ago was a great stroke of luck. I should have as much luck with doctors and roofers...but that's another story.

Rick

Subject: RE: Those Unsung Repair People. Love 'em.
From: Gervase
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 04:57 AM

On this side of the pond, I can recommended Bruno Alodi in Lewisham as the Florence Nightingale of the free reed. He's salvaged a couple of boxes of mine that have seen better days, charging me a ridiculously low fee. The one drawback is that you can't just 'pop in' - any visit to his workshop has to last at least a couple of hours to give time for coffee, gossip and breeze shooting. A remarkable craftsman - if you've got box problems in London, he's yer man.