Musical Instrument Repairer
PrintWork Tasks
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT REPAIRERS maintain, tune, and repair many different kinds of musical instruments. They work on band instruments, pianos and organs, violins, and guitars. Piano repairers examine piano parts to diagnose problems. Pipe-organ tuners and repairers tune, repair, and install organs that make music by forcing air through flue pipes or reed pipes. They also assemble organs on-site in churches and auditoriums following manufacturer's blueprints. Violin repairers adjust and repair bowed instruments, and band instrument repairers focus on woodwind, brass, reed, and percussion instruments damaged through deterioration or by accident.
Salary, Size & Growth
- $39,500 average per year ($19.00 per hour)
- A small occupation (5,600 workers in 2010)
- Expected to not change (0.0% per year)
Entry Requirements
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT REPAIRERS generally need to have post-high school training in music repair technology. A small number of technical schools and colleges offer courses in piano technology or brass, woodwind, string, and electronic musical instrument repair. A few music repair schools offer one- or two-year courses. Some music stores, large repair shops, and self-employed repairers and tuners hire trainees to learn to tune and repair instruments under the supervision of experienced workers. It usually takes from two to five years of training and practicing to become fully qualified. No special licensing or certification is required for musical instrument repairers.