Guitar Repair in New Jersey
Since forming his company, Mobile Guitar Repair, in l989, Pickerelli has offered a unique service to musicians in the metropolitan area, making house calls to fix their guitars on the spot.
"I've been a musician for l5 years and I could see there was a need for personal service because people can get delayed at guitar shops for months," says Pickerelli.
In addition to guitars, he also fixes basses, mandolins, violins and banjos. For $65, a customer can receive a standard resurrection special, which includes an inspection, cleaning and extensive fingerboard work. Services could range up to $400 depending on the damage. If materials are needed for the repair, a deposit is required.
" Some of my best clients are middle-age businessmen as well as die hard musicians. I service various types of people and all of them are fussy about their instruments. We get to become friends and I get to know their instrument as well," Pickerelli says.
With 225 clients on his mailing list , Pickerelli attributes his success to word-of-mouth since he rarely advertises. He mainly deals with local bands and musicians, but is striving to get more professional and bigger-name clients.
A surprise addition to his client roster has been handicapped people and others without driver's licenses - a category that accounts for about l0 of his customers.
His van is equipped with tools, a workbench, work cases and a portable bench. Depending on the scope of the repair, Pickerelli will either work at the customer' s home or bring the instrument back to his shop and then deliver it when the job's complete.
"I bend over backwards for all of my customers - and they know I care," "It's a labor of love."
Bass Guitar Amp
