Instrument Repair Technician
Chuck Kessler enjoys teaching the craft of instrument repair. He enjoys working on instruments to bring each one to top playing ability and seeing the faces of the musicians when their favorite horn is playing better than ever. As a member of NAPBIRT, Chuck has also worked hard to elevate the...
Bob Knight came into the music industry right after World War II and watched instruments slowly make their way back into the music stores. He was hired by CG Conn and enrolled in their band repair school, which was filled mostly with former soldiers, as Bob recalled. The Conn Company asked Bob to...
Bob Dingley felt lucky that he fell into the industry, which became his passion and his life-long career. On his way to a trumpet lesson he stopped by the local music store to pick up some sheet music and was asked by a school mate if he wanted a job. From retail to JW Pepper Music Publishing, Bob...
Frank Whetstine was working late in his musical instrument repair shop when he got to thinking about the unique way George Benson holds his guitar pick. Frank tried a few ways and finally took his pliers and twisted the end of the pick. He looked at the twisted pick and said out loud, that is a “...
Jim Hamblen proudly comes from a very musical family. His uncle was the great songwriter and musician, Stuart Hamblen, who wrote such classic songs as "It Is No Secret" and "This Ole House." Jim began writing songs himself, many of which have been published by Eagle Street Press. In the early...
Danny Marquez began playing drums in his father's church from the age of four! One day as a teenager he walked into Chafin Musiccenter in Lake Worth, Florida for a set of sticks. While holding the sticks he worked up the nerve to ask if there were any job openings in the store. He began working...
Bill Wallin is the instrument repair technician at Chafin Musiccenter in Lake Worth, Florida. Bill began working for the company alongside the store's founder, Paul Chafin. While Paul's son was out tuning pianos, Bill learned the trade of band instrument repairs. The service element of the store...
Don Mozingo was a teacher in a small schoolhouse for over 20 years and among the topics he taught was music. His love and passion for music can be traced to his parents and, as a child, Don began teaching himself to play every musical instrument. While teaching, he began repairing instruments for...
Vincent Marinelli is the founder of Expert Woodwind Service, a music store specializing in hand-selected and expertly fine-tuned professional clarinets and saxophones. A musician himself, Vincent mainly plays the clarinet, flute and saxophone, the latter of which he played in a rock and roll band...
Jimmy "Cricket" Lockard earned his nick name while playing the electric guitar in the sound of a chirping cricket. Since there were two other Jimmy's at the time, the name Cricket stuck -it's even on his business card. Cricket began going to Hot Licks Guitar Shop as a customer, playing for hours...