Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Smiley.
Hi Aaron, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I got started tinkering with guitars when I was in high school, mainly because I needed repairs or modifications done to my own guitars, but couldn’t afford it. I quickly became the kid at school who would work on guitars for practically free, so I had buddies bring me stuff to tinker with. When it was time to figure out college, my mom had found a lutherie school in Michigan called the Galloup School of Guitar Building and Repair. I was really interested in pursuing this sort of thing as a career, so I enrolled shortly after graduating. After 8 months of building and repairing guitars, I was hired at Guitar Center as a repair technician, which I did for a few years. At a luthier convention held by Galloup School, I met a few folks at StewMac, a guitar parts and tools supplier in Ohio. A year or two later they offered me a technical advisor position. During my time at StewMac, I also apprenticed under Dan Erlewine at his guitar shop on the weekends. Recently, I moved back to Austin to be closer to family and friends, and have since ventured off into the wild world of small business ownership!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I’m very lucky to have had success in this field, I would say. Entering a niche trade is definitely kind of a wild decision, in retrospect, but I’ve had nothing but unwavering support from my friends, family, and clients over the years. It can be challenging at times, especially when the shop gets busy. That being said, all in all, the work that I do is fun to me, so even work rarely feels like “work”.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I really enjoy repairing stringed instruments. There is something really special to me about being a part of bringing an instrument back to playing order. I almost feel like I get to be a small part in someone creating music. It can also be a fun challenge, especially when the repair isn’t necessarily cut and dry. Often times I find myself sitting in my shop scratching my chin at something, trying to figure out the best solution.
I feel really proud of the fretwork that I do. When I started with Dan, he asked me “what do you suck at?”. I replied “fretwork and finishing”, so he told me “Alright, fretwork is all that you are doing”. It really helped me to get that facet of repair down, and I really enjoy the zen of doing a fret job.
I think my attention to detail and willingness to go overtime on an instrument is what sets me apart. I’ve seen a lot of other repair techs stop on a guitar when it’s close enough, or not go full on for a guitar that is going to a kid or something. I’ve had a few customers that bring me cheap guitars to test me and see if I will take the setup or repair seriously, and I’m proud to say they are often impressed enough to make me their “guy”.
Any big plans?
Right now, I’m just hoping to get my name out into the local area and start getting bigger jobs. I’d like to open a shop, and possibly bring on a few employees in the near future. Otherwise, the plan is to just keep doing what I love and help people make music!
Pricing:
- $40 for an “express setup”, same-day service!
- $175 for fret job
- Reach out for a free quote!
Contact Info:
- Website:smileyguitars.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smileyguitars/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Smiley-Guitars/100072383983621/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/smileys-stringed-instrument-repair-austin
Image Credits
Dylan Newton (picklefigphoto)
