Technician 1, Guitar Set Up

The Guitar Center Company; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading music instrument retailer in Kansas City is seeking a Guitar Set-Up Technician to play a crucial role in ensuring imported guitars and basses meet quality standards. Responsibilities include performing inspections, measurements, and adjustments for stringed instruments, collaborating with senior technicians on repairs, and maintaining a positive work environment. Ideal candidates should have a working knowledge of guitar set-up practices and intermediate guitar playing ability. This role requires teamwork and communication skills, geared towards high-volume production workflows.

Qualifications

• Working knowledge of industry standard practices for Guitar Set-Up and Repair.
• Ability to tune and test stringed instruments.
• Experience with basic hand tools.
• Luthier/repair experience is a plus.
• Motivated, able to work under pressure and follow procedures.

Responsibilities

• Perform inspections, measurements, adjustments for standard Guitar Set-Ups.
• Document daily work and QA findings.
• Collaborate with Senior Technicians for batch repairs.
• Assist in material handling and inventory control.
• Maintain a positive attitude while working with others.
• Ensure timely processing and delivery to GC Enterprise customers.
• Follow management policies and procedures.

Skills

Guitar Set-Up knowledge

Intermediate guitar playing ability

Basic hand tool use

Collaborative work approach

Effective communication skills

Tools

Hand Tools

Job description

The Guitar Set-Up Technician plays a critical role in the Customer Experience for imported guitar and bass instruments. This position serves as the final Quality Control gate and making standard Set-Up Adjustments to ensure instruments are in proper playing condition before allocating to Distribution Centers and Stores. This person must be familiar with common Set-Up and Maintenance procedures for acoustic and electric guitars, basses, and folk instruments. Unlike traditional Technician and Repair focusing on personalized set-up for the instrument owner, this role is focused on high-volume Production Set-Up practices following protocols to verify incoming products meet manufacturing specifications, are free of defects in materials and workmanship, and quickly make standard adjustments to ensure the instruments tune-up and play as designed. This job focuses on batch workflows to ensure accuracy of set-ups and higher through-put of instruments. This position also requires some material handling and supervised repair work with-in a production environment (vs workshop).

RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES

• Ability to perform all common inspections, measurements, adjustments, and maintenance tasks for standard Guitar Set-Ups (acoustic, electric, bass, and other similar stringed instruments) including but not limited to:
  • Visual inspection of complete instrument to ensure no aesthetic defects in assembly, woods, materials, finishes, hardware installation, electronics, and logos. Includes detailed inspection of joints, woods, neck, and logos.
  • Take measurements and confirm a variety of specifications regarding string action, neck curvature, intonation, and electronics functionality
  • Tactile playing evaluation to ensure adjustments corrected any issues in playability as outline in protocols
• Follow documentation procedures to record daily work and escape QA / QC findings
• Perform select instrument repairs/rework as assigned by shift managers. Collaborate with Senior Technicians to ensure consistent methodology when addressing batch repair projects.
• Assist in the material handling, un-packing, re-packing, labeling and palletizing of a variety of stringed instrument products as needed
• Assist in inventory control processes as needed
• Maintain and clean the work environment as needed
• Maintain and report on any needs related to supplies, tools and other items needed for efficient workflow
• Offer assistance as needed for any variety of tasks as requested by management
• Maintain positive, upbeat and dynamic attitude while working with other staff, management and senior officers
• Meet all requirements for timely processing and delivery of instruments to GC Enterprise customers
• Follow and execute procedures and policies established by management

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS & SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES

• Working knowledge of industry standard practices for Guitar Set-Up and Repair
• Intermediate level guitar playing ability and experience with the ability to tune and test stringed instruments.
• Functional knowledge and experience with use of basic hand tools.
• Luthier, Stringed Instrument Repair or Manufacturing experience considered a plus.
• Highly motivated individual with a bias for action and team play able to perform under pressure.
• Excellent verbal, written, presentation, and communication skills.