6 Instrument Repair Business Success Stories [2024]

Pat Walls

•

Updated: November 1st, 2023

Start An Instrument Repair Business

If you have a high level of technical aptitude for instrumentation engineering, you can start an instrument repair and restoration business as a part-time job or a full-time business.

As an instrument repair professional, your normal operations will include buying spare parts and fixing or repairing faulty parts. Typically, repair specialists fix instruments for players from all walks of life, from beginners to amateurs.

Here are some real life success stories of starting a instrument repair business:

1. Retro Radio Farm ($48K/year)

Allen Chiang, founder of Retro Radio Farm, came up with the idea for his business when he stumbled upon two old radios at a flea market in 2012. Despite having limited knowledge of radio repair, Chiang taught himself how to fix and restore these radios, eventually turning it into a profitable side business. With a growth rate of 20% every year, Retro Radio Farm is steadily increasing its revenue, although it has not yet reached a level that would allow Chiang to quit his full-time job in IT.

How much they make: $48K/year
Current team size: 2

Finding and Repairing Retro Radios Turned into a Successful Side Hustle

Retro Radio Farm founder, Allen Chiang, earns $50k per year as a side business restoring old radios and offering Bluetooth MP3 upgrades, with the business growing 20% every year.

About

Allen started Retro Radio Farm over 10 years ago

Revenue

Allen grew the business to $4K/month

Read this case study

Read by 7,826 founders

Learn more about starting an instrument repair business:

Where to start?

-> How much does it cost to start an instrument repair business?
-> Pros and cons of an instrument repair business

Need inspiration?

-> Examples of established instrument repair business
-> Marketing ideas for an instrument repair business

Other resources

Part of

Starting An Instrument Repair Business: Everything You Need To Know

‹

›

4. Stew Mac

Luthier tools, guitar parts, and supplies for instrument builders, repair shops, hobbyists, and players worldwide. Same day shipping, free technical support, 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!

Where they're located: Meta, Colombia
Website traffic: 1.01M/month

5. Denver Music Stores

Since 1962, The Denver Folklore Center in Denver providing the best acoustic instruments including new, used and vintage guitars, mandolins, ukuleles, banjos, bass, dulcimers, resonators dobros, and accessories.

Where they're located: Denver, Colorado, USA

6. Schmitt Music

Schmitt Music is your quintessential music store in the midwest best known for our incredible selection of musical instruments and top-notch music lessons.

Where they're located: Omaha, Nebraska, USA