Repaired and Restored String Instruments of all Types

Our Story

Almost 20 years ago, my daughter asked me to buy her a harp to play…Being a father of 7, [+1 in heaven] money always seemed to be tight, [still is], so the solution I found was to buy a broken harp, do my best to fix it to be playable….and away we went.
Soon after I was fixing / restoring /re homing all sorts of stringed instruments for other members of the family, students, teachers, and anyone who wanted to learn, but for whatever reason could not afford to buy an instrument. I never got into the ooh and ahhs of brands and orchestral snobbery. I have always seen harps without the hype, violins based on sound rather than makers mark, or vintage. I know for a fact that there are kids now out there playing on pre-war Gibson guitars, and 19th century [perhaps earlier] violins.
I feel the screeching of someone learning to play is a much sweeter sound, and worth so much more, than the silence of an instrument stored in a damp basement.
Folks would call “out of the blue” and ask if I might have a violin, cello, guitar, mandolin or “whatever” for this youngster or friend that needs one. And as best I could, I’d figure out a solution. Sometimes scouring the bent, broken, and “for parts” section of auction sites, sometimes getting donated closet relics… but always getting better at the repairs, rebuilds, and restoring to function as I went along.
Fast forward a few decades and here I am. My health is not what it once was, my income ain’t either… And while I still do not charge for most of the instruments I give away, the reality is that it is not a sustainable effort.
My ETSY shop, and my pettreemusic.com are just a way to try and offset the costs, and keep the wolves at bay. Thank you for stopping in. Feel free to ask whatever you will about instruments, repair, or whatever other thoughts you may have.
May God go with you,
john