Inside the Elderly Repair Shop

by Roger Alan Skipper with Joe Konkoly

Originally published in American Lutherie #108, 2011



With eight repair guys in Elderly’s main shop, and three more working on setup, Joe Konkoly’s job as repair shop manager is both challenging and rewarding. The setup department handles new instruments and also helps coordinate the used instrument evaluations with the appraisal department. Every instrument that comes through the store, including new instruments and those at Elderly’s on consignment, visits the repair shop for inspection and setup. The main shop handles customer repairs in addition to all restoration and customization: neck resets, refretting, bridge work on acoustic guitars, electronics customization and repair and, finish work, and lots of banjo and mandolin repairs.

Elderly’s wide variety of customers come with an equally diverse array of needs. While some are working in the studio, others simply want to sell a guitar for badly needed cash. Joe says that it’s tough to meet all those expectations, but it’s equally rewarding to meet them and make someone happy.