Find Trade Colleges
Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners in Massachusetts
Thinking about a career as a Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners in Massachusetts? Below are the key facts. Repair percussion, stringed, reed, or wind instruments. May specialize in one area, such as piano tuning. Excludes “Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers" (49-2097) who repair electrical and electronic musical instruments.
What do Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Make in Massachusetts?
For a musical instrument repairers and tuners working in Massachusetts, wages run about $63,110 per year (or roughly $30.34/hour).Pay can range from $41,640 at the 10th percentile to $81,810 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $41,640 | $20.02 |
| 25th percentile | $49,150 | $23.63 |
| Median (50th) | $63,110 | $30.34 |
| 75th percentile | $67,380 | $32.39 |
| 90th percentile | $81,810 | $39.33 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Massachusetts compared to the national average — is 0.48, suggesting fewer musical instrument repairers and tuners per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, musical instrument repairers and tuners earn a median of $34,378 per year ($16.53/hour), higher than the Massachusetts median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 252,823 musical instrument repairers and tuners nationwide. In Massachusetts alone, around 70 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 110 musical instrument repairers and tuners.
Top Massachusetts Metros for Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners
The largest metro-area employers of musical instrument repairers and tuners in Massachusetts.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 40 | $63,280 |
Top States for Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Employment
These states have the highest employment of musical instrument repairers and tuners work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 600 |
| Texas | 550 |
| Illinois | 410 |
| Pennsylvania | 350 |
| Tennessee | 350 |
| Indiana | 260 |
| New York | 260 |
| Georgia | 260 |
| Michigan | 240 |
| Ohio | 180 |
| Missouri | 180 |
| Virginia | 170 |
| Arizona | 170 |
| Wisconsin | 130 |
| Iowa | 120 |
| Maryland | 110 |
| New Jersey | 110 |
| Utah | 100 |
| Florida | 90 |
| Kansas | 90 |
Highest-Paying States for Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners
The highest-paying states for musical instrument repairers and tuners.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Nevada | $66,460 |
| Massachusetts | $63,110 |
| Oregon | $60,150 |
| Michigan | $59,960 |
| Maryland | $59,550 |
| Louisiana | $53,830 |
| New Jersey | $52,950 |
| Connecticut | $52,270 |
| Illinois | $48,860 |
| Texas | $48,080 |
Skills
Key musical instrument repairers and tuners skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for musical instrument repairers and tuners, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, musical instrument repairers and tuners typically:
- Adjust string tensions to tune instruments, using hand tools and electronic tuning devices.
- Compare instrument pitches with tuning tool pitches to tune instruments.
- Play instruments to evaluate their sound quality and to locate any defects.
- Disassemble instruments and parts for repair and adjustment.
- Repair or replace musical instrument parts and components, such as strings, bridges, felts, and keys, using hand and power tools.
- Reassemble instruments following repair, using hand tools and power tools and glue, hair, yarn, resin, or clamps, and lubricate instruments as necessary.
- Inspect instruments to locate defects, and to determine their value or the level of restoration required.
- Shape old parts and replacement parts to improve tone or intonation, using hand tools, lathes, or soldering irons.
- String instruments, and adjust trusses and bridges of instruments to obtain specified string tensions and heights.
- Repair cracks in wood or metal instruments, using pinning wire, lathes, fillers, clamps, or soldering irons.
- Polish instruments, using rags and polishing compounds, buffing wheels, or burnishing tools.
- Mix and measure glue that will be used for instrument repair.
Work Activities
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Getting Information
- Thinking Creatively
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Scheduling Work and Activities
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used:
- Katsura Shareware KS Strobe Tuner (analytical or scientific software)
- Katsura Shareware ProLevel (analytical or scientific software)
- Katsura Shareware SoundFrames (analytical or scientific software)
- Mensurix Audio (analytical or scientific software)
- Reyburn CyberTuner (analytical or scientific software)
- TonalEnergy Tuner & Metronome (analytical or scientific software)
- Tunable Instrument Tuner (analytical or scientific software)
- TuneLab (analytical or scientific software)
- Tunic OnlyPure (analytical or scientific software)
- Veritune Verituner (analytical or scientific software)
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
Related Careers
Other careers like musical instrument repairers and tuners include:
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
- Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door
Also Known As
Accordion Repairer, Accordion Tuner, Band Instrument Repair Technician (Band Instrument Repair Tech), Band Instrument Repairer, Banjo Repairer, Bow Repairer, Brass Instrument Repair Technician (Brass Instrument Repair Tech), Brass and Wind Instrument Repairer, Fretted Instrument Repairer, Fretted String Instrument Repairer, Guitar Builder, Guitar Inspector, Guitar Repair Technician (Guitar Repair Tech), Guitar Repairer, Guitar Technician (Guitar Tech).
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 49-9063.00