It was clear to Andrew Berkshire early on that he was not going to be a rock guitarist.
While his friend was practicing guitar and making improvements on his style, Berkshire disassembled his own instrument and put it back together.
āIād always been into shop class and art,ā said Berkshire, who makes custom guitars and repairs them through his family business, Berkshire Guitars, at Fifth and Telfair Streets. āThis was right up my alley.ā
A former resident of Washington state, he started hanging around a local guitar shop in his teens. His early work experience with guitars came through apprenticing with a master luthier, Jack Pimentel in Seattle.
There, he learned the secrets of the craft, making guitars from scratch and repairing others. He later went on to work for Fender, but factory work wasnāt what he wanted to do. After working with Pimentel, Berkshire knew he wanted to make custom guitars.
He and his father opened Berkshire Guitars nearly 15 years ago. The business has been in its current location for about five years.
Making a guitar is a multi-step process. At Berkshire Guitars, they take a piece of tone wood. Woods like maple, mahogany, alder and swamp ash have rich tones when they are struck as opposed to a block of pine which has a dull thud, he said.
From that block of wood, the guitarās body and neck are sculpted.
Fungus is bad for trees, but the pattern it leaves behind on dead wood can create a striking and unique pattern for a guitar body. Pieces of wood are placed over the front of the guitar to give the distinct look.
All the string work is done on-site, as well as the finishing. They create acoustic and electric guitars.
And he can fix just about anything.
He put together a guitar that had taken a nosedive out of a third-story window.
Berkshire Guitars is authorized to offer repairs on warranties for guitars made by Fender, Gibson, Martin and Taylor.
Berkshire said heās often called on to make upgrades to existing guitars.
Not everyone has $2,000 to spend on a guitar. A lot of people can start with a $400 guitar and make improvements here and there. A guitar is easy to stairstep with improvements, he said.
The shop is conveniently located near downtown theaters. Berkshire said they have good relationships with the Miller Theater and Bell Auditorium management and have been called on to repair guitars for bands that have had an emergency.
Berkshire Guitars is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The business website is berkshireguitars.com.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her atĀ charmain@theaugustapress.com.
