How to hire musical instrument repairers and tuners

Job description template

Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.

[Job title] at [Company name]
[City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range]

About the role
[Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.]

What you will do
• Adjust string tensions to tune instruments, using hand tools and electronic tuning devices.
• Compare instrument pitches with tuning tool pitches to tune instruments.
• Disassemble instruments and parts for repair and adjustment.
• Inspect instruments to locate defects, and to determine their value or the level of restoration required.
• Play instruments to evaluate their sound quality and to locate any defects.
• Reassemble instruments following repair, using hand tools and power tools and glue, hair, yarn, resin, or clamps, and lubricate instruments as necessary.
• Repair or replace musical instrument parts and components, such as strings, bridges, felts, and keys, using hand and power tools.
• Shape old parts and replacement parts to improve tone or intonation, using hand tools, lathes, or soldering irons.

What you bring
• [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any]
• [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent]
• Strong critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension and speaking skills
• Working knowledge of customer and personal service, mechanical and fine arts
• [Anything else you would really turn someone away for]

Pay and benefits
[Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $22.32 an hour ($46,420 a year).
[Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.]

How to apply
[Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]

Copy the template Check your finished job post

Interview questions for musical instrument repairers and tuners

Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.

1. Tell me about a time you had to adjust string tensions to tune instruments, using hand tools and electronic tuning devices. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
2. Tell me about a time you had to compare instrument pitches with tuning tool pitches to tune instruments. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
3. Tell me about a time you had to disassemble instruments and parts for repair and adjustment. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
4. Tell me about a time you had to inspect instruments to locate defects, and to determine their value or the level of restoration required. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
5. Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
6. Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
7. Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
8. Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?

Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.

What musical instrument repairers and tuners do

• Adjust string tensions to tune instruments, using hand tools and electronic tuning devices.
• Compare instrument pitches with tuning tool pitches to tune instruments.
• Disassemble instruments and parts for repair and adjustment.
• Inspect instruments to locate defects, and to determine their value or the level of restoration required.
• Play instruments to evaluate their sound quality and to locate any defects.
• Reassemble instruments following repair, using hand tools and power tools and glue, hair, yarn, resin, or clamps, and lubricate instruments as necessary.
• Repair or replace musical instrument parts and components, such as strings, bridges, felts, and keys, using hand and power tools.
• Shape old parts and replacement parts to improve tone or intonation, using hand tools, lathes, or soldering irons.

Skills that matter most

Critical ThinkingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionSpeakingCustomer and Personal ServiceMechanicalFine Arts

Education, experience and outlook for musical instrument repairers and tuners

• Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
• Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (O*NET)
• Training on the job: Apprenticeship (BLS)
• Job outlook: +1.9% over ten years, little or no change · about 600 openings a year (BLS)

What to pay musical instrument repairers and tuners

Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:

See musical instrument repairers and tuners pay in every state

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Job duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.