About EGW luthier Chad Gerbe
A Lifelong Passion
I started my professional career in guitar repair after graduating from the Galloup School of Luthiery’s Master Program in 2012, one of the most prestigious and highly respected luthiery schools in the country where I studied directly under the world renowned guitar builder Sam Guidry, but the guitar repair bug caught me long before that. I had been building, repairing, modifying and tinkering with my own and friends guitars starting around 2005. I also studied under George Morris at Vermont Instruments in 2008 where I learned a ton about acoustic guitar construction. Before Galloup I attended culinary school and was working as a professional chef in the catering industry. I believe my attention to detail and commitment to excellent customer service was strengthened while I worked in food service.
Honing my Craft
After graduating from the Galloup School I immediately was hired to join the Guitar Service Department at N Stuff Music in Pittsburgh, one of the largest and most successful independent musical instrument retailers in Pennsylvania and eventually was promoted to the role of Head Luthier. I also served the team at N Stuff Music in many roles along with my guitar repair responsibilities, including guitar sales, media assistant, and shipping+receiving, but it was here that I was first able to really hone my craft on thousands of guitar repairs.
Pursuit of Excellence
In 2016 I moved to Nashville TN and spent four years working at Glaser Instruments. Joe Glaser is an internationally recognized luthier, inventor, and entrepreneur known especially for the Glaser Bender, the most minimally invasive B-bender on the market. There I worked with Joe and his renowned team of guitar repair technicians serving the most high profile music artists in the nation in one of the busiest and most highly respected guitar repair shops in the world. Here I specialized in vintage acoustic guitar structural work and performed repairs on thousands of some of the finest and most collectible fretted instruments on the planet.
Other Work History
During my career I have also worked for, collaborated with and consulted for various guitar manufacturers including John Page Classic, Ciari Guitars, and Furch Guitars. I’ve assisted in various roles ranging from design, assembly, warranty repairs, shipping and distribution as well as overseeing final quality control inspections. I am available for consultations to provide service to technicians, repairmen, and builders.
An eye towards the future
In the fall of 2020 I packed up my tools and left Nashville to open my own repair shop in Hemet, serving Riverside County, the Inland Empire, Southern California, and beyond. If your instrument needs some attention, please don’t hesitate to reach out! I am deeply passionate about guitars and have dedicated my life to facilitating and growing the bond between a musician and their instrument through my attention to detail and focus on maximizing their guitars playability. I am here to help!
