71°
Joe Roberts Jr. is a guitar hero. In a small room in the back of Connecticut Music, a shop on Newfield Avenue in Stamford that sells instruments and accessories, Roberts repairs instruments, a craft he has fine-tuned over the past 40 years.
Fixing guitars isn't for everyone, Roberts said. "You have to have a lot of patience," he said. "When you're doing this type of work, you can't watch the clock." Straightening a neck, repairing cracks or just polishing frets may take a long time, Roberts said, adding, "It's not a business you make a lot of money in, so you have to love doing it."
Roberts has fixed guitars for beginners and seasoned professionals alike, including legendary studio musician David Spinozza, who has worked with Paul McCartney, John Lennon and James Taylor. Regardless of their experience, Roberts tells all guitarists to make sure their instruments are not exposed to extreme heat or cold.
"If it gets really dry in the wintertime, guitars lose their moisture and it can split the wood," he said, adding that the remedy for that is an instrument humidifier, which can be placed inside a guitar.
Roberts, 54, grew up in Stamford and now lives in Cos Cob. His grandfather designed components for guitar companies in the 1920s and also built and designed accordions. Joe's father, Joe Sr., taught accordion before venturing into Connecticut Music in the early 1950s with a horn-playing business partner who did instrument repairs. Roberts grew up watching his intricate work.
The business is now owned and operated by Joe Jr. and his brothers Peter and Michael. Their dad continues to help in the shop.
"It takes all of us here to make this work," Joe Roberts Jr. said. "We're a very close-knit family."Click here to follow Daily Voice Stamford and receive free news updates.
