Don’t Fret! We’re Only Moving to Waterdown
Burlington’s well-established guitar shop, Guitar Repairs by Don’t Fret, has been located at the corner of New Street and Guelph Line long enough for its owner, Bob Kirkpatrick, to be able to share stories with a “back in the day” reminiscent tone.
Don’t Fret is one of a few guitar shops remaining in the region. Kirkpatrick restores, repairs and sells all kinds of guitars and all stringed instruments. Considering the challenges and rewards of restoring vintage guitars, a perfect day is when you get to behold a beautifully preserved, restored, or customized guitar in all its design and aesthetic beauty, and then after having set it up just the way its owner wanted it, the musician picks it up and makes it sing.
Restoring Playability, Beauty and Desirability
Don’t Fret’s customers come from all over the region, and Kirkpatrick’s relationships with some of them go back to the early days when he was doing guitar instruction. He recalls the time when a very young Carl Jennings (Freedom Train) took a few bass lessons from him at a music shop called Guitar Man, and then years later Jennings ended up establishing Westmoreland Recording Studios in the lower level of the shop. Jennings has since moved his operations to Hamilton where he continues to build his excellent reputation in music production.
“It blows me away what Carl can do vocally while playing the bass,” Kirkpatrick says, commenting on Jenning's present work with Freedom Train.
Kirkpatrick also fondly remembers how local up-and-coming players Tim Jennings, Trevor Howard, Adam Ostrosser, Adam Cooke, and Andrew MacTaggart would frequent the store. “Andrew started here as a co-op student and then stayed on. He kept on plugging away at his guitar skills. Some people who saw the spark in his eyes invited him out to jam, and eventually he was playing around, doing shows and went out on the road. Turns out now he’s writing songs with Tomi Swick, and has been doing shows with Brian Melo and Tara Oram.” Kirkpatrick makes regular visits to Hamilton's Augusta street rooms to keep tabs on his fellow musicians.
The Burlington location has been successful. Kirkpatrick’s determination to continue strongly in business at the Waterdown location has brought him to closing the Burlington shop.
There are only a few days left before all is packed up and moved up the hill to Mill Street in Waterdown. You can help lighten the packing by coming in and swinging a great deal!
The door closes at the Burlington location on October 31, 2012. Rumour has it that you will find a celebration of sorts at the Plough and Harrow just down the road.
But don't wait until then. Make sure you stop in and renew your acquaintance with Bob and his guitars. Store hours are 12 noon to 8 pm, Monday through Thursday; Friday and Saturday 12 to 4.
dontfret@sympatico.ca
905-333-8337 Burlington
905-689-9898 Waterdown
Burlington’s well-established guitar shop, Guitar Repairs by Don’t Fret, has been located at the corner of New Street and Guelph Line long enough for its owner, Bob Kirkpatrick, to be able to share stories with a “back in the day” reminiscent tone.
Don’t Fret is one of a few guitar shops remaining in the region. Kirkpatrick restores, repairs and sells all kinds of guitars and all stringed instruments. Considering the challenges and rewards of restoring vintage guitars, a perfect day is when you get to behold a beautifully preserved, restored, or customized guitar in all its design and aesthetic beauty, and then after having set it up just the way its owner wanted it, the musician picks it up and makes it sing.Restoring Playability, Beauty and Desirability
Don’t Fret’s customers come from all over the region, and Kirkpatrick’s relationships with some of them go back to the early days when he was doing guitar instruction. He recalls the time when a very young Carl Jennings (Freedom Train) took a few bass lessons from him at a music shop called Guitar Man, and then years later Jennings ended up establishing Westmoreland Recording Studios in the lower level of the shop. Jennings has since moved his operations to Hamilton where he continues to build his excellent reputation in music production.
“It blows me away what Carl can do vocally while playing the bass,” Kirkpatrick says, commenting on Jenning's present work with Freedom Train.
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| Bob plays the Voyageur |
The Burlington location has been successful. Kirkpatrick’s determination to continue strongly in business at the Waterdown location has brought him to closing the Burlington shop.
There are only a few days left before all is packed up and moved up the hill to Mill Street in Waterdown. You can help lighten the packing by coming in and swinging a great deal!
The door closes at the Burlington location on October 31, 2012. Rumour has it that you will find a celebration of sorts at the Plough and Harrow just down the road.
But don't wait until then. Make sure you stop in and renew your acquaintance with Bob and his guitars. Store hours are 12 noon to 8 pm, Monday through Thursday; Friday and Saturday 12 to 4.
dontfret@sympatico.ca
905-333-8337 Burlington
905-689-9898 Waterdown
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