Annual Salary
£0 to £0
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Engineering design or Manufacturing or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Engineering design or Manufacturing or go back to all job sectors
Musical instrument makers and repairers construct new musical instruments and fix ones that have been damaged.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: freelance / self-employed; managing your own hours
There will be
4.8% fewer Musical instrument maker and repairer jobs in 2027.
As an instrument maker or repairer, you would:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work from home, at a client's home, in a workshop or at a client's business.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a specialist musical instrument craft degree or foundation degree at university. Some universities also offer short courses in instrument making and repair.
You would learn traditional skills and knowledge to specialise in building and repairing instruments like guitar, violin, piano or woodwind.
You'll usually need:
Some colleges and adult education centres run short courses in instrument repair, for example for guitars or violins.
Check with your local education centre to see what they offer.
The British Violin Making Association has details of courses around the country for that particular instrument.
You could approach instrument repairers directly to see if they're willing to take you on as a trainee. Craft skills like carpentry would be useful alongside enthusiasm for the profession and a keenness to learn.
You could take a training course with a specialist provider related to the type of instrument you want to make. Courses are also offered by professional bodies for particular instruments, for example:
Entry requirements will depend on the type of course you want to do.
Craft skills are often more important than qualifications to get into this career. A background in woodworking or model making may help.
You might also find it useful if you can play the musical instrument you want to learn how to make or repair.
You could join the National Association of Musical Instrument Repairers for professional development and to make contacts in the profession.
You can get more information on working in crafts and creative careers from Discover Creative Careers.
If you work for an instrument making and repair business, you may be able to become a workshop supervisor or manager.
You could also move into product development, buying, sales or training, or specialise in the restoration of antique instruments.
You'll need: