Instrument Repairs in Monroe, CT
The Creative Music Expert Instrument Repair Shop
Welcome to the Creative Music Repair Shop. We are an “on site” fully staffed repair facility specializing in the repair/restoration of band, orchestral, and fretted musical instruments.
Our goal at the CMC Repair Shop is to provide you with a Pro Level repair experience whether you are a student, collegiate, amateur or professional musician. Our repair advice to you will be based on our decades of professional repair experience coupled with the actual condition and needs of your instrument.
Please take a moment to complete the Repair Request form and let CMC Repair help you get back to your music.
INSTRUMENTS WE REPAIR
Creative Music Center Repair Shop specializes in the repair of fretted, orchestral and band instruments. We perform consistent, top-quality repair work including minor adjustments and playable condition, to major overhaul and structural restoration on a wide variety of instruments.
FRETTED INSTRUMENTS
Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Electric Basses
Ukuleles
Mandolins
ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS
Violins
Violas
Cellos
Upright String Basses
BAND INSTRUMENTS
Flute I Piccolo | Clarinet I Bass Clarinet Soprano Saxophone | Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone | Baritone Saxophone | Oboe I English Horn
Bassoon | Contra Bassoon | Trumpet
Trombone | French Horn | Baritone Horn | Euphonium | Tuba | Percussion
OUR REPAIR TECHNICIANS
DAVE DELONG
Dave DeLong is Creative Music’s Senior Repair Technician. Dave repairs a multitude of musical instrument types, specializing in brasswind, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Dave graduated from Allied Music repair school and has been serving the instrument repair needs of Connecticut’s musical community for over 4 decades. He performs consistent, superior quality repair work for countless municipal high school, middle school, and elementary school music programs, university ensembles, and professional musicians. Music educators across Connecticut consider Dave the go-to repair technician for anything from minor adjustments to complete overhauls. He is available in-store Monday through Friday, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Dave is a member of NAPBIRT, the National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians.
CONTACT DAVE
MORGANEVE SWAIN
MorganEve Swain is the Orchestral Instrument Repair Technician at Creative Music Center. She is a lifelong player of all things stringed, beginning her career with a childhood in Newtown’s Suzuki program with adolescence in the fiddle culture of Maritime Canada, and teens in the Irish pubs of Fairfield County. After college, she relocated to Providence Rhode Island, where she fell in love and spent the next six years touring full-time as half of the duo Brown Bird. When the untimely death of her partner grounded Brown Bird in 2014, she began repairing violins and violas, apprenticing at McCarten Violins in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Instantly in love with the process of bringing instruments back to life, she then spent several summers studying at the Violin Craftsmanship Institute in New Hampshire, learning advanced repairs, set-up and bow repair from Paul Weissmeyer, Michael Daddonna and Lynn Hannings. Now back in her home state of Connecticut, MorganEve continues to live a life of music, performing as the front woman for The Huntress and Holder of Hands since 2015 and touring with The Devil Makes Three on upright bass since 2018. Forever a teacher and performer, MorganEve is passionate about early music education and putting quality instruments into the hands of students. She also loves dogs.
CONTACT MORGANEVE
FRED PALUMBO
Fred Palumbo is Creative Music’s Fretted Instrument Repair Technician. Fred utilizes his 30 years of experience to repair/setup a variety of acoustic and electric instruments including guitars, basses, ukulele, mandolin, dobro and zither.
Fred’s 4 decade passion for playing the guitar necessitated him to be able to maintain his own collection of electrics with tremolo systems and the Floyd Rose tremolo system has become a specialty of Fred’s skillset over the years. He can also give advice on getting the most out of your guitar through the selection of the best strings to facilitate comfortable playability and improved tone.
Fred is available in the store Monday through Friday, 10am to 3pm.
CONTACT FRED
Frequently Asked Questions
Get StartedMy instrument doesn’t work. What should I do?
Fill out a Repair Request Form or call us at (203) 261-7301. We will advise you on how to proceed with getting your instrument repaired.
How long will my repair take?
Repair customers will receive a turn-around time quote upon drop-off at our shop. The turn-around time will vary with our shop workload and the severity of the repair. However, we will do our best to honor your timing requests and live up to our reputation for meeting our timing commitments.
How much will my repair cost?
Creative Music Rental instruments are repaired at no additional charge per your rental contract.
Private and school-owned instrument repairs start at $45.00 and vary greatly depending on instrument type and repair needed. An estimate can be provided before work is started and the $20.00 estimate charge will be waived if the repair is performed at the CMC Repair Shop.
Can all instruments be repaired?
Technically yes. But we will be very honest with you regarding “repair cost vs. value of instrument”. We will not spend your money on an instrument that will not perform to minimum playability standards, especially pertaining to young musicians.
How do you clean instruments?
Creative Music Repair Shop uses an Ultrasonic Power Corp cleaning machine to clean all submersible instruments and instrument parts. The cleaning process is completed by skilled shop assistants using a variety of environmentally safe solvents, materials, and procedures to produce very clean instruments for our customers.
Customers can also help keep instruments clean by washing mouthpieces, using a “pull-through swab” to remove daily water, and by vacuuming the instrument case.
Is there a warranty on repairs?
Yes. Creative Music Repair guarantees all labor and materials used for the specific repair performed.