BY RODNEY MARGISON

David Winslow-Edmonson, 33, has been repairing guitars since he was 12. “My dad has a background in lutherie as well,” he explains. “We mostly did work for ourselves and our friends, and then turned it into a business.”

Luthiers are artisans who make and repair stringed instruments, and Winslow-Edmonson says nurturing the relationship between musician and luthier is key to the success of his acoustic and electric guitar service and repair business, Winslow-Edmonson Guitars. “To me, that’s most important—building relationships with people,” he says. “Most people like to meet the person who’s actually going to work on their instrument.”

Winslow-Edmonson grew up in Mitchell, Indiana, and at age 18 attended Galloup School of Guitar Building and Repair in Big Rapids, Michigan. He moved to Bloomington in 2009 where his wife, Cassi, was a student at Indiana University. They now have two children: daughter Reese, 5, and son Oliver, 1. “I love Bloomington,” he says. “That’s where I wanted to take root with the shop.” Most of his customers are local, he says, with some from Brown County, some from Indianapolis, and several from the Mitchell area.

The most requested services Winslow-Edmondson provides at his shop, at 5373 East Ind. 45, are set-ups. “People will either buy a guitar or they’ve had a guitar for a long time, but it’s never quite played right,” he explains. “Or over time things change and the strings get higher or start sounding weird.” He adds that twice a year—due to changes in temperature, humidity, and season—he sees a lot of body repairs. “The wood dries up and it cracks and then we have to do a lot of repair work.” He also does guitar preservations, appraisals, and modifications.

Winslow-Edmonson says he always remains aware of the relationship between musician and instrument. “If they love the way their guitar sounds, you’re not going to change certain things.

“Sometimes musicians find an instrument that plays and sounds just right, and it sparks creativity,” he adds. “That gives them a little more initiative to play more because they don’t want to put it down. A guitar is a real intimate thing.”

Winslow-Edmonson Guitars is open by appointment only; contact information is available at winslowedmonsonguitars.com.