From mechanic to musician. Banbury's first dedicated instrument repair shop opens

One Man Band's guitar and accessory shop closed down this week leaving a gaping hole for all those Hendrix wannabes looking for a replacement string on a Saturday afternoon.
Lee Roberts in his new instrument repair business NNL-160209-154708001Lee Roberts in his new instrument repair business NNL-160209-154708001
Lee Roberts in his new instrument repair business NNL-160209-154708001

The shop has decided to concentrate it’s operations solely on the keyboard market but still maintains both its keyboard shop and tutorage businesses in its current White Lion Walk locations.

One former employee, however, has filled this void and has opened an instrument repair and accessory shop above the now closed One Man Band shop.

Lee Roberts’ path into music was somewhat unconventional having been a mechanic with the Prodrive Rally Team for ten years before being made redundant in 2009.

Lee said: “After being made redundant I thought what can I do, make a fresh start so lets do a career in music, whatever that turned out to be.

“For the last seven years I have been teaching guitar (with One Man Band) and doing repairs and set ups.

“The original plan was I was going to try an do the repairs in whatever form that took, whether that was on a low key level but then I thought actually lets do it as a business.”

Lee’s background is music is extensive having played the guitar for ‘forever’ along with teaching, being in a number of bands and playing as a session musician.

The shop opened officially on Thursday, September 1 and the response, so far, has been positive.

Lee said: “Everyone’s said they’ll support me and we’re really pleased for you but actually all the people I have had this morning have been new customers.”

In addition to selling essential guitar accessories the shop repairs any type of musical instrument from banjos to woodwinds and works in conjunction with a fellow music repair technician in Brackley covering any type of instrument calamity.

Lee said: “I can pretty much offer, whether it’s myself or this external engineer which I use, I can offer repairs to pretty much anything.

“It isn’t just guitar repairs, I’ll pretty much take anything in. We’ll look at it and if we can fix it we’ll do that for you.”

The shop entrance is tucked away in the corner between Bonitos Wine Bar and the old One Man Band shop and is open Monday to Saturday from 10am until 3pm.

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