Home-based Business: Bringing ‘joy of sound’ to electronic guitars, amps

By Fran Lyons

Joe Carpenter tells it this way: “I had a passion to work with and repair guitars and amps since I was a kid.”

That has turned into his business, Carpenter Guitar & Ampworks.

He speaks with great enthusiasm about adding depth and dimension, “that crunchy sound,” to acoustic and bass guitars. Inserting his brand of color and intensity, in his words, “the joy of sound,” to electronic guitars is what Carpenter wants to bring to the game.

Playing and fixing guitars and amps started casually with friends for the Hendrix-loving native of Indiana. He had his first guitar by age 8. Carpenter studied electronics in college and went on to become a technician. He also studied in Mesa and learned to build guitars.

After he and his wife Dorri married, they bought a home in Maricopa to settle down. That was in 2004.

Carpenter’s day job is in the semiconductor industry in Phoenix, where he works as a tech trainer. His company delivers, installs and offers training for their systems internationally. Most recently, his work took him to Israel in March.

“I used to travel a lot more often,” he said.

All of his experiences led him to develop and open his own business out of his home, initially called A to Z Guitar & Ampworks LLC. He typically works nights and Saturdays. His greatest support and influence, he said, has been Dorri.

“[She’s] 100 percent behind me and with me,” he said. “She’s there for me.”

His expectations for the next five years include building a bigger customer base and expanding to include multiple instruments, including band instruments for schools. Building guitars is also an important piece of his business plan.

CARPENTAR GUITAR & AMP WORKS

Owner: Joe Carpenter
Hometown: Hobart, Indiana
Residence: Rancho El Dorado
Nature of business: Working on and repairing electronic musical instruments; specializing in guitars and amps
Why this business? Loved guitars since childhood.
How long in business? Since late 2013
Why Maricopa? The small-town feel
Family: Wife Dorri, who assists in the business with administration
Greatest challenge: Getting strategic planning and marketing in place to build the business, and stabilizing financial strength
First job: Summer job as teenager removing the tassels from corn at a farm
Favorite job: Anything to do with electronics in general, guitars and amps in particular
Best business advice ever received: My uncle counseled me, “Keep up the administration aspect and get help when necessary in a small business.”
Favorite Musician: Among many, overall it’s Jimi Hendrix

602-689-1454
[email protected]
CarpenterGuitars.com

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This story appears in the April issue of InMaricopa.