Today we’d like to introduce you to Skip Kanester.
Hi Skip, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Well, there’s not a big back story here. I started playing guitar when I was in high school. A good friend of mine was sitting in the living room floor strumming his guitar and I told him how great I thought he sounded. He said that he didn’t know much about playing but that he could teach me if I was interested. I sat down on the floor with him and he taught me how to play Neil Young’s song Down By The River that afternoon and I was hooked. Having a guitar in my hands became a lifelong love. Now, I have never been what you would call a great guitar player by any means, but that’s OK with me because I’m still content with playing simple chords and learning songs that I like. While I love all types of music, even back in those early days I always seemed to gravitate toward folk and county, or what is now called Americana or roots music. My “guitar” heroes were always more singer/songwriters and so, while I played in a couple bands over the years, my real joy was always playing in the living room with a couple of friends. You would think after all these years I would know my way around a fretboard, but I still use that same handful of basic cowboy chords that I started out with.
So while not being an ace player, the way that I thought I could really make a contribution to the music was to work behind the scenes and help maintain other people’s guitars. That was the birth of North Coast Guitar Setups. Now I get to hang out with guitar lovers of all levels, from living room players like me to touring musicians. And, I also get to spend time with some pretty wonderful guitars. Some are family heirlooms, some are brand new that come to me right from the store and some are absolute road-worn pieces of art. They each have a voice, a story and a personality and I love getting to know them.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, I’m retired so it has been pretty smooth! I have owned my own businesses before and when you start one there is always pressure to get them up and profitable as fast as possible. But with this, because of where I am in life, and I’m not under that same pressure. And, because I’m doing something that I love, I have been able to enjoy the learning curve that every business has. Actually I should say that I am still enjoying the learning curve because every guitar I see is a new teacher so my learning never stops.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
For many years, all I knew about my guitars was how to change the strings and keep them in tune. I thought that what determined how easy a guitar was to play, or what made a guitar “good”, was how much it cost. Then I learned that while cost can indeed play into it, it doesn’t necessarily determine how “good” a guitar is. It has a whole lot to do with how that guitar is set up. A good setup on a guitar will fine tune it to the person that’s playing it. Most people think that if they buy a new guitar, it’s ready to play. Well, once in awhile it is. But a lot of the companies that make guitars send them out so that they will sound ok in the store and that’s all, and that includes the big name brands. A setup on a guitar allows it to play at its best and so, a lot of less expensive guitars all of a sudden sound great!
I’m most proud of being able to take the time with each instrument and do the best job I can for my client. I have no quotas or backlogs so I can really focus on each guitar that I see.
Honestly, there are quite a few people who do what I do. The good news for all of us is there are a lot more people who play guitar and need what we all do.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Most people wouldn’t know that I spent 30 years as a licensed Holistic Health Practitioner. My focus was on traditional Chinese medicine as well as Japanese and Thai healing techniques. I spent many years on the faculty of two very large holistic colleges in San Diego as well as schools in Montana and Iowa.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://northcoastguitarsetups.com
- Instagram: @northcoastguitarsetups
- Facebook: north coast guitar setups
