Randy Graves

I was born and raised in Salem, graduated from North Salem HS in 1974 and from Willamette University in 1985 with a bachelors degree in french horn performance. In 1987 I went to work for Weather’s Music in Salem where I started learning my craft. A large part of my job was prepping hundreds of new & used instruments each year for rentals and visiting the schools where students were playing them. I covered a large area in and around the valley such as Silverton, Woodburn, McMinnville, Newberg, Sheridan, Dallas, the Oregon coast from Tillamook to Waldport, Cloverdale, Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon, Sweet Home, Stayton, Sublimity, Mill City and others. Basic repairs and services were performed in the band room. Over the course of time I developed skills that ultimately led me to open my own repair shop in Keizer in early 1994.

I became the band instrument repair tech for Uptown Music along with dealing direct with the Salem/Keizer school district and all of the previously mentioned districts. In 2000 I moved from Keizer to Bend and set up shop in Central Oregon Music at the 3rd & Greenwood location. It was there that I met master luthier and my business partner, Peter Heithoff. In October of 2001 we opened our own shop. Currently, I spend a large part of my time at the bench repairing and servicing the instruments for the band families and the school districts in Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook and Harney counties. The remainder of my time is spent taking care of the instruments of the adult players in the area, both amateur and professional.

Peter Heithoff

Work on most all string instruments:

Acoustic and electric guitars and basses banjos, mandolins, ukes, harps, dulcimers, violins, cellos and double basses, world and ethnic instruments.

I grew up in Southern California and began woodworking at an early age thanks to my Father’s encouragement. I began playing guitar, banjo and bass in high school and even put a few instrument kits together. From then on I gained experience with instrument companies in California, Colorado and Oregon - finally starting Bend Instrument Repair with my business partner Randy Graves. Repair work takes up most of my time and energy these days - but I still like to build an instrument now and then when I get inspired.

1983
AA Degree - Musical Instrument Repair
Orange Coast College

1988-1990
Ernie Ball Music Man, San Luis Obispo, CA
Neck and Body - shaping and sanding

1990-1992
National Resophonic, San Luis Obispo, CA
Neck and Body construction and final set up

1992
Ome Banjos, Boulder, CO
Sanding, neck shaping, resonator and rim construction

1993-1995
Outbound Travel Guitars, Boulder, CO
Complete construction, finishing and set up

1993-1995
Woodsongs Luther, Boulder, CO
Repair and restoration of string instruments

1995-1999
Breedlove Guitars, Bend, OR
Set-up, Body, Parts, Neck and Finish Dept.
Production Manager (1998 and 1999), Repair Dept.

1999-2001
Peter Heithoff Luthier, Central Oregon Music, Bend, OR
Repair, restoration, set ups and electronics of string instruments

2000-Now
Bend Instrument Repair, Bend, OR
Martin Guitar Co. authorized tech