James Fry has been a luthier and guitar technician for 25 years. He is certified as a gold level warranty technician by Martin, Taylor, Fender, Gretsch, Jackson, Charvel, and Squire. James learned his repair trade in the greater Chicago area of Valparaiso, Indiana at Front Porch Music. He now resides in Calgary, Alberta and has been an integral part of the guitar repair scene there for two decades.
Studying repairs and guitar construction with Roberto-Venn graduates Mark Dillon and the late Greg Kent, James went on to further his soundboard bracing techniques during an onsite and hands-on workshop with Master Luthier Ervin Somogyi. James has also participated in learning workshops with Frank Ford, Judy Threet, Bill Collings, Bryan Galloup, Joe Glaser, Dan Erlewine, and others through various guitar symposiums over the years. He has visited and trained on multiple occasions at the Taylor and Martin guitar factory’s and has spent learning days in the repair departments of Gruhn’s Guitars and Glaser Instruments.
James’ acoustic and electric guitars are played all over North America and the UK. Two of his custom builds are electric slide guitars for Canadian bluesmen, Brother Ray Lemelin and Tim Williams.
James has shared his repair expertise by teaching at guitar clubs in Alberta, teaching a class on guitar repair at Keyano College in Fort McMurray and a Guitar Maintenance Workshop at Mount Royal University in Calgary.
James co-founded Guitar Repair Shack in 2011 with Dougie McLellan.