Lowell Connector
61 Market Street
Lowell , MA 01852
United States
ph: 978-815-6965
erawfrd
Listen to Mill City Minute as J. David Morrison interviews Lowell MA citizens who make a difference in the community. Mill City Minute brings the "Voices of the Valley" to you with a focus on the Merrimack Valley. Tune in to 980WCAP http://www.980wcap.com for Mill City Minute brought to you by ERA Key Real Estate at 61 Market Street in Downtown Lowell MA. Station ID
Pay a visit to Lowell's most popular community coffee shop, Brew'd Awakenings in Downtown Lowell
Guitar Repair Shop Striking a Chord Downtown
By Dave Morrison
Whitsett Guitar Works
Repair and Restoration
181 Market Street
Lowell, MA
01852
(978)-454-1601
Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30AM-3:30PM
Closed Weekends
Wednesday Evenings (Strictly Appointment)
There’s nothing like the sweet sound of a guitar. Whether it’s acoustic or electric, the guitar has helped to shape American pop culture in so many ways. As the years go on, however, guitar frets suffer from wear and tear. Because of that wear and tear, that old guitar gets pushed to the side.
Well, dust off that old six-string and bring it down to Whitsett Guitar Works, at 181 Market Street in Downtown Lowell. Founded in 1999 by Bill Whitsett, the repair and restoration shop gives musicians a chance to bring in their fretted instruments for either a tune-up, or a replacement upgrade. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Leo Fender or a Gibson, Whitsett can make your fretted instrument look like it just came off the shelf from a big time music store.
Mill City Minute caught up with Whitsett at his repair and restoration shop, to talk about how he got into the guitar repair business.
MCM: How did you fall in love with the idea of repairing and restoring fretted instruments?
BW: I went to school to learn how to build guitars. Building guitars is a seeming popular business at this point. While I enjoy building, I also enjoy repairing and restoring them so that people can love them again.
MCM: Are you a guitarist yourself?
BW: I play a little bit. I spend about 10-12 hours with them, so when I go home at night, I’m not as likely to start strumming as I used to be.
MCM: You work mostly with fretted instruments. Can you fix just about every guitar, banjo and mandolin out there?
BW: I would like to think so. I don’t like to be the bearer of bad news, so I like to put every amount of effort into making these instruments right again.
MCM: What has been the toughest repair job that you have come across?
BW: Well, most of them are real fixer-uppers to begin with. I had an instrument that was built for a big time recording artist, with the top smashed out of it, and it was just re-topped. There are varying degrees of destruction. I’m pretty confident that I can handle pretty much whatever comes across the board. If there’s something that needs to be put together, I can handle it.
People use these things as stress releases, or music, or whatever. So, it’s very important that they’re working properly, so that the player can get the best use out of them. The guitar is used for art, for therapy, or to make people feel better, and I get to be part of that.
Ziggy Burns: Courtesy of Sage Bank
The Definition of Banking, According to Ziggy
By Dave Morrison
The word “Sage,” according to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, means “wise through reflection and experience.”
When it comes to local banking, Robert “Ziggy” Burns is worthy of Webster.
Burns, who has been involved in banking for fifteen years, has been a leader in the Community for a lot longer. A former realtor, Burns got involved in banking in the late 1990’s at one of the big institutions before joining Lowell Back a few years back as their Community & Business Development Officer.
Now, Lowell Bank is known as Sage Bank. It’s a word that Burns has lived up to every single day. From his weekly appearances on AM 980 WCAP, to his musical chops as a Jazz Vocalist, the name Ziggy resonates in all of Lowell.
Mill City Minute was fortunate to catch up Ziggy Burns at Sage Bank’s two new Hurd Street locations.
MCM: Tell us about the experiences that you have had working in the Community.
ZB: I was actually on the Morning Show with Ted Panos this morning. I’ve been doing the show at 980 WCAP for about six years now. We bring in a lot of non-profits at Sage Bank. I enjoy every minute of it.
MCM: How did you first get into banking?
ZB: Oh, good lord. I’ve been doing this for about fifteen years now. I had worked for a national bank for a number of years. I retired. I couldn’t stand being retired. So, I came back to Lowell Bank. When Rich Bolton and Dean Kenney and a bunch of investors took over the bank, things began to go real well.
MCM: How did Lowell Bank become Sage Bank?
ZB: We did a lot of studies on it. The bank grew outside of the area. So we wanted to do a lot of rebranding, and came with the word “Sage.” We’re all over Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. We’re growing.
MCM: How does a bank like Sage Bank grow while staying local at the same time?
ZB: I think that it’s important that we maintain our presence in Lowell as a small community back and as you go outside of the area. That’s where Sage becomes more important as far as growth. Right down here on Hurd Street, we have two branches. We have offices all across New England. We’re committed to local projects. You’ll see me, Dean Kenney, Rich Bolton, and Patty Cazera at all of these events.
MCM: How did you get that wonderful singing voice?
ZB: You would have to ask Ted Panos that (laughs).
MCM: It’s a great voice. We loved your rendition of Lowell, Massachusetts USA:
ZB: Nah, it’s a lot of fun. What I really loved doing over at WCAP is when we all raised over $6,000 for Warren Shaw’s Salvation Army Fund.
Copyright 2011 Lowell Connector. All rights reserved.
Lowell Connector
61 Market Street
Lowell , MA 01852
United States
ph: 978-815-6965
erawfrd