Tom Kay owns Guitar Set Ups Hull and has a thriving workshop
An east Hull man who has tinkered with guitars since he was a boy has won an award for his craft. Tom Kay, 33, won ‘Guitar Repair Service Of The Year’ at the Prestige Business Awards for Yorkshire.
Tom founded Guitar Set Ups Hull in the 2020 lockdown. In the five years since opening, he has worked on over 2,000 guitars, including celebrity ones owned by band members of Idles and The Feeling and a Gibson Les Paul that once belonged to Dave Hill of Slade.
He said: “I’ve always worked on my own guitars and tinkered with things from when I was really young. I started setting up some of my students’ guitars and that led to me thinking, ‘I wonder if I can do this as a business?'”
During the pandemic, Tom was picking up customers’ guitars from their homes due to social distancing. But since January 2021, he’s had premises at The Chocolate Factory in Wincolmlee, Hull, conveniently located beneath recording studios.
Tom has been playing guitar since he was six years old and says it was “all I ever wanted to do in life”. He added he has “always been quite geeky about it” and built up specialist knowledge, having owned more than 60 different guitars over his lifetime.
His most popular service is a set-up, but he also does restrings, electrical work, modifications, and full rebuilds. “Basically, I am taking guitars and making them sound the best they possibly can,” Tom said.
Speaking of the awards ceremony, Tom added: “It is nice to be recognised not only locally in Hull, but right across Yorkshire. I am always trying to keep in my own lane with the business, but it is nice to be recognised – especially as it is five years in January since I opened up the workshop officially.”
As part of his business working on and improving guitars, Tom has built up strong relationships with brands such as D’addario which makes guitar strings. He also works closely with Bridlington-based company Southside Harbour Straps, makers of premium hand made guitar straps.
Guitar Set Ups Hull works on an appointment basis. Appointments can be booked using their simple online booking system via their website at guitarsetupshull.com.