LABOR OF LOVE

Tarboro man works with ‘anything that has strings on it’

Shannon Keith

James Barrett of Tarboro spends every minute he can spare working.

And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I have been truly blessed,” said Barrett, 33, who runs Barrett Custom Builders at 1304 Howard Ave. in Tarboro, “to be able to come out to my workshop and do something I love and am passionate about ...

“Let’s just say that I have no complaints.”

Barrett, who has been involved with playing music his entire life, has been crafting custom-made instruments for the past 20 years, a craft he says offered him the opportunity to give something back to music.

“Music has been such a big part of my life,” said Barrett. “I want to be able to pass along some of the joy that music has given me.

“The three things I am most passionate about are my relationship with God, my relationship with my family (wife Donna, daughter Caroline, 9, and son John, 6.) and my work.”

Barrett said that he makes, repairs of restores guitars, acoustic or electric, violins, mandolins, bass guitars and a variety of other instruments.

“I build or work on anything that has strings on it,” said Barrett. “I’ve been so blessed. I’m usually working on 10 or more things at once and have more going on that I can handle.

“But believe me, I love every minute of it.”

Barrett said that he approaches the crafting of each of his works differently, matching the instruments to the person who will be playing it.

“Each instrument is unique, just like every person is unique,” said Barrett. “I like to meet with the customer and have lunch or something, really get to know them and have a feel of who they are.”

Barrett said that this custom approach is not available at many music stores.

“You go to alot of places and it’s like a ‘music superstore,’” said Barrett. “You have everything you could ever want, but can’t find what you really need.

“I want to match my customers with something that really suits them.”

Barrett said that he also allows, and even encourages, customers to meet with him at various stages in the instruments construction and give their input.

“Some people come in and will ask me to change little things here and there,” said Barrett. “I really value their input because their satisfaction is the most important thing.”

All of Barrett’s instruments are hand-crafted from solid blocks of wood, using no pre-fabricated parts in construction.

Barrett said the different types of wood give the instruments an exceptional look, feel and sound that makes each work, literally, one of a kind.

“I love the look and feel of wood,” said Barrett. “Wood is as unique as people and I don’t want to paint over that.

“I want to magnify the beauty that is already there.”

Barrett said one type of wood he enjoys working with is Purpleheart, which is native to tropical regions of Central and South America.

“I like to use Purpleheart for it’s rich color,” said Barrett. “As it gets older, the color gets darker and darker until it looks almost like candy.”

Barrett said that each instrument, which can take up to eight or nine months to make, take on a different “personality” of its own by the time it is completed.

“They become like my own children,” said Barrett. “I really hate to let them go after I finish them.”

However, Barrett said that one of the greatest perks of his job is that he gets to play each one first.

“That’s the greatest part of my job,” said Barrett. “I can always say that I was the first person to play it before anyone else.”

Although Barrett’s work is completely custom, he prices his work much lower that it is appraised.

Barrett said his custom guitars start out at about $1,500, much lower than the $3,000 to $4,000 appraisals they receive.

“It’s not about the money to me,” said Barrett. “Some stores mark their merchandise up 300 percent and other custom stores charge $150 per hour in shop fees, I want my work to be accessible to people.”

Barrett also puts a lifetime warranty with every instrument he makes.

“It’s covered for repairs for the entire life of the instrument,” said Barrett.

Barrett Custom Builders can be reached at 266-2669.

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