catfuzz wrote:Long story short I'm almost done with school and have no passion for the career that my degree has prepared me for and will not find happiness down that path.
As a result I want to start pursuing a career doing something I love: working with musical instruments. That being said I'm not sure how to go about beginning a career in this field. I plan on doing some standard stuff like buying, or finding friends to provide me with, broken guitars/amps/pedals and learning to troubleshoot and repair problems.
What I'm mostly curious about is if there are apprenticeships or short programs which allow you to learn these skills in a structured environment. I'm aware there are schools for luthiery, but that would likely be later on down the road after I'm confident doing the more basic repair and maintenance work.
You shoulda went to school for electrical engineering so you could read a schematic, fix amps, and get a job that supplies you with a living wage right out the gate.
You'd probably want a job with an already established company before going out on your own. All my techs worked for well-established amp companies or big name studios prior to starting their own businesses.
Not sure of your current skill level and knowledge, but amps contain enough voltage to kill you, so its serious work. DIY pedals are a great way to learn how to use a soldering iron without the possibility of death being a factor, so I'd start there. That being said, you may want to try this out a bit before throwing away your diploma and devoting your life to something, which Im only assuming, you know very little about and have very little experience with.
On a personal note, I've found that having a job via my degree has allowed me to consistently maintain my passions as hobbies, and as such, really have the best of both worlds; financial stability and multiple creative outlets. But its your life, bro!