One ultimate reality of life is that regardless of how many well-wishers and supporters one gains, no one can truly appreciate or feel a person’s struggles without having experienced them. No matter what field of work it is, people who have not spent a day in another’s shoes can never understand what troubles they have to go through. A remarkable solutions provider has extensive in a field of work and understands all its inner workings. Only by spending a substantial amount of time in the extreme depths of a field can a person truly understand what major issues are involved in it. Only a true professional can understand the troubles of their fellow professionals and devise efficient solutions for them. One company that was founded with the understanding needed to solve the major problems faced by its client base in the musical industry is Upton Bass.
A musician’s lifestyle is an ideal to many, and many want to become one. Surrounded by loving fans wherever they go, performing in front of a wide audience and receiving the recognition of the majority of the world. A musician’s life is a source of envy for many aspirants. Still, very few truly understand the struggles such iconic personalities have to face on a daily basis.
For any artist, their tools are a part of them and are crucial assets without which they cannot create marvelous pieces of art. The true artist keeps their tools with optimum care and has a deep connection with them. This fact is of no exception when it comes to musicians and their instruments. It has been observed that many people call an artist’s tools and instruments an extension of their hands. Musicians have been seen to care for their instruments like it was part of their body and openly express their love for them. An example of the extent of love by a musician for their instruments is with Jimi Hendrix and his favorite guitar called the ‘Stratocaster.’ During the Monterey pop festival, Jimi set his Stratocaster on fire, explaining it to be an open expression of love. Jimi stated that he loved his guitar, and he believes that one must sacrifice the things they love to reach a higher level. Although a bit controversial, this act greatly emphasized the previous extent of love for their instruments. The founder of Upton Bass understands this love and the requirement of musicians to ensure their instruments get maintained by someone who shares their love. Upton Bass is a company that provides the best quality of care and maintenance for stringed musical instruments.
Gary Upton founded Upton Bass in 1999. Gary had spent ample time in the music industry, seeing all the highs and lows that come with it. He was a widely known bassist who enjoyed a vast audience’s praise and appreciation. However, like any other professional, Gary had his grievances that he had to deal with on a daily basis. The main problem that Gary felt gave him stress was the maintenance of his instruments. As a musical professional, he was on the road for most of his time with pre-scheduled schedules to fulfill. Even a small mistake could cause them to be late to a show and land them in heavy losses while letting down his fans. With time of such essence, dealing with surprises was not something any of his team preferred to ever happen. Instruments are specialized machines of sorts that have settings that could render them useless for the artist if disturbed even slightly. Gary had to deal with his bass guitars breaking down or not playing correctly all of a sudden. At a time when he needs to leave for the next show, these problems could become a source of great stress. Finding a maintenance company that knew how to properly tune and fix such advanced instruments as the ones he used was hard, and many times he had to use a different bass guitar for his performance. He was not fond of this act as he felt comfortable playing only with his personal guitars.
After some time, Gary noticed that this was not a problem geared solely towards him. The majority of his fellow artists had to deal with the same issue, and it was the cause of great mental stress and worried for them. Buying a new instrument was greatly frowned upon as many artists usually had a fondness for their personal instruments and would have them fixed then replaced. Gary, understanding the needs of his fellow artists, decided to create a company that could end their worries and helps them focus more on the music. The foundation of Upton Bass was built upon the elements of quality and affordability. Upton Bass boasted about the affordable prices and supreme quality of maintenance they provided. Upton Bass started with its base situated in Jewett City, CT. After starting operations, they received a surge of business due to the fame and recognition Gary had earned over his career in the music industry. Every musician wanted their stringed instruments to be handled by someone who knew how to care for them accurately. As the business grew gradually, Gary decided to move operations to a bigger location in Downtown Mystic, CT, in 2004. However, business was ever booming for Upton Bass as their clientele increased by the day. Soon they experienced a shortage of expert hands and space and decided to look for a new place to call home. They moved to an industrial park in Stonington, CT but Gary and his business partners were not truly happy with this base of operations. This new location lacked allure and did not embody the nuance the founders wanted to realize. Therefore, their search for a permanent home that accurately represented their brand continued.
During their search, Gary and his wife remembered the barn present on their property. This barn was once a thriving industrial, and after the inspection, it had all the charm the founders were looking for. Therefore, after some renovations, the company moved all operations to the barn and is now their permanent home.
Upton Bass has become a towering brand in the stringed instrument maintenance field and made a lasting name in the industry. They currently have ten employees and have received many notable mentions and awards, such as the 2009 Silver Medal for overall tone by the International Society of Bassists and the 2013 Certificate of workmanship by the International Society of Bassists. This success was only possible because of the great insight that Gary had gained into the problems faced by musicians. His experience in the field helped him address the most immediate issues of his clients.
