Visit with Merlin Grady - September 2010

We recently came in contact with Mr. Merlin Grady, renowned instrument repairman known throughout the US and even worldwide for his honest, friendly repair services.  Needless to say, Merlin is also one heck of a nice guy!  I was referred to Merlin by a fellow in Wisconsin who thought that I might know him but, although I recalled the name Grady from my youth, it was not Merlin that I had known.  I went to high school at school 1 mile through the field from Merlin's shop.  So, while we were there, we stopped by the old alma mater Orange High School ( which is now an elementary school in the Waterloo School District ).  If you're ever in the Waterloo area and want something fixed/tweaked/analyzed, this is THE place, and MERLIN is THE GUY --- just off Highway 20 onto Ansborough Ave.  See Merlin's site here for more information and directions to his shop:  http://merlingrady.com/home.html

Sign outside of Shop

    
  Merlin and Me                                                Barb - woodwind specialist / bookkeeper

Merlin's shop is located near the site of the original Grady Farms Dairy which his ancestors used to operate.  The original Grady home site is just north of here on Shaulis Road.  Merlin says he worked on the family farm and in the dairy while going to school.  

"I used to bottle app. 800- 1000 gallons of milk every day except for Wed and Sunday. We would start 3:00 in the morning except when it was really hot in the summer then I would start around 1:00 am to beat the heat. Didn't get much sleep back in those days."

Not only is Merlin an expert repairman but he's well educated and extremely intelligent having graduated
with a Master's degree in Music Education. 

    
         Grady Homestead next to the shop         An old Quart Milk Jug

And, as mentioned above, Merlin's shop is a mile "across the field" from my old alma mater of Orange High School.  Although this is no longer a high school but an elementary school, it was still fun to stop by and see the old school.  We didn't get inside but it would have been fun to see the old band room where Mr. Allen gave me my first trumpet lessons and sold me my first REAL trumpet, a 1920 Martin Handcraft Dansant trumpet in satin silver!

Google map showing Merlin's shop ( A in red ) and Orange High School ( in purple )

    
The Orange School Sign                                      Fred in front of the Main Entrance
                                                                       - used to go in there every day!