Matt Manhire is a tinkerer/musician/teacher making & restoring tube amps under the guise of Rootbeer Audio.
Rootbeer Audio is located in beautiful Germantown, Philadelphia, PA —//— shop hours are by appointment only.
SOMEWHAT LONGER FORM >>> After taking an electronics class & learning to solder, my attention shifted towards “DIY audio electronics” >> making simple devices like contact-mics & guitar-pedals, wiring studio racks, repairing studio gear and the like >> I worked a bit frantically in the NYC area for a year/or-so at recording studios, an amp company, and a famous-to-the-right-crowd amp inventor >>> I moved down to the Philadelphia area to go back to school* and spent a year working at various recording studios before focusing on my own repair & amp-making business >>>>> I began by posting repair services ads on craigslist around 2008 & started running this sorta/kinda amp business out of wherever I was living at the time >> I’ve gained a lot of experience in the years that have passed, & most of it has been positive & rewarding >>> including >>> rare-amp restorations for collectors, backstage repairs for large acts, large-bulk repairs for schools, amp repairs, builds, & modifications for recording studios, normal people & icons of mine, and building small batches of amps, pedals, & electronic-goods using a variety of means and methods >>> I’ve learned a lot along the way & I hope to keep on learning >>> thanks for the support.
*I attended grad school for music education >>> after graduating I began teaching electronics and music technology, eventually designing audio-electronics based curriculum and courses for The University of the Arts School of Music >>> as of 2018, and until it’s sudden closure in 2024, I was a full-time assistant professor in the music business, entrepreneurship & technology program at UArts where I taught a variety of courses, including a suite of audio-electronics classes >>> I hope to continue my educational work in some form(s) >>> an introductory audio electronics text or zine / lessons / projects / workshops >>> check the EDU section for more information, and feel free to get in touch with any education-related inquiries >>> CV, resume, or further explanation of experience available upon request.
"Amping up the sounds of yore" - an older Philadelphia Inquirer article showcasing Rootbeer Audio
