Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1042214
StuffMadeinMA.com • 2 0 1 8 • S T U F F 15 very focused. It brings you into this state of mind where you're really in the zone. I feel like I get my best work when I'm in that headspace." The bench work, meanwhile, is "kind of the same skill set as jewelry making." Indeed, the flutes are made with precious metals – silver, gold and even platinum – and the two brothers who founded the company, William and George Haynes, were originally jewelers. They built their first flute at the request of a member of the Boston Symphony in 1888, making Haynes the country's oldest flute maker. "It's really cool to be a part of American history and music history," Smith says. Starting in the basement SJC Custom Drums in Southbridge was also founded by a pair of brothers – a lot more recently. Scott and Mike Ciprari started building drums in 2000 as teenagers working out of their grandmother's basement. After high school, Mike went on tour with his band No Trigger, bringing the drum kit Scott had built for him on the road (and drumming up business). "Just by me being out there, kind of as a traveling salesman on the band's dime, I met a ton of drummers that were interested in what we were doing," Mike Ciprari says. Today, they've definitely outgrown the basement – SJC recently moved to a new 60,000-square-foot HQ – and its roster of drummers includes big names like Tré Cool of Green Day, Josh Dun of Twenty One Pilots and Kim Schifino of Matt and Kim. "My favorite part is working with the artists, designing custom kits for a band I'm a fan of and then seeing that drum set on tour or on a record or on TV," Ciprari says. Those custom creations can be quite elaborate – say, a snare made Katharine Smith, 28 Body maker Wm. S. Haynes Co., Acton Products: Flutes Education: Bachelor of arts in music education and a year-long technical program in band instrument repair Favorite band: "The Shins. I saw them last year in Boston, and it was so amazing." Average salary for her position*: $39,040 *Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data "I really like working on machines, you have to be very focused. It brings you into this state of mind where you're really in the zone. I feel like I get my best work when I'm in that headspace." - Kathar ine Smith P H O T O / D O U G L E V Y C O U R T E S Y W M . S . H A Y N E S F L U T E S