How long have you been in the industry?
I have been installing professionally for about five years now but have been doing it as a hobby for seven.
How many years have you been MECP certified? How long have you been Master certified?
I have been MECP certified for over a year now and Master Certified since October 31, 2008. Once I got my Basic I got very focused on moving forward so I got my Advanced about a month later and then my Master sometime after that. I remember starting out thinking that MECP Master was such an unattainable goal and not ever thinking it would be something I would/could accomplish.
What is the year, make and model of the most difficult car you've ever worked on?
It's hard to say what the most difficult car I have worked on has been. Cars that are more difficult end up being the cars I like to work on. The challenge of working on a more difficult vehicle makes the final product more rewarding. It's one of those things when you are in the middle of it you get frustrated or upset, but then at the end it all seemed worth it.
Give us a rundown of the system installed in your vehicle right now.
I have a 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI and here is a short rundown of my current setup: I have an Alpine deck running two Rainbow iPaul Amps, the 2 Channel is powering a set of Morel Tempo 6's in the front. The monoblock is powering a 10" Type R. The enclosure is a ported fiberglassed spare tire enclosure in the back. The amp rack was built off of the enclosure with a beauty board covering everything.
Name the top five artists in your MP3 player at the moment.
Ghostland Observatory, Morgan Page, PlayRadioPlay!, Fischerspooner, La Roux. My coworkers make fun of me because I listen to weird music, but when I'm in the bay I make them listen to it.
What is your favorite tool to use in the installation bay and why?
My bread and butter of all my installs: Klein crimpers, Mac Tools wire strippers and Mac Tools ratcheting screwdriver.
What's the best advice you have ever gotten in your installation career?
"Install it like everyone will see it" - Installs aren't just about the final visual product; It's about how you did the install and what is under all the carpet, behind the dash, under the hood, etc. that counts. The more time you take to do the install correctly, the better the install will be overall.
Who inspires you to further your skills and your career in mobile electronics installation?
My coworkers (old and new) inspire me to be a better installer. It helps being around installers at different experience levels and different shops because you can learn new techniques, tricks, and shortcuts that you might not have gained just doing your own thing.
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