Case Study: Hipshot Products 

Seneca County-based activities

Hipshot Products Inc. was founded in 1982 when David Borisoff found himself in the shop more often than on stage. With a wife and toddler, he decided show business was no way to support his family.

With a background as both a machinist and musician, Borisoff felt uniquely qualified to identify the specific needs of bass and guitar players. His first invention was a string bender for telecasters, and with that, Hipshot Products Inc. was born. Today, Borisoff has approximately eight patents attributed to his name. While the company specializes in tuning machines for basses and guitars, the unofficial motto is “If you want it, we’ll learn to make it.” The company supplies custom parts for boutiques and special instruments, but also holds contracts with big companies like Peavey, Fender, Cort and Yamaha, making Hipshot a serious contender in the global marketplace.

Hipshot faces limited competition in the United States, but a few larger competitors exist internationally. However, Borisoff has the advantage of being United States-based, speaking the “music” language and being a musician himself.

Why Seneca County

In 1994, Borisoff moved the then three-man Hipshot operation from a small shop in Van Nuys, CA, to Interlaken, Seneca County. His late wife, Kate, had grown up there and wanted to be closer to her family.

The Seneca County IDA has provided several low-interest loans that allowed Borisoff to buy a 12,000-square-foot building and multiple CNC machines over the years. With a single CNC machine costing anywhere from $40,000 to $150,000, the help was greatly needed. The IDA has also provided financial assistance in the form of sales, mortgage and property tax exemptions as the company has continued to steadily grow. Today, Hipshot employs 48 people.