Guitar Repair
*Guitar repairs are done by appointment only!
I’ve been doing guitar repair since 2008 and here is a list of the services I provide. I understand how customers feel about their guitars and I treat them with the same level of care as if they were my own. It’s my goal to solve whatever issues you’re having with your guitar and to make it the best it can be. I am comfortable and confident with repairing electric guitars, acoustic guitars and bass guitars.
If you’re in need of having your guitar professionally repaired, or if you have a more specific problem and would like to discuss it further, feel free to send me a message through the Contact page and I’ll get back to you within 24 hours. I hope to hear from you soon so that I can make your guitar play as best as it possible can. Thank you!
General:
- Assessment – I give the customer my professional diagnosis on the issues the guitar has, in addition to what needs be done to correct them.
- Cleaning – I clean the guitar thoroughly, this includes the body, neck, headstock, fretboard and hardware. This is often overlooked but a clean guitar simply plays better.
- Intonation – Adjusting the bridge saddles to make sure that the notes at the octaves are the same as the open strings.
- String height adjustment – Making sure the strings are at a proper height off the frets/fretboard.
- Truss rod adjustment – Checking that the truss rod works fluidly and that the neck is straight or has a desirable amount of relief.
- Restringing – Changing the strings and winding them properly around the tuning posts which you can see in this picture.
- Minor cosmetic repair – This includes touching up minor dings and scratches in the finish.
Fret work:
One of the most common sources of frustration for guitar players is when their guitar buzzes or when the notes choke out. It’s also among the most challenging repairs for any luthier to solve this issue. It’s often due to the frets not being level. Practically all guitars need fretwork at some point and many guitars (especially budget guitars) need it right out of the box. This is not an easy or inexpensive repair but I have tools and experience to do the job.
- Levelling, crowning, dressing, and polishing – When the strings buzz, this is the process to solve the problem. I use my Erlewine Neck Jig which allows for precision and accuracy when doing this type of work.
- Refret – When there is not enough material left to level, a refret is required. This involves pulling the old frets and installing new ones. Commonly needed on older guitars where the frets have been worn and pitted from extended use.
Hardware:
- I can do a variety of modifications to the existing hardware on your guitar. This includes replacing or upgrading components such as tuners, bridges, pickguards, screws, and much more.
Nut:
- I offer nut replacement, repair, and fabrication from scratch with proper string spacing and cut slots. My preferred material is bone due to its hardness but I’m also comfortable working with any other material such as Micarta, brass or composites.
Structural repair:
- Depending on the severity I do offer structural repairs for guitar. This can include repairing broken headstocks, stripped screw holes, regluing braces, and correcting cracks and other damage.
Electronics:
- I can do a wide variety of electronic modifications to your guitar which includes coil splitting, series/parallel switching, rewinding or installing new pickups, replacing potentiometers and capacitors. Here is a picture of my Squier Stratocaster which I modified to include a tone control, 3-way switch and a single coil pickup in the neck position. Here’s a picture of the wiring. You can read more about the ongoing mods to this guitar on my blog page.
*If you have a more specific problem, feel free to contact me and we can discuss it.