Luthier in Susquehanna County, P.A.

If you need a luthier in Susquehanna County, P.A. or the surrounding areas, then you’ve found the right place. If you need your main guitar cleaned and setup with fresh strings, or if you want your old guitar to have a full restoration, I am able to do guitar repairs of all kinds. My name is David Ross, I am a guitar repairman and I’ve been dedicated to the craft of luthiery since 2008. I am also a guitar pedal manufacturer and in March of 2022 I released my first production model, the Winter Storm guitar pedal. I have lived in Binghamton, N.Y. most of my life, and have often travelled to and through Susquehanna County, P.A. on the way to my Grandparents house in Lackawanna, P.A. I’ve gotten to know Great Bend, Hallstead, New Milford, Susquehanna very well because of it. As a music enthusiast, I also know where the live music spots are and I’m sure many of you reading this have seen shows at The Choconut Inn, or the Iron Tracks Brewing Company. I’m also someone who appreciates nature and Salt Springs State Park in Montrose is a great place to hike.

If you’re a guitar player or bass guitar player in Susquehanna County and need guitar repair from a professional luthier, below is a list of the services I provide. If you have a guitar problem that you’d like to discuss with me, feel free to call me at 607-232-9994 or message me via the Contact page and set up an appointment. I’m open Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm. Thank you!

General:

  • Overview – I give the customer an assessment on the issues with their guitar. I also give them advice on what work the guitar will need in the future if any.
  • Cleaning – I clean the guitar thoroughly from top to bottom, including all major hardware. This is sometimes overlooked by guitar players but a clean guitar will play better. 
  • Intonation – This is where I adjust the bridge saddles to make sure that the octave notes are the same as the open strings.
  • String height adjustments – I make sure that the strings are at a comfortable height off the frets/fretboard based on what the customer prefers.
  • Truss rod – I check to make sure that the truss rod works without friction and that the neck is either straight or has a comfortable amount of relief for the guitar player.
  • Strings – I advise my customers to have me change the strings on their guitars when bringing them in. Changing the strings to a new set and winding them properly around the tuning posts which you can see in this picture allows for better stability and playability.
  • Cosmetic repairs – This can include repairing minor dings and scratches in the finish and making the guitar look its best.

Fret work:

One common source of frustration for guitar players is when their guitar buzzes when they playing chords or notes. It is a challenging repair for most luthiers and it is often due to the frets not being level. All guitars need fretwork at some point in their life and many guitars (especially budget guitars) need it from the factory. This is not an easy or inexpensive repair but I have tools, experience, and knowledge to do it correctly.

  • Levelling, crowning, dressing, and polishing – When the strings buzz when playing chords or notes, this is the process to fix the issue. I use the Erlewine Neck Jig which allows for precision and accuracy.
  • Refretting – When there is not enough fret material left to level, a refret is required and it involves pulling the old frets and installing new ones. This is commonly needed on older guitars where the frets have been worn from extended use. 

Hardware:

  • I can complete a variety of modifications to new or existing hardware on your guitar. This includes replacing and upgrading components such as tuners, bridges, and screws. I can also create pickguards from scratch.

Nut:

  • I can do nut replacements, repairs, and fabrications from scratch with correct string spacing and properly cut slots. I prefer to work with bone and suggest it to my customers due to its hardness and durability, but I’m also comfortable working with any other material such as brass or composites.

Structural repairs:

  • I do offer structural repairs for guitar which depends largely on the type and severity. This type of repair can include repairing broken headstocks, stripped screw holes, regluing braces, and fixing cracks and other damage.

Electronics:

  • I offer a variety of electronic modifications for your guitar which includes coil splits, series/parallel switching, rewinding pickups or installing new pickups, also replacing potentiometers and capacitors.

*If you have a more specific problem, feel free to contact me and we can discuss it.