3 DIFFERENT KINDS OF SETUPS:
- SETUP BASIC: $45
(Acoustic w/ Bridge pins ONLY)
Includes: fret dress, clean/oil fingerboard, tighten hardware, set action, set intonation, adjust truss rod, set pickup heights, check/adjust nut slots, clean/polish guitar, restring/tune.
- SETUP BASIC: $45
(Electric Guitars Rosewood/Ebony fingerboard)
Includes: fret dress, clean/oil fingerboard, tighten hardware, set action, set intonation, adjust truss rod, set pickup heights, check/adjust nut slots, clean/polish guitar, restring/tune.
- SETUP ADVANCED: $55
(Guitars Maple board, Floyd Rose or hard to reach T. Rod)
Includes: Masking entire fingerboard and fret dress, clean fingerboard, set action, set intonation, adjust truss rod, set pickup heights, check/adjust nut slots, clean/polish guitar, restring/tune.
- RESTRING: $10-25
(Acoustic, electric and classicals)
Includes: Fretboard oil/clean and restring. Clean/polish
NOTE: We do NOT perform any changes to the action and overall playability of the instrument with a restring.
Other Common Repairs:
TUNERS:
Tuners can be a great improvement for your guitar. They can make your guitar play (and stay) in tune for longer periods of time, improve your tone, and even look better!. In considering repairs to your guitar do not leave out the possibility of a tuning machine upgrade. We carry a great selection of tuners in all different sizes, colors and models. Ask us about what kind of tuner will work better for your guitar.
HEADSTOCK:
A broken headstock is a very common guitar repair we perform. Usually headstocks break from a hard fall, occasionally just from a tiny tap, and since each breakage is different we’ll need to see your instrument to decide what kind of guitar repair is necessary. We we use many different kinds of glues for each job. Very badly damaged headstock or re-breaks might need a little extra reinforcement. Pieces of new wood (called splines) are inlaid through the break running with the neck’s length and against the grain for a h3er bond.
NUT:
95% of factory instruments, even the most expensive ones, come with a plastic nut. Nuts are a great factor in the over all tone and sound of your instrument. Sometimes an annoying buzz might be caused by a low nut that is allowing the string to vibrate against the frets. The slots in a nut might be too high causing bad (sharp) intonation on the first 4 frets and offsetting any possibility of having good action and playability throughout the rest of the fingerboard.
Self-exam:
Play any open string as hard as you always play. If you hear fretbuzz you most likely need a new nut. Nuts may be “shimmed” but this is always a cheaper unreliable guitar repair option.
There are many different kinds of nuts these days: Plastic, Corian, Bone (bleached, vintage and regular), Graphite and Bronze. We will work with you to find the right kind of material that will fit your guitar repair needs. Every nut is hand-cut, fitted and shaped from scratch for each specific instrument. We highly recommend to set-up your instrument to insure optimal playability. Ask about our set-up and nut guitar repair packages.
FRETS:
Fret Level:
When a basic set-up won’t get rid of fret buzz it’s time for a fret-level. Fret levels are very common in guitars that are exposed to climate changes. Sometimes these changes make the frets pop up or move around creating hi or low spots. A fret-level usually takes care of this problem by making all fret nice and level again. We often need to reseat frets if they have risen due to changes in the fingerboard moisture content.
A fret-level includes recrowing and polishingof all frets. We have developed a technique for simulates string tension while we perform the level. This allows for an extremely accurate level. We can almost always get your action lower than it came from the factory.
Re-Frets:
Re-frets come in all sizes and colors. Some people just don’t like the frets that come with a brand new guitar and prefer to get them re-fretted right out of the box. Other musicians are after different type of fret shape or size to accommodate a certain playing style.
Re-fretting a guitar is a great opportunity to get rid of many of your guitar’s action and playability troubles. Abnormal buzzes caused by very low or loose frets can be eliminated. High action resulting from old warped necks can also be repaired here.
W are very proud of the fretwork we do. We use one and all methods for re-fretting: hammering, pressing and the glue in method; all depending on the different instruments and circumstances. All re-frets include: Level, re-dressing, crowning, clean and polish of all frets. Re-frets usually create the need for a new nut (and saddle if acoustic), since the tops of the new frets are higher than the old ones. Ask about our re-fret and nut guitar repair packages.
SETUPS:
A setup can be defined as a tune-up for your guitar. Many musicians neglect their instruments and only bring them to the shop when something breaks or need to be replaced. A setup can increase the healthy life of your instrument and might save you some money long term!!!
A basic setup includes: re-dressing the frets (which cleanes up intonation, reduces the buzzing and increases their life expectancy) cleaning and oiling the fret board, tightening all hardware, restringing, adjusting nut slots, truss rod and overall action, balancing tremolo and intonation, cleaning and checking all electronics, adjusting pick-ups heights, cleaning and polishing of the instrument.
We believe that instruments should be set-up every 3-4 months to improve playability and eliminate potential problems. In 3-4 months the weather has most likely drastically changed and/or all the little parts on your guitar have moved due to vibrations.
PICKUPS:
Pickup installation: This is a very common guitar repair upgrade for many musicians, after-all the pickups are the main voice of your guitar. Upgrading or swapping pickups will improve your tone, sustain and overall sound. We are always on a tone quest, we’ll provide your with all of our knowledge about the subject. We can order a vast selection of Pickups out of our extensive catalogues, or you can just bring your own and we’ll install it for you.
Acoustic Pickups:
From a simple transducer to a complex blend, singe coil or humbucker, we install all kinds of acoustic pickups. We carry: L.R. Baggs, Shadow, Fishman, K+K, and many more...
ELECTRONICS:
Upgrades:
Cheap wires, jacks and pots, non existent shielding and poor soldering connections might cause a lot of problems on your axe: static noise, shorts or week or no tone/sound. Low end guitars are more prone to encounter this kinds of problems, but they are not the only ones. Years and years of dust, corrosion, weather, humidity, hard use, and heat usually deteriorate the components. We carry only the best parts in the market.
Custom wiring:
We offer a great variety of custom wiring such as coil-taps; kill switch, series/parallel, phase switch, and more. We can work with you to have your guitar wired the way you always wanted it.
HARDWARE:
Hardware Upgrades:
Another way of improving the tone of your instrument is by replacing the hardware. Upgrading saddles, bridges, and tuners is a very common thing to do and many musicians are surprised at changes that this brings with them. We carry a vest selection of hardware.
STRAP BUTTONS:
Broken strap buttons can be a very annoying thing, especially if the screw broke inside the whole! Bring your guitar in, we’ll take care of that. We could also install a strap lock for you!
PICK-GUARD:
Many people are not pleased with the color, shape or material of the pick guard that comes with your guitar, or maybe you need a new one to receive your new pickups, or maybe you just want to go a different route. We offer pick guards in all types, colors, shapes and forms. Strat, Tele, Jazz Bass, 10, 9 or 8 holes, single coils, hum buckers or a mix of both, and even custom made to fit your needs. Stop by today and ask us about our pick guards.
Retube and set bias
For tube pricing we will price-match what you might find online in addition to online merchant shipping costs.
- $25-60 (depending on involvement) cathode bias amp
- $40 fixed adjustable bias amp
- $60 fixed bias amp
Replace pot or jack
Filter Cap Job
Make an amp "sound right"
This involves checking all coupling and bypass capacitors throughout the amp for DC leakage and replacing any bad ones, checking voltages on all tube pins, cleaning pots-jack-switches-tube sockets, checking and adjusting the bias (see pricing for this above). This might also involve retubing the amp if it is needed.
Convert to cathode-bias
- $60 for 2 power-tube amp
- $75 for 4 power-tube amp
- $90 for 6 power-tube amp
Convert to fixed adjustable-bias
- $60-120 - depending on whether power transformer is equipped with a tap for this or if we need to wire a new circuit to generate a negative bias supply voltage.
Cathode/fixed bias switch
- $80 if amp is fixed-bias.
- $80-120 if amp is cathode-bias.
Swap out speaker
Half power switch (for breakup at lower volumes)
Pentode/triode switch (triode has sweeter tone with less headroom)
More/Less Headroom
Adjust plate voltages for more or less headroom and more or less dynamic response (rebiasing included). Please consult with us for pricing.
More "squish"
- $45 2 power tube amp
- $60 4 power tube amp
Sag switch (compression and perceived sustain)
15 – Hum and noise reduction
- $ 50 + - depending on involvement. Noise can come from many different sources so this is a repair that will require some consultation (free of course)
Replace power transformer
Replace output transformer
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