Guitar Repairs, Setups and Restorations in Salem, NH
Premium services for picky musicians. Home pick up and delivery available. Fully-insured and climate-controlled shop in the Merrimack Valley.
David Newsam - Associate Professor, Berklee College of Music
“Thank you so much for the work on my guitars!! I really appreciate it! They’re both really great👍”
Instrument Optimization How We Do It
Every guitar can be better. Vintage or brand new, inexpensive or top-of-the-line, every instrument can be improved by being properly inspected, set up, repaired or upgraded.
Fret buzz, overly high action, dead notes, poor intonation, mystery rattles, sharp fret ends, etc., all can be addressed with the proper expertise, effort, specialized tools and attention to details.
While every instrument is different and every setup or repair requires a personalized approach, I follow a basic framework when solving your problem or helping you accomplish a specific goal with your instrument:
Initial Assessment
Estimate
Premium Inspection
Setup, Repair and/or Upgrade
Pickup or Delivery
Browse around this website or get in touch for a friendly chat, and let me help you make your instrument as good as it can be.
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Save time and skip the hassle. Fully-insured pickup and delivery available for $1 per driven mile round trip from my shop in Salem, NH.
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Get your instrument diagnosed free-of-charge and with no commitment (driving fee applies in case of in-home pickup and/or delivery).
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Emergency repair? Many services can be completed within days or even hours. I am happy to accommodate - within reason, of course!
Full Repair Video
Premium lutherie services with extra attention to details in a fully-insured, climate-controlled shop in Salem, NH.
Instruments Serviced
Acoustic Guitars
Steel-stringed, classical or flamenco guitars with or without electronics.
Electric Guitars
Solid or hollow-bodied guitars of all shapes and makes.
Other Instruments
Basses, sitars, lap steels, harps, mandolins, Brazilian violas (viola caipira), etc.
Services
PREMIUM SETUPS
A setup aims at optimizing playability, performance, sound and feel through a series of adjustments:
Truss Rod / Neck Relief
Intonation / String Length Compensation
String Height at Saddle and Nut
Pickup Balancing
REPAIRS AND RESTORATIONS
Any service that involves removing or replacing material, gluing or rebuilding is considered a repair or restoration.
Full Refrets
Fret Leveling
Crack Repairs
Brace and Bridge Reglues
UPGRADES AND MODS
Adding or replacing parts to optimize and enhance your instrument.
Pickup Swaps
Tuner Replacement
Strap Button Install
New Nuts and Saddles
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Book visit or Request Pick up
My climate-controlled shop is located in Salem, NH but I will drive just about anywhere within a 15-to-20 mile radius to pick up and deliver an instrument (a fee of $1 dollar per driven mile applies).
Assessments and visits are by appointment only and the service is free-of charge and commitment-free.
Use the form below to book your visit or request instrument pick up.
Get In Touch
Use the form or call 978-609-6140 to request a free estimate, ask questions or simply get in touch with comments or suggestions.
I will answer your message as soon as possible.
FAQs
What instruments do you service?
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In short, I service plucked cordophones, i.e. acoustic or electric stringed instruments played with the fingers or a pick: Guitars of all types, basses, mandolins, ukuleles, lap steels, harps, sitars, Brazilian violas (viola caipira) , etc.
I do not service percussion, wind/brass instruments or pianos. I will service certain bowed instruments like violins and violas, depending on the nature of the repair.
How long can I expect a setup or repair to take?
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Every setup or repair has its own demands. Simple adjustments and some electronic work can take a few short hours to complete, while more intricate services like a refret or crack repair take longer.
I am not willing to sacrifice the quality of my work in an attempt to meet an unrealistic deadline. I will, however, do my best to provide my clients with a reasonable timeline and will go out of my way in order to adhere to it.
Certain services demand that the instrument properly acclimates at my humidity-controlled shop before and after the service is performed. Complex glue-ups, crack repairs, certain setups and refrets all require “rest time” when the glue is drying and curing, for example.
With that being said, I take in a small volume of work at a time (I rarely have more than 4 or 5 instruments at the shop at once) and have made a career out of performing effectively and efficiently.
How much does a setup or repair cost?
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Every service I perform is priced based on the time I spend on the instrument and the cost of any parts being used. In some cases the price of the material is built into the price of the service.
After inspecting your instrument, and before the work starts, I will provide you with a fair and realistic estimate based on my professional experience with similar repairs. I do my best to set the right expectations from the start and will do what I can to honor my estimates.
In the rare occasion where I underestimate the final price of a repair, I will contact you with an adjusted estimate and/or some alternatives before moving forward.
Do you buy or sell instruments?
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I will occasionally purchase used instruments in various conditions and offer them for sale after they have been properly restored. Please get in touch for more information.