#1621025 - 12/29/06 10:00 AM
Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Dr. Ellwood
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List your favorite and best guitar technicians in your respective areas, maybe it will help guys that are looking for a good tech: For the Detroit area I will name Mr. JEFF BRANCH - 248-496-7587
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#1621026 - 12/29/06 10:05 AM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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jbote
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Registered: 01/20/04
Posts: 1254
Loc: San Francisco
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Geoff Luttrell at San Francisco GuitarWorks - a great guy who does real good work.
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#1621027 - 12/29/06 10:22 AM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Picker
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Registered: 06/13/04
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Loc: A few miles fro the corner of ...
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Keith George is supposed to be the best in Kansas City, but I don't have his number.
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#1621028 - 12/29/06 10:41 AM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Griffinator
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Registered: 03/28/02
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Loc: Lynchburg, VA, USA
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No good techs in this area. Buncha hacks working at the music stores - mostly old washed-up guitarists who need a day job. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I wouldn't trust one of them to do a truss rod adjustment on one of my axes...
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#1621029 - 12/29/06 10:45 AM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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S. Yeti Bigfoot, Esq.
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Registered: 10/01/05
Posts: 3142
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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Well...I normally have used Atlanta Guitar Repair (Southeastern)...however, I had a VERY scary conversation with them the other day. It went like this:
Me: "Can you install a fretboard side-marker at the 7th fret on a classical guitar? Just a small abalone dot will be fine."
Technician: "Well, uhhhh..yeah, but we are in between finish guys and you know you have to refinish that side of the neck and it's probably going to cost you about $150.00. Do you have your own dot?"
Me: "Huh? No, I don't have my own dot. Why would I have an abalone dot? I'm not a guitar tech. That's why I called you."
Technician:
Me: "OK...look let's let that one lay for a bit....I have another question for you. Can you convert a 6-hole tie block to a 12-hole tie block?"
Technician: "Ummm...well, you have to change the headstock, too. You have to put 12 tuners on there."
Me: "What?!?!?! What are you talking about? I don't want to make a 12-string out of it, I want to convert a 6-hole tie block to a 12-hole tie block. Do you know what a tie block is?"
Technician: "Ummm..."
Me: "You know the part of the bridge you tie the strings to on a classical guitar?"
Technician: "Oh...yeah. Oh, you mean the kind where you run the string through one way, then turn it around and run it back through the other way?"
Me: "Uh...yeah. That would be it."
Technician: "Wow, I don't know, man...I'm not sure we have any of those around."
Me: "Huh? Any those what?"
Technician: "You know, any of those 12- hole tie blocks."
Me: "I DON'T WANT TO REPLACE THE DAMNED TIE BLOCK, I WAN'T TO KNOW IF YOU CAN CONVERT IT FROM 6 HOLES TO 12!!!! Look...all you should have to do is drill 6 more holes in the right places and it should be done."
Technician: "Well, I don't know if we have long enough drill bits."
The tie block is less than 1/2" wide...how flippin' long does the bit have to be? At that point I just gave up...I said "Thanks, man." and hung the phone up.
So...I don't know about the Atlanta area...I think we're pretty much screwed.
_________________________
"And so I definitely, when I have a daughter, I have a lot of good advice for her."
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BWAAAHAAAHAAHAAA!!!
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#1621030 - 12/29/06 10:50 AM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Dr. Ellwood
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Loc: MoTown
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Gezz that's nasty!!! yeah forget that place! but don't you have just one person..a great tech who might work out of his own place in your area? I wonder who LPCustom uses in Atlanta???
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#1621032 - 12/29/06 11:01 AM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Verne Andru
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Registered: 12/28/06
Posts: 13
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I'm fortunate to have a few good ones to choose from in the Vancouver area. Eiichi @ Guitar Craft [604-732-5235] is very fast and professional but also expensive. My fave is Paul Iverson [604-988-9974] - original bass player for Bryan Adams, he's got a real "can-do" attitude, always up for trying something different and meticulous to a fault. Sometimes need a cattle prod to get him moving, but when he's on task he can't be beat. Very willing to work within tight budgets. Check out the Danedetto project page on my website to see how he works.
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#1621033 - 12/29/06 11:13 AM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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caprae
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Registered: 11/28/04
Posts: 3258
Loc: Athens, Georgia, USA
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In Athens and Atlanta check out Jeff Soileau:
http://www.athensguitar.com/repairs.html
He works out of his house and at Nuci's in Athens. I forget the major store he works out of in Atlanta. He's only done minor work for me but I've heard by the folks at Nuci's that he is very good/knowledgeable.
He also built a double neck acoustic out of two unsalvagable guitars.
http://www.jeffsoileau.com/eventdates.html
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#1621034 - 12/29/06 11:47 AM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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GeoffB
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Registered: 11/05/04
Posts: 7308
Loc: UK East Midlands via Scotland
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In my area it's me!
There is a guy who claims to be a luthier, but I've seen some of the guitars he's ruined and wouldn't go anywhere near him.
I do most setups and electrics myself - if it's a really delicate job, say on an acoustic, I have a chap I'd send it to who is down in the Portsmouth area.
McG
_________________________
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace": Jimi Hendrix
Frank M:Back in the day you could have a trio with two people.
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#1621036 - 12/29/06 01:36 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Justus A. Picker
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Registered: 08/06/05
Posts: 1352
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Originally posted by Sasquatch51:
Well...I normally have used Atlanta Guitar Repair (Southeastern)...however, I had a VERY scary conversation with them the other day. It went like this:
Me: "Can you install a fretboard side-marker at the 7th fret on a classical guitar? Just a small abalone dot will be fine."
Technician: "Well, uhhhh..yeah, but we are in between finish guys and you know you have to refinish that side of the neck and it's probably going to cost you about $150.00. Do you have your own dot?"
Me: "Huh? No, I don't have my own dot. Why would I have an abalone dot? I'm not a guitar tech. That's why I called you."
Technician:
Me: "OK...look let's let that one lay for a bit....I have another question for you. Can you convert a 6-hole tie block to a 12-hole tie block?"
Technician: "Ummm...well, you have to change the headstock, too. You have to put 12 tuners on there."
Me: "What?!?!?! What are you talking about? I don't want to make a 12-string out of it, I want to convert a 6-hole tie block to a 12-hole tie block. Do you know what a tie block is?"
Technician: "Ummm..."
Me: "You know the part of the bridge you tie the strings to on a classical guitar?"
Technician: "Oh...yeah. Oh, you mean the kind where you run the string through one way, then turn it around and run it back through the other way?"
Me: "Uh...yeah. That would be it."
Technician: "Wow, I don't know, man...I'm not sure we have any of those around."
Me: "Huh? Any those what?"
Technician: "You know, any of those 12- hole tie blocks."
Me: "I DON'T WANT TO REPLACE THE DAMNED TIE BLOCK, I WAN'T TO KNOW IF YOU CAN CONVERT IT FROM 6 HOLES TO 12!!!! Look...all you should have to do is drill 6 more holes in the right places and it should be done."
Technician: "Well, I don't know if we have long enough drill bits."
The tie block is less than 1/2" wide...how flippin' long does the bit have to be? At that point I just gave up...I said "Thanks, man." and hung the phone up.
So...I don't know about the Atlanta area...I think we're pretty much screwed.
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#1621037 - 12/29/06 01:42 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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fantasticsound
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Registered: 04/07/01
Posts: 16644
Loc: Madison,TN, UNITED STATES
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In Nashville there are several exceptional luthiers who command top dollar and are in high demand. Not that one should be surprised to hear that given the music industry presence and large number of pro musicians based out of Nashville.
Joe Glaser comes to mind, but I met John LeVan soon after his transplantation from L.A. to Nashville. He's extremely knowledgable and a fantastic luthier, and a heck of a nice guy. His client list reads as a who's who of Country, Rock and session players. Really busy, though. His shop is up on 17th Ave., 100ft. off Music Row.
LeVan Guitar Services
115 17th Ave. South
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 251-8884
Another friend and luthier I trust is Tom Smith. He was the in-house luthier for MARS Music most of the time they were around in Nashville. He bought a Taylor guitar with no cutaway because he wanted a Florentine cutaway and they didn't make Florentine style cutaways. He told me of his intention to do it himself, but I have to say I was shaken the day he handed me the section of guitar he'd cut out of his brand new instrument.  The addition of a beautiful piece of rosewood and finish was flawless. 
Tom Smith\'s website
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#1621038 - 12/29/06 01:43 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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S. Yeti Bigfoot, Esq.
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Registered: 10/01/05
Posts: 3142
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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Yeah, that conversation is not exaggerated at all....that's actually the way it went. If he was a counter-person, then somebody needs to instruct him to stop trying to answer questions...he's going to run off every customer he talks to. You would think that anyone with half a functioning brain would have realized that they didn't understand what I was asking, and then would have gone to get someone else to talk to me. I think he gave me his name when he answered, but I don't recall what it was....
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"And so I definitely, when I have a daughter, I have a lot of good advice for her."
~Paris Hilton
BWAAAHAAAHAAHAAA!!!
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#1621039 - 12/29/06 02:26 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Justus A. Picker
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Registered: 08/06/05
Posts: 1352
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Originally posted by Sasquatch51:
Yeah, that conversation is not exaggerated at all....that's actually the way it went. If he was a counter-person, then somebody needs to instruct him to stop trying to answer questions...he's going to run off every customer he talks to. You would think that anyone with half a functioning brain would have realized that they didn't understand what I was asking, and then would have gone to get someone else to talk to me. I think he gave me his name when he answered, but I don't recall what it was....
I was at GC a few years back looking at 2 different student Ramirez models, R-somethings. I asked the hovering kid what the difference between the two was and he answered, straight-faced, "$250."! He had no idea that one had laminated back and sides while the other was solid wood.....
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#1621040 - 12/29/06 02:37 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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S. Yeti Bigfoot, Esq.
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Registered: 10/01/05
Posts: 3142
Loc: Atlanta, GA
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Oh, hell. I heard one of them not too long ago telling a kid that he'd better take out the extended warranty on a Takamine cutaway electric/acoustic because Takamine would absolutely not honor any warranty on the electronics. He said "Yeah, they give you a warranty, but they'll never honor it. If something goes wrong with the electronics in this guitar, you are on your own if you don't buy the extended warranty. Takamine will just tell you "tough luck", and it can cost as much as the guitar to fix it."
_________________________
"And so I definitely, when I have a daughter, I have a lot of good advice for her."
~Paris Hilton
BWAAAHAAAHAAHAAA!!!
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#1621041 - 12/29/06 03:08 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Greg B.
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Registered: 12/28/04
Posts: 1398
Loc: Tulsa Oklahoma
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I don't know his name, but his shop is Tulsa Guitar & Electronics. I haven't had anything done by anyone else (besides myself, I do my own setups and minor stuff) in quite some time, but the last time I took a guitar to him, it was done in a very reasonable amount of time, was very reasonably priced, and above all, a very good job was done. And he's just a really nice guy.
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#1621042 - 12/29/06 03:26 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Kramer Ferrington III.
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Registered: 05/12/05
Posts: 9412
Loc: Wellington, NZ
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In Milan, I had two guys I'd go to.
One was Lucio Carbone, who's made a name for himself as a classical luthier and wasn't HE a fricking snob! Beautiful, old-world shop, full of weird 16th century instruments and he really knows his stuff... but going to see him with any guitar worth less than a couple of thousand was like having a tooth pulled. :p He'd FIX things, and wasn't outrageously expensive, but you had to endure him looking down his nose at you for a few minutes.
The other guy that was good was Martino, the guy that works at Cris Music. He's this good natured Newfoundland dog of a guy who always threw in some extra work as a freebie. He's the sort of guy that's impossible to dislike. I would have gone to him exclusively, but he was a shop luthier and didn't do major things like repair cracked necks and so on.
Here in Wellington, I really like a shop called Weta guitars. They tend to make and sell their own Frankestein instruments, so going to their shop is a bit like one of those Sci Fi films where you see the mad cloning scientist's OTHER projects!   Great shop and luthiers though.
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#1621043 - 12/29/06 03:32 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Gifthorse
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Registered: 10/29/03
Posts: 4316
Loc: Royal Oak
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I always either go to Stu Simon or Marc Balash.
Both of them are excellent and used to work at Pyramid guitars. Thats why I still go to both of them. Kind of switch off. I don't want to play favorites because they both do exceptional work and I am friends with both of them.
Both of them take alot of pride and that is partly because they are both exceptional players.
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#1621044 - 12/29/06 04:49 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Danno
Senior Member
Registered: 07/13/02
Posts: 86
Loc: Connecticut
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In Connecticut I'd recommend NERI LUTHERIE in Clinton. Excellent acoustic and electric work. Reasonable and no B.S.
860-669-3351.
DAN
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2006 Gibson LP Studio VM
Carvin DCM1000 amp
GK 410 SBX Cab
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Ampeg B100R
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#1621045 - 12/29/06 05:02 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Compact Diss
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Registered: 10/12/02
Posts: 2537
Loc: MA
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Boston/Cambridge MA
Mouradian Guitars
1904 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 2140
Phone: 617-547-7500
Fax: 978 374-8076
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#1621046 - 12/29/06 09:12 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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guitarzan
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Registered: 02/26/02
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i am looking for a guitar guru.
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#1621047 - 12/29/06 09:15 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Hardtail
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Registered: 09/18/05
Posts: 5746
Loc: Long Island
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Originally posted by Guitarzan:
i am looking for a guitar guru.
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#1621048 - 12/29/06 09:20 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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guitarzan
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Registered: 02/26/02
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yup, do you know someone?
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#1621049 - 12/29/06 09:23 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Durockrolly
Gold Member
Registered: 03/16/06
Posts: 594
Loc: Duarte Ca.
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I do a some of my own work but when I have to I go here. If you check out this site and the list of his clients you can see why I go here.
http://www.barkwoodguitars.com/guitar_repairs.htm
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Fernando
If you can't say it in 12 bars... then it can't be said!
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#1621050 - 12/29/06 09:25 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Hardtail
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Registered: 09/18/05
Posts: 5746
Loc: Long Island
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Originally posted by Guitarzan:
yup, do you know someone?
My guy, Scott MacDonald ( http://www.customguitars.com ) does jobs for people all around the world. You would just have to send your guitar to him, obviously.
If you ever have any serious problems, he is good. He'd tell you how to pack your guitar to ship to him.
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#1621051 - 12/29/06 09:30 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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guitarzan
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Registered: 02/26/02
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i do my own setups but i wish i could find someone who would make me hang up my screwdrivers for good.
someone to bring out that that last bit of mojo.
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#1621052 - 12/29/06 09:33 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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Hardtail
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 09/18/05
Posts: 5746
Loc: Long Island
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Originally posted by Guitarzan:
i do my own setups but i wish i could find someone who would make me hang up my screwdrivers for good.
someone to bring out that that last bit of mojo.
Sometime after the new year, I'll be getting a Peterson Strobe tuner. I also have Erlewhine's (sp?) book too.
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#1621053 - 12/29/06 09:36 PM
Re: Forum Recommended Guitar Technicians in Your Areas:(Running List)
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guitarzan
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Registered: 02/26/02
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great book and the strobe tuner sounds cool.
nothing like a well intonated guitar.
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