Repair Services |
|
Other Repairs
Nut replacement
Where open strings buzz the issue is usually the nut which has worn down and needs replacing. Other good reasons to replace a nut are where the existing nut is plastic (or another material not in keeping with, say, a vintage guitar), or where the existing string spacing is poor.
On some guitars it can be fine to use pre-slotted nuts, of varied materials (plastic, Tusq, bone etc) if the neck dimensions are a standard fit. These still require some shaping, adjustment and lowering to fit, but there is less work involved than custom making a nut from a bone blank.
Cost to fit : 6 string electric or acoustic - £50
12 string electric or acoustic - £60
Plus cost of nut
A well fitting bone nut greatly improves the tone and sustain of a guitar due to it's density. I'll often recommend bone nuts, and some guitars will benefit from (or will require) a custom made bone nut, crafted from a bone nut blank for the best fit. The old nut is removed, the nut slot carefully cleaned, and a new nut blank measured and sanded to fit snugly. The nut slots are accurately spaced and filed down to the correct depth, and finally the nut is shaped and polished.
Bone nut blanks either come bleached, or natural (which may suit vintage guitars in particular). I use the best quality bone blanks from the USA for both nuts and saddles.
Custom made bone nuts:
6 string electric or acoustic - from £70
12 string electric or acoustic - from £95
Plus cost of bone blank
When a nut is replaced, the guitar will usually require a set up .
Pre-slotted nut, plus full standard set up - From £100
Custom made bone nut, plus full standard set up - From £120
Plus cost of nut/bone blank
Saddle replacement (Acoustic)
A saddle should be replaced where it is too shallow, or loose in the saddle slot. Also where the saddle is plastic, replacing with a correctly fitting bone saddle greatly enhances the tone of an acoustic guitar. The old saddle is removed and the bridge saddle slot cleaned out. A new bone saddle will be hand crafted from a bone blank to fit snugly in the existing bridge saddle slot. The saddle is shaped to match the board radius, the saddle height adjusted to create the correct action over the fretboard, and then sanded and polished for the final fit.
There is the option of either a traditional saddle, or a "B bump" saddle which provides improved intonation.
Custom made traditional bone saddle - £60
Custom made "B bump" bone saddle - £80
Plus cost of bone blank
On some guitars it may be adequate to install pre-shaped saddles of varied materials. These require some adjustment to fit but take less time than a custom made saddle - £40 (plus cost of saddle).
When a saddle is replaced, the guitar will usually require a set up.
Custom made traditional saddle plus full Standard Set Up - from £110.
Pre shaped saddle plus full Standard Set Up - from £90
(plus cost of saddle)
Hardware and electrics
Electric pickup replacement - from £30.
Output jack, selector switch, pot/ capacitor replacement - from £25
Complete rewiring, including new pickups, switch and pots - from £80
Tuner replacement (direct) - from £30
Price of parts not included
Nut replacement
Where open strings buzz the issue is usually the nut which has worn down and needs replacing. Other good reasons to replace a nut are where the existing nut is plastic (or another material not in keeping with, say, a vintage guitar), or where the existing string spacing is poor.
On some guitars it can be fine to use pre-slotted nuts, of varied materials (plastic, Tusq, bone etc) if the neck dimensions are a standard fit. These still require some shaping, adjustment and lowering to fit, but there is less work involved than custom making a nut from a bone blank.
Cost to fit : 6 string electric or acoustic - £50
12 string electric or acoustic - £60
Plus cost of nut
A well fitting bone nut greatly improves the tone and sustain of a guitar due to it's density. I'll often recommend bone nuts, and some guitars will benefit from (or will require) a custom made bone nut, crafted from a bone nut blank for the best fit. The old nut is removed, the nut slot carefully cleaned, and a new nut blank measured and sanded to fit snugly. The nut slots are accurately spaced and filed down to the correct depth, and finally the nut is shaped and polished.
Bone nut blanks either come bleached, or natural (which may suit vintage guitars in particular). I use the best quality bone blanks from the USA for both nuts and saddles.
Custom made bone nuts:
6 string electric or acoustic - from £70
12 string electric or acoustic - from £95
Plus cost of bone blank
When a nut is replaced, the guitar will usually require a set up .
Pre-slotted nut, plus full standard set up - From £100
Custom made bone nut, plus full standard set up - From £120
Plus cost of nut/bone blank
Saddle replacement (Acoustic)
A saddle should be replaced where it is too shallow, or loose in the saddle slot. Also where the saddle is plastic, replacing with a correctly fitting bone saddle greatly enhances the tone of an acoustic guitar. The old saddle is removed and the bridge saddle slot cleaned out. A new bone saddle will be hand crafted from a bone blank to fit snugly in the existing bridge saddle slot. The saddle is shaped to match the board radius, the saddle height adjusted to create the correct action over the fretboard, and then sanded and polished for the final fit.
There is the option of either a traditional saddle, or a "B bump" saddle which provides improved intonation.
Custom made traditional bone saddle - £60
Custom made "B bump" bone saddle - £80
Plus cost of bone blank
On some guitars it may be adequate to install pre-shaped saddles of varied materials. These require some adjustment to fit but take less time than a custom made saddle - £40 (plus cost of saddle).
When a saddle is replaced, the guitar will usually require a set up.
Custom made traditional saddle plus full Standard Set Up - from £110.
Pre shaped saddle plus full Standard Set Up - from £90
(plus cost of saddle)
Hardware and electrics
Electric pickup replacement - from £30.
Output jack, selector switch, pot/ capacitor replacement - from £25
Complete rewiring, including new pickups, switch and pots - from £80
Tuner replacement (direct) - from £30
Price of parts not included