Instrument Repairs

I do all major and minor fretted instrument repairs and maintenance. Some of the repair services I offer include:

Fretwork and refrets, set up and truss rod adjustments

Breakage or other wood failure repairs (broken headstocks, side impact or split, top or back cracks, etc)

Bridge removal, reglue, intonation adjustments, etc.

Interior repairs/reglue for braces

Neck resets

Inlay, binding, and trim work

Pickup installations and electric guitar electronic repairs

D18 Side Damage Repair Sequence

Original Damage

Side damage, with an interior patch ready to install

Patch in place, wires drawn through

Final Touch-Up

Original Damage

Side damage, with an interior patch ready to install

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Remove and replace failed cleat in long D28 top crack

Old repair, 4 tiny round cleats

Failing cleat removed

original cleat

Old repair, 4 tiny round cleats

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Typical bridge and neck removal

The "Back Slip" neck adjustment is a useful alternative to a reset, especially on budget or dovetail-compromised guitars. The sides are separated from the back and the neck block "flexed" into the body. This c.1940 Gretsch came in with action at 9/64" at the body joint, as the body had started to fold forward.

Begin binding removal for "Back Slip" neck angle adjustment.

A straight razor and a steady hand are required.

Binding removal to waist

Repeated on the other side of the bout.

Final re-assembly complete

Like nothing ever happened. The action settled at an easy 5/64".

Begin binding removal for "Back Slip" neck angle adjustment.

A straight razor and a steady hand are required.

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I received my own mandolin #6 (from 1993) back in 2026, from a gentleman in CT who had inherited it. He did not know when or the circumstances in which it had been broken, and he had no lasting interest in it so he gave it to me. Since the short grain at the break is essentially not glue-able, I opted to replace the neck. As I am not using the existing neck I could degrade the dovetail and preserve the "pocket", rather than doing a dovetail removal like a reset. The fingerboard, faceplate, heel cap, and carbon/graphite neck rod were all salvaged and transferred to the replacement neck. This first slide show details the disassembly and "salvage" procedures, to begin the process.

Randall Mandolin #6 1993

Returned to me, broken, in 2026

Heating fingerboard with a heat lamp

I work a section at a time, heating and using a spatula

Neck components

Ready for carving, fitting, and assembly.

Randall Mandolin #6 1993

Returned to me, broken, in 2026

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This second slide show details the construction and installation of the new neck. This project was spread out over about ten days and I am well satisfied with the results.

Faceplate at this point

The ebony face plate has been glued to the neck block, and the edges shaped

Cutting dovetail

A series of bandsaw cuts will create a straight dovetail

Finished instrument

The old and the new, together.

Faceplate at this point

The ebony face plate has been glued to the neck block, and the edges shaped

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