FAQ
Questions, answered
Appointments, wait times, restrings, Saturdays and our return policy.
Photo: Alex Kalligas / Unsplash
Do I need an appointment to drop off an instrument?
No. Walk-in drop-offs are welcome any time we’re open.
How long does walk-in repair work take?
Usually 2–3 weeks. It’s hard to promise more exactly than that: a simple set-up (about an hour) can turn into a full fret level, crown and polish (four to five hours). We work as fast as we can, but we do it right, and that can take longer than first thought. Call any time for an update.
Can walk-in work be done the same day?
Only as an emergency. Same-day work carries a $300 expedite fee on top of the repair cost, and the fee isn’t negotiable.
If I make an appointment, how long is the wait?
Appointments are generally booked about a month and a half ahead.
What happens at an appointment?
Appointment work is usually finished the same day. We go over everything that needs doing when you drop the instrument off.
Can one appointment cover several instruments?
Usually three to five, depending on what each one needs.
Are you open on Saturdays?
Not normally, but you can book a Saturday appointment.
Is there a slow season?
No. Walk-in work runs 2–3 weeks out and appointments about six weeks out all year round.
When are restrings done?
On Friday mornings before 11 am. A restring done on the spot when you drop off costs double: for example $50 for a 6-string guitar, or $65 with deep cleaning.
Is my instrument safe in the shop?
The shop is climate- and humidity-controlled at all times, and we’re licensed and insured. We’ve never damaged or lost a customer’s instrument, and if the worst ever happened, you’d be taken care of.
Do you fix instruments other than guitars?
Yes. Guitars and basses are most of the work, but banjos, mandolins, ukuleles and other folk instruments have their own price lists. For anything else with strings, call or send a message.
I don’t live near Reno. Can you still help?
We have customers across the United States and abroad. If you’re not within driving distance, call or email with what the instrument needs and we’ll talk it through.
What is your return policy?
We always want you happy. If we can’t get the job right, take your instrument to another luthier and have them fix it to your satisfaction. Ask them for a written account of the work and a receipt, and bring both back to us with the instrument. If their work matches what we were asked to do and you’re satisfied with it, we’ll refund what we charged you and pay what the other shop charged as well. We’re not above paying for a learning experience.
The small print
- Estimates are always free.
- Prices can change with the complexity of the job, and a phone quote can change once we see the instrument in the shop.
- Several jobs at once? Ask about a discount.
- We guarantee standard work for 30 days and finish work for 2 years. The guarantee is void if the work has been tampered with by you or another repair shop.
- Every instrument has to be tested before it leaves the shop: please play yours at pick-up. Work that wasn’t tested there isn’t covered by the warranty.
- Restrings are done on Friday mornings before 11 am. A restring done on the spot when you drop off costs double (for example $50 for a 6-string, $65 with deep cleaning).
- Longer restorations are billed by the hour at $50 an hour. Prices last updated January 2024.
If it has strings, we can fix it.
Bring it by, call, or send a few lines about what it’s doing. Estimates are always free.