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960 Matley Lane #32, Reno

775-345-5880

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Repair prices

Mandolin and ukulele repair prices

Mandolins, ukuleles and other folk instruments: set-ups, frets, neck resets, nuts, saddles, bridges and cracks.

Photo: Fey Marin / Unsplash

Set-ups

A grade and B grade

A set-up is the job most mandolins and ukuleles need. Here is what each grade includes, from $100.

A grade set-up

  • Mandolin$225
  • Ukulele$200
  • Minor fretwork A grade
  • Action adjustment at the nut
  • Action adjustment at the saddle
  • Truss rod adjustment
  • Set intonation (if possible) A grade
  • Tighten and clean all hardware
  • Lubricate the tuning machines A grade
  • Clean the electronics, if any A grade
  • Buff, polish and clean A grade
  • Clean and condition the fingerboard and bridge
  • Install new strings

B grade set-up

  • Mandolin$125
  • Ukulele$100
  • Action adjustment at the nut
  • Action adjustment at the saddle
  • Truss rod adjustment
  • Tighten and clean all hardware
  • Basic polish and clean-up
  • Fret end filing and polish
  • Clean and condition the fingerboard and bridge
  • Install new strings

Strings not included.

Every mandolin & ukulele price

Select a price to see what it includes. Search, or narrow it down by kind of job.

Showing all 36 prices

  • A grade set-up: Mandolin$225
    • See what an A grade set-up includes on the mandolin & ukulele page.
  • B grade set-up: Mandolin$125
  • A grade set-up: Ukulele$200
    • See what an A grade set-up includes on the mandolin & ukulele page.
  • B grade set-up: Ukulele$100
  • Mandolin restring$30
    • $30 for traditional tie strings, $25 for ball-end strings.
    • Deep cleaning $10–$20 extra.

    Strings extra

  • Ukulele restring$30
    • $25 for ball-end strings. Deep cleaning $10–$20 extra.

    Strings extra

  • Action adjustment only$80
    • Mandolin or ukulele, usually new instruments: truss rod, action at the nut and saddle, light cleaning. No fretwork.

    Strings extra

  • Complete re-fret$425 and up
    • Mandolin or ukulele: remove the old frets, re-radius the fingerboard, repair cracks or damage, then level, crown and polish the new frets.
    • +$50 bound fingerboard; +$200 to keep the binding ends (if possible).
    • +$50 unfinished maple; +$100 finished maple.
    • +$100 for stainless steel; +$100 to re-radius to a compound radius.
    • New nut and saddle included if the old ones can’t be kept (blanks not included). Action set-up included.
    • Add an A grade set-up for $100. Fret wire not included.

    Strings extra

  • Fret end filing$45 and up
    • File sharp fret ends and tangs; light fret polishing where filed.
    • +$15 for stainless steel frets.
    • +$20 for a finished fingerboard (keeping the finish around the frets untouched).
    • Add it to an action set-up for $25.
  • Fret end filing and rounding$125 and up
    • File sharp fret ends, round them over and polish the frets.
    • +$35 for stainless steel frets.
    • +$45 for a finished fingerboard (keeping the finish around the frets untouched).
    • Add it to an action set-up for $90.
  • Fret level, crown and polish$235
    • $285 for a finished fingerboard.
    • Action set-up included; B grade set-up $50 extra.

    Strings extra

  • Fret replacement$25 each
    • $35 each on a bound fingerboard; $55 each keeping the binding ends (if possible).
    • Plus $200 for the level, crown and polish it needs.
    • New nut $40 extra if required (blank not included).

    Strings extra

  • Neck reset$750 and up
    • Depends on the neck joint and the age of the instrument.
    • Complete re-fret, new nut, new saddle and set-up included.
    • Refinishing around the neck joint is extra but discounted (quoted in store).

    Strings extra

  • New nut and saddle$200
    • Bone or synthetic. Saves $50 over doing them separately.

    Action set-up includedA/B grade set-up extraStrings extra

  • Ukulele bone or synthetic nut$125

    Action set-up includedA/B grade set-up extraStrings extra

  • Mandolin bone or synthetic nut$150

    Action set-up includedA/B grade set-up extraStrings extra

  • Lower nut action$45
  • New ukulele bone saddle$125

    Action set-up includedA/B grade set-up extraStrings extra

  • New plastic saddle$80
    • Only if the instrument fits our in-shop blank material.

    Action set-up included

  • Correct ukulele intonation$250 and up
    • Fill and re-cut the saddle slot. Not every ukulele is a candidate.

    Action set-up includedA/B grade set-up extraStrings extra

  • Lower saddle action$50
    • May need a new nut.
  • Bridge re-glue$250

    Action set-up includedA/B grade set-up extraStrings extra

  • Replace ukulele bridge$350
    • Bridge blank (wood) included unless something is ordered in.
    • Refinishing the top is extra.

    Action set-up includedA/B grade set-up extraStrings extra

  • Bridge shave and re-slot$275
    • Refinishing the top is extra.

    Action set-up includedA/B grade set-up extraStrings extra

  • Replace pickguard$120 and up
    • Pickguard not included.

    Action set-up includedStrings extra

  • Pickup installation$65 and up
    • Base price for soundhole pickups; includes an endpin output jack.
    • +$35 for an under-saddle pickup; +$25 for a bridge plate transducer.
    • Rim routing for side-mounted preamps is quoted in store. Construction and age matter.

    Quoted in store

  • Electrical problemsVaries

    Quoted in store

  • Tuner replacement$75 and up
    • Depends on how the new tuners fit the headstock. Restring included.
  • Strap button installation$15
    • $25 for two on the same instrument.
    • Our in-house strap buttons are included in the price.
  • Replace bridge pins$50
    • Includes restring and light cleaning.
  • Humidify mandolin or ukulele$30
    • Includes a humidifying system. For badly dried-out instruments; it helps close cracks before gluing.
  • Spot finish repair$300 and up
    • Remove the old finish, repair the wood, refinish and buff the area. Satin or high gloss.

    Quoted in storeAction set-up includedA/B grade set-up extraStrings extra

  • Crack repair$35 per inch
    • Cleating material not included. Further work quoted in store.

    Strings extra

  • Headstock crack repair$275 and up

    Action set-up includedA/B grade set-up extraStrings extra

  • Top or back refinishing$500 and up
    • Colours, shading or pinstripes cost extra. Satin or high gloss. Relicing possible.

    Quoted in storeAction set-up includedA/B grade set-up extraStrings extra

  • Complete refinishing$1,000 and up
    • Colours, shading or pinstripes cost extra. Satin or high gloss. Relicing possible.
    • A grade set-up included.

    Quoted in storeStrings extra

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.

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