Luthier Services

Welcome! In my decade of repair experience, I've seen many instruments fall into all sorts of precarious situations. But not to fret, from simple checkups, to saving the instrument from full-on near-death experiences, LARRR is fully equipped to perform emergency service on your pride and joy. I understand that other Los Angeles luthier services tend to be priced on the high side, but I also intend on rescuing your wallet with honest prices for honest work. My desire is for my clients to return to their artistic endeavors without stressing about money or their gear, because we could all use a little more art in this world. I am also available for on-site repairs and concert tech hire. I stand behind and guarantee all of my work, and no instrument passes over my bench for a restringing without a deep cleaning that no youtube video will show you. So from restringing and cleaning, to full refrets and headstock repairs, no instrument is beyond rescue.

What is a set up and why do I need one?

Do you have a guitar that used to sound and feel better than it does now? Or perhaps an instrument that never felt quite right to begin with? Think of a “set up” as a tune up on your car. Every guitar or bass—acoustic or electric—needs regular maintenance so it plays at its best. Guitars are essentially hunks of wood that expand and contract over time, making the string hight—or action—go up and down. A poorly maintained guitar also goes out of tune more frequently, making every note you play sound sour and unappealing, even if your open strings are in tune. This can make some players give up on a guitar that just needed a little love. A set up is more than a restringing and a cleaning, my set ups entail a plethora of diagnostics and adjustments, all of which make your music-making partner play the way it was meant to play. Below is what every instrument that passes over my bench for a set up receives, and I’m not satisfied until you love the way it plays.

• Remove old strings to thoroughly clean and polish instrument body

• Remove all gunk from fingerboard wood, then hydrate with fingerboard oil

• Strip all corrosion off frets and polish them to a factory shine with a Dremel polishing wheel

• Tighten every component on the guitar; tuners, pots, jack, screws, pins, etc.

• Restring the instrument using the Taylor Guitars method to ensure tuning stability

• Adjust truss rod for optimal neck straightness

• Adjust string hight at the bridge and nut to ensure a comfortable, fast action without buzz

• Adjust pickup hight for full tone and even volume across all pickups

• Intonate the strings using a strobe tuner so every note on the fingerboard is perfectly in tune

• Test every electrical component and spray any scratchy pots or jacks

• Check fret leveling to ensure each note rings out clearly

• After each set up, I always ask for your feedback to see if you want anything adjusted to your playing preference