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Every spring since we first opened over 50 years ago, like clockwork, a steady stream of customers line up to bring us their damaged instruments to be repaired. And they all have the same issues: ▪ Cracks ▪ Separated Seams ▪ Sunken Tops ▪ Lifted Bridges ▪ Protruding Fret Ends ▪ Cracked Fingerboards ▪ Action Problems ▪ Buzzing ▪ Bowed Necks ▪ And More So why springtime and why are the problems all the same? (Hint: It’s not because of some crazy coincidence). Answer: These instruments have been suffering through weeks and weeks of neglect during the colder months -...

Whether you have children in school or not, summer is usually the time for taking a break, relaxing, and being away from routines. But when Fall is upon us, many of us return to "our normally scheduled program", which can include music lessons. So let's talk about what you need to know to get you (or your kids, if you have them) and your instrument up and running NOW, before the mad rush. YOU'RE GOING TO NEED AN INSTRUMENT AND IT NEEDS TO BE PROPERLY SET-UP: There are pros and cons to both renting and buying an instrument, but regardless...

All frets will wear with use (aka: playing the instrument). We see many instruments with frets that have worn down over time and are in need of some real help. Often the owner doesn't even realize how bad it's gotten until we bring it to their attention because fret wear happens gradually and the owner may not have noticed that they are having to push a lot harder on the strings or the instrument doesn't sound as good. The wear also happens directly under the strings so it's hard to see unless the strings are off or unless you look...

Blame it on New Year's Resolutions or Spring Cleaning but many folks focus on de-cluttering around this time of year so it seems like it might be a good time to talk about what to do with that instrument you're not playing anymore. Consignment Some folks may not be familiar with the term Consignment. Basically consignment is when the owner of the instrument is ready to sell and allows someone else (a "Broker") to handle everything for them including the advertising, promotion, and sale of the instrument. Advantages to consigning are: 1. The owner does not need to worry about...

Wow! A new guitar, carrying bag, strap, pitch pipe, AND replacement strings for only $39.99! Or how about a new banjo for $119.99? There are "deals" like this advertised on the Internet all of the time. Why? Because, as P.T. Barnum is sometimes attributed with saying, "There's a sucker born every minute". These "deal" instruments almost always ship directly from the manufacturer, to a warehouse, to the buyer. They have not been properly set-up (a set-up is a must for every stringed instrument) or inspected for playability and they arrive at your doorstep NOT ready to play. They are almost...