A luthier is a skilled craftsman who creates and repairs stringed musical instruments. Guitars are some of the most popular instruments in the world and they require regular maintenance to keep them sounding their best. There are certain tasks that you can take care of yourself, including cleaning and restringing your instrument, but it’s often a good idea to leave the more complex jobs to professionals who specialize in guitar repair and restoration.
A professional luthier can do everything from a complete fret leveling and redressing to neck resets, bracing, custom work, nut and saddle replacement and much more. They are able to address all of the issues that can affect the performance of your guitar, from a faulty truss rod to a crack in the body or headstock. They can even create one-of-a-kind custom instruments, like violins, cellos, violas and more.
Most Guitar Center locations have a full-time luthier on staff to help with all of your repair needs. Paul Ulven has been a luthier at Guitar Center for over 14 years and he knows how important it is to treat each customer as an individual and to give them the best possible experience with their guitar repair. He’s done this by working as a one-on-one repairman at locations including Alex Music, Rudy’s Music Stop and Focus 2 (now Music Emporium).
Many people may think that a luthier is only capable of repairing electric or acoustic guitars, but a talented and experienced luthier can also work on any stringed instrument. This includes acoustic or bass guitars, as well as ukuleles and banjos. This makes it easy for anyone to find a guitar luthier near me no matter what kind of stringed instrument they play.
In addition to repairing instruments, these specialists can also do modifications and upgrades. They can swap out your pickups, add a new pickguard or do any number of other tasks that can make your guitar more personal to you. They can even customize the look and feel of your guitar to create a one-of-a-kind instrument.
The PLEK machine takes precision craftsmanship to an entirely new level. This state-of-the-art tool scans the neck and fretboard, identifying any imperfections that would be difficult or impossible to detect by hand. Then, it executes a series of adjustments that bring your fretwork to the highest levels of perfection.
When looking for a guitar luthier near you, be sure to check online guitar forums and social media for local recommendations. A quick search will reveal the most popular and trusted luthiers in your area, as well as any additional services they offer. You can also visit their website or call them to learn more about their services and pricing. It’s always a good idea to book an appointment before you drop your guitar off for any type of repair. This will ensure that the work gets done as quickly and efficiently as possible. It will also prevent any delays in getting your guitar back to you.