Recommendation for a good shop to have acoustic neck reset (preferably west coast)?

[loosegroove]

So my father-in-law purchased a sweet vintage Martin. Great shape except the action on the thing is insanely high. It's well beyond a bridge and truss rod adjustment, so it's going to need the neck reset. Anyone have any recommendations of where to get this done. Preferably in northern California area? Thanks!

 

[JSeth]

Gryphon Music, in Palo Alto... would be my first choice... they have been in business for many decades, have a sterling reputation and a host of excellent repair technicians there...

 

[mellecaster]

Gryphon Music, in Palo Alto... would be my first choice... they have been in business for many decades, have a sterling reputation and a host of excellent repair technicians there...

 

[old goat]

Depends where he lives. Arnie Gamble in Sacramento did a neck reset on my Martin. Excellent work, reasonable prices (although mine was warrantied). He's a Martine authorized luthier.

 

[loosegroove]

Depends where he lives. Arnie Gamble in Sacramento did a neck reset on my Martin. Excellent work, reasonable prices (although mine was warrantied). He's a Martine authorized luthier.

Thanks for the replies guys. Great, Arnie Gamble was at the top of my list and was hoping someone would mention him with some first hand experience. My father-in-law lives in Chico, so Sac is relatively close in the grand scheme of things.

 

[guitarcapo]

If it's still Frank Ford in the repair shop at Gryphon...that would be my first choice. He even has a website called "frets.com" that documents and instructs on repair work so you can see how he works. The man has skills.

Check out how he repaired this mandocello....your neck reset is a walk in the park for him:


http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Blogs/K2Collapse/k2collapse.html

 

[Levon]

Edward V. Dick, from Denver, is known for having neck resets, on Martins, down to an art. You'll probably never be able to tell it had one. Did one for me in 2010 for $300. Google him.

 

[clemduolian]

Gryphon first for a consult. They're are the kind/quality of shop that will send you to Arnie if they think he's the best person...and they have Michi Matsuda on their staff (among the best luthiers working today).

 

[Matt Sarad]

Alan Perlman of San Francisco. He is a one man operation. He builds for himself and Eric Schoenberg and does most of he repairs for Steve Swan. When Gryphon's proposed repairs for my Merrill OM28 were questionable, Alan came up with a simple and elegant solution. When I dropped off my guitar for him to work on, he showed me Bob Weir's OM 45.

 

[DucatiWebDesign]

Alan Perlman of San Francisco. He is a one man operation. He builds for himself and Eric Schoenberg and does most of he repairs for Steve Swan. When Gryphon's proposed repairs for my Merrill OM28 were questionable, Alan came up with a simple and elegant solution. When I dropped off my guitar for him to work on, he showed me Bob Weir's OM 45.

This sounds like a strong endorsement.

What kind of vintage Martin? Don't be shy.

 

[A-Bone]

Gryphon first for a consult. They're are the kind/quality of shop that will send you to Arnie if they think he's the best person...and they have Michi Matsuda on their staff (among the best luthiers working today).

This, plus Gryphon is expert with vintage Martins specifically (founder Richard Hoover literally wrote the book on them; founder Frank Ford is a phenomenal repairer of vintage instruments). I cannot think of a better first stop for this sort of repair.

 

[Kraus Guitars]

Frank Ford at Gryphon