Set Up

 

Common maintenance is crucial to your guitar's longevity and performance. We offer:

​

• General cleaning

• Old string removal

• Clean and oil fingerboard

• Tighten Hardware

• Restring with new strings

• Truss rod adjustment

• Nut slotting as needed

• String height adjustment

• Intonation

• Electronics cleaning

​

​

Fret Dress

 

Over time, frets naturally become worn from playing. A fret dress refines your guitar to level frets for better performance. The tops of the frets are made level with each other to within 0.001." once this has been completed, the fingerboard is protected, and each fret individually is crowned to a fine point, then each fret is sanded and buffed to a mirror shine. A set is required after all fret dresses. Priced separately.

​

​

Refretting & Fingerboard Leveling

 

At some point, your frets may wear out and need replacement. Or, you may simply want a different sized fret. All instruments will be evaluated while the customer is present. Before new frets can be installed, the finger board may need correcting. Whether the truss rod isn't able to adjust the neck enough, wear, or the wood settling in with age, new frets should not go on a neck unless it is known that there will not be excessive fret wire removed to achieve a fret level.

​

​

Nut Replacement

 

The core of a guitar's playability, the string nut.  A great amount of pressure is constantly being pressed in the string slot by the string.  Through tuning and regular play, these slots can wear down.  Once an open string is plucked and it buzzes against the frets, the nut needs to be replaced.  Many materials are available.  Shimming a nut is not an option.  The nut MUST BE SEATED PROPERLY IN THE NECK.  A weakness in the neck can be created by a poorly seated or shimmed nut.

​

​

Pickup replacement or install

 

Many options are available for both acoustic and electric guitar pickups, including custom wound pickups made in house.  Mill City Lutherie allows the customer to chose how they want their instrument to sound.  All installation work will be done professionally with the best components when applicable.

​

Electronics Repair

 

Jacks and potentiometers can become dirty, corroded, or simply break.  All of these issues are handled competently, with the options of more reliable replacement parts.

​

Re-gluing & Cracks

 

Often through no fault of the customer, from dryness or hasty building, a guitar can have parts come unglued or cracked.  All options will be discussed with the customer.  Sometimes repairs need to be done is a certain order due to structural importance.  A realistic outcome will also be discussed.  It is a sad day when the wood of an instrument cracks.  Most of the time it can not be hidden, so the option is to make a solid of a repair as possible.

​

Peghead Cracks

 

This happens more often than you would think.  Dropping a guitar, strap slipping off, turning and hitting something, falling in the case, and yes pets and children are all common causes.  If you are looking for a repair place to have your's fixed, make sure you remove the strings for the instrument so there is no tension on a broken piece of wood.  Options on how far the customer want the resulting repair will be given upto evaluation.

​

Modifications

If your instrument isn't just right, or if what you really want is not made by anyone, then don't worry about having some modifications made to your guitar or bass.  Careful and thorough consultation and planning will be taken to make everything the way you want it to be with your instrument.  Installing custom electronics, reshaping of a body or neck, hardware swapping all can be done here.  All labor and parts cost will be communicated with the customer, and a realistic timeline and regular updates are the practice here.  No idea is too crazy to not think out.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​