Most Common Guitar Repairs

[Gostwriter]

I am looking to learn more about guitar repair and set up so I was wondering as a luthier or luthier/tech/repair person; what are the most common guitar repairs you come across on both acoustic, acoustic electric and solid body electric guitars?

Thanks for your input.

[charles Tauber]

1. set-up

2. set-up

3. set-up

Set-up may include new nuts and saddles, intonation work.

4. Fret work - replacement, levelling, crowning, shaping fret ends and re-seating fret ends - are all common.

5. Bridge re-glues on acoustics are common.

6. Repairing broken heads are fairly common on some brands.

7. Repairing loose braces and/or splits in tops, backs and sides are fairly common.

8. Neck resets.

9. finish/re-finish work.

That's the bread 'n' butter stuff as I know it. Then lots of one-off type stuff ranging from replacing tuning pegs to making a new neck.

"Guitar repair" is a very broad term. While there are some commonalities to all types of guitars, there are some significant differences depending upon which end of the market one is in. For example, "serious" classical guitar work will be a fair bit different than solid body electrics and each will bring with it different sorts of problems (and required skills) and very different clientele. One may attempt to cover all bases or, instead, specialize in certain areas of the market. One may also choose to not offer a full range of services due to the equipment/set-up and/or expertise required to do so. (For example, one may chose not to offer replacement of acoustic guitar tops or complete refinishing work.)

[Gostwriter]

I almost thought you were going to stop at #3 but thanks for going the extra mile, it's appreciated. It sounds like it is one of those things where you never stop learning but then playing the guitar is like that too.

[arie]

fwiw very often repairing something is far more difficult then making it anew. fixing something broken within the confines of an existing design can be quite challenging especially if that design is faulty from the start. on the other hand repairing someones guitar after they have simply dropped it can be a fairly straight forward fix.

[Ned Milburn]

Charles pretty much covered it all, but missed out on electronics. Replacing pots, jacks, pickups, rewiring, etc.

If you are just getting into it, you might want to avoid neck resets to begin with. Setups, fretwork, electronics, crack repair, and finish touch-up-repair are all pretty common.

Doing good fretwork takes time to develop the skill. The electronic work is pretty much just like dot-to-dots and can be fun and lucrative if you have a propensity and interest for it.

[Gostwriter]

Thanks both for the input, I appreciate it...

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by HCG Canada

Charles pretty much covered it all, but missed out on electronics. .. The electronic work is pretty much just like dot-to-dots and can be fun and lucrative if you have a propensity and interest for it.

I don't do electronics, but for under-the-saddle pickups for acoustics. I don't have an interest in it. My area of specialization is acoustic instruments, particularly classical guitars, lutes, etc.

[Ned Milburn]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

I don't do electronics, but for under-the-saddle pickups for acoustics. I don't have an interest in it. My area of specialization is acoustic instruments, particularly classical guitars, lutes, etc.

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you on this one, Charles. ;-) Just thought it was good to mention that electronics is a fairly common repair request, easy to do, and good for someone starting repair work to learn.