Luthier for partial refret in the North East

Timeline88 · November 2020

I recently bought a 1973 Guild S100 and I think it could benefit from a bit of investment in the fretboard/frets. There's some noticeable pitting in the fretboard and frets, particularly around frets 1-5 and has developed some pretty serious buzz around the second fret.

It has been set up recently but seems to have slipped back, hence why I'm thinking it might need a closer look. It was set up at GuitarGuitar and I've had work carried out there before with no issues but they do get swamped and I'm expecting that'll probably be the case when they re-open next week.

Does anyone have any recommendations for luthiers in the North East who would be worth me contacting? It's a vintage instrument and a bound fretboard, if that helps.

Cheers!

Dontgiveupyourdayjob · November 2020

I'd recommend dropping Adam Stevenson (aka Guitar Guru) in Sunderland a message. Does great work. Never had any vintage instruments to refer to him myself, but there are plenty of photos and glowing testimonials on his FB page.

www.facebook.com/GGGuitars

Timeline88 · November 2020

Thanks @Dontgiveupyourdayjob, I’ll check him out.

Titch · November 2020

Double Stop Guitars in Whitley Bay, Alan Brason (I think he's in the same area) and Les Tones in Hebburn.

I've had work done by Double Stop and I would thoroughly recomend him.

riffpowers · November 2020

I’d avoid les tomes like the plague.
Totally dishonest, ripoff merchant , thief and liar.
Sadly I speak from experience.

Kittyfrisk · November 2020

riffpowers said:

I’d avoid les timed like the plague.
Totally dishonest, ripoff merchant , thief and liar.
Sadly I speak from experience.

Interesting comment, care to elaborate?
I have no relationship with or opinions on the bloke, just curious.

yorkio · December 2020

David Wilson out at Hexham has done some great work for me in the past. He's got a bit of a backlog at the moment though, I believe.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob · December 2020

riffpowers said:

I’d avoid les tomes like the plague.
Totally dishonest, ripoff merchant , thief and liar.
Sadly I speak from experience.

Surprised to hear that. My dad got me my first ever 'proper' guitar from him as a 16th birthday present many moons ago. It seemed a great deal and he was a top bloke as I recall - although his wife actually worked for my dad, so that might have had something to do with it!

Just another name to throw into the 'maybe hat' - Shaun at Riff Raff Guitars in Sunderland is my regular set-up and problem-fettling guy. Don't know what he's like with refrets, but he's always got some weird and wonderful vintage instruments that he's working on in his shop so definitely knows the crack with older guitars.

Riff-Raff Guitars Sunderland | Facebook

riffpowers · December 2020

Kittyfrisk said:

riffpowers said:

I’d avoid les timed like the plague.
Totally dishonest, ripoff merchant , thief and liar.
Sadly I speak from experience.

Interesting comment, care to elaborate?
I have no relationship with or opinions on the bloke, just curious.

Certainly!! I'd be gutted if someone else got ripped off like I did.
Me and my friends gave him a lot of work and this is how my story goes,
You'll have heard the rumours about his box of PAF's??!

I took a les paul custom in for a headstock repair and a refret.
When I collected it and took it home it didn't sound very good. I rang Les to ask his advice and he got real defensive, then later said I need a new selector switch which he would sell me but I'd need to fit it myself.. I took his word for it and didn't question it.
Bought switch, it was the wrong type. Different colour gold, and was right angle like an SG. Must've needed rid of the switch. I went away again. Switch didn't fit, waste of money, and guitar still didn't sound right.
Brought an SG in for some work.
He stole the strap and straplocks from inside the case.
I noticed and had to go back for them.
Fast forward a couple of years. Les paul still sounds crap and buzzes everywhere, so I sent it to a reputable guitar repairer.

Almost every single fret had lifted, and the reason it sounded crap was because the pickup covers had been removed and hastily put back, breaking the earth connection. So not only did it sound crap but it was dangerous too.

I'm 1000000% sure tha Les HAD to have done this as I've owned the guitar since new and he was the only person who had ever worked on it. He had given a crap refret (which I don't even think it needed) , and tried to steal the pickups by removing the covers so he could take my set and put the covers on a different set, thinking I wouldn't have noticed. Obviously he knows he did this and at no point in the numerous subsequent visits and phone calls did he offer to put it right or even take a look. He could easily have put it right and I'd not have even known.
Not only did he totally rip me of , lie and try to steal from me, but he also ruined a beautiful guitar.

So basically I'd advise anyone that ever mentions his name to steer well clear. If ever see him I'll take his fucking head off.

Kittyfrisk · December 2020

@riffpowers Thanks for that. Given what you have said, I'd feel exactly as you do.
I have a Tanglewood TW61 that was upgraded with genuine Rickenbacker hardware & sounds great. It was supposedly fettled by Les Tones, but that's the only thing that I have that he 'may' have touched.
I had heard various tales about him over the years, some good, but more bad, so I reckon I'll continue to steer clear of him.
Shame that there aren't more decent setup & repair guys in the NE, I could certainly use someone good since John Gill went off the rails.

riffpowers · December 2020

Kittyfrisk said:

@riffpowers Thanks for that. Given what you have said, I'd feel exactly as you do.
I have a Tanglewood TW61 that was upgraded with genuine Rickenbacker hardware & sounds great. It was supposedly fettled by Les Tones, but that's the only thing that I have that he 'may' have touched.
I had heard various tales about him over the years, some good, but more bad, so I reckon I'll continue to steer clear of him.
Shame that there aren't more decent setup & repair guys in the NE, I could certainly use someone good since John Gill went off the rails.

I’ve heard the same . Some good , some bad , but at the time he was one of the few people doing it !

you’re right , we need more decent repair guys. When we’re out of tier 3 I’ve got 2 guitars that need work , one of them needs a lot of work , but I don’t know where to go !!

sawyer · December 2020

There's Wesley Guitars in Barnard Castle.

Kittyfrisk · December 2020

^ Funnily enough I was just going to say the same

I'll have to give him a try when things get back to being workable again. Save on an eye test I suppose...
https://wesleyguitars.co.uk/about/

kennedydream1980 · December 2020

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

I'd recommend dropping Adam Stevenson (aka Guitar Guru) in Sunderland a message. Does great work. Never had any vintage instruments to refer to him myself, but there are plenty of photos and glowing testimonials on his FB page.

www.facebook.com/GGGuitars

This ^^ The guy is top notch.

longjaw · December 2020

I've used Alan Brason in Whitley Bay - recommended.

Also, Chris at CH Guitars in South Shields is canny.

BGG · December 2020

I’d highly recommend Dave Wilson in Acomb but as stated earlier he’s booked into the new year. Best refinished anywhere too IMO.
Highly recommend Paul Richardson just outside of Durham, builds amazing guitars too and his prices are very reasonable.

Never used Adam Stevenson but he comes highly recommended by many of my friends who’ve used him.

close2u · December 2020

Nigel Stockbridge in Richmond did some work for me and I know people who have used him for work - I would think refrets is on his skill set.

Timeline88 · December 2020

Just catching up on the thread. Thanks everyone for your recommendations, I'll follow-up and have a look at them all.

Neil who works out of GuitarGuitar in Newcastle has also been suggested for refret work - anyone have any experience? To be honest, he was my first thought but I'd imagine he'll be a lot of people's first thought and he'll be booked out for ages now that they've reopened.

Cheers,
Joe

Adji · December 2020

There are a few very good ones up here now.

I nearly always use Martyn at DS / DoubleStop Guitars, or Neil at guitarguitar Newcastle.

Titch · December 2020

If I'd known about Riffpowers experience with LesTones I wouldn't have put his name up.

Kittyfrisk · December 2020

Titch said:

If I'd known about Riffpowers experience with LesTones I wouldn't have put his name up.

No worries, you tried to help & that's what counts.

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Luthier for partial refret in the North East

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