What is the difference between a setup with you guys and the music store down the street?
We perform professional Setups. Many competitors perform a restring & trus rod adjustment and think they setup your guitar. Bring that recently setup guitar by and we will show you everything they didn't adjust.
We only do guitar repair. No guitar sales here. We are one of the few stand alone guitar repair shops in the US.
We only bring on guys that have first graduated a luthier school with a Guitar Repair Luthier Certification, then have apprenticed with us many months before ever touching a customer piece. But that isn't the only reason you should trust Southeast with your guitar repair needs, we have mastered the setup. For over 2 decades, customers keep bringing their instruments to us because every guitar that we setup will be setup as well as every other guitar he has! People just like the consistency of having their guitars setup exactly like the last guitar. We are consistent. Our shop specs have been keeping us busy for 25 plus years. Mike Marshall created the perfect setup. The "Southeast Setup"!
We only do guitar repair. No guitar sales here. We are one of the few stand alone guitar repair shops in the US.
We only bring on guys that have first graduated a luthier school with a Guitar Repair Luthier Certification, then have apprenticed with us many months before ever touching a customer piece. But that isn't the only reason you should trust Southeast with your guitar repair needs, we have mastered the setup. For over 2 decades, customers keep bringing their instruments to us because every guitar that we setup will be setup as well as every other guitar he has! People just like the consistency of having their guitars setup exactly like the last guitar. We are consistent. Our shop specs have been keeping us busy for 25 plus years. Mike Marshall created the perfect setup. The "Southeast Setup"!
Does Southeast Guitar Repair do partial re-frets?
Mother always said, "If you're going to take the time to do something, do it right". The only proper way to guarantee a re-fret to play better than it did when it was brand new is to start with a completely level playing surface. When you do a partial re-fret you are not able to level the fingerboard properly so there is no guarantee when you dress the new frets, to match the height of the old ones, that it is going to play optimally. Also your money is wasted, you are now having to lower the new frets even to the already worn frets. In the end, you are only getting half the life out of those new frets you just had put in.
Do you have a recommendation for a company that can insure my instrument?
A good client has his collection covered and raves about Anderson Musical Instruments in South Florida. Their phone number is 781-834-1700.
Do you do Appraisals?
We do not. We stay busy with the repair business. We do recommend Gruhn Guitars in Nashville. They even have an online option for appraisals. We encourage you have your instruments appraised. If you bought a guitar 20 years ago for $800 and now its worth $5000, your appraisal helps to document its current value.
Is my instrument safe there?
Your guitars are very safe here. We are a white glove operation and from the time you enter, your instrument's condition is preserved. We have rules about the upkeep of a luthier's bench that they must follow. We have seen the horror stories about picking up instruments from other techs only to find tiny hair line scratches. Won't happen here, our benches and our techniques are like a surgeon's operating room. I've seen other music stores where the repaired instruments are being worked on right on the counter. Or the guitars are stored on the sales floor. Right where anyone can come by & touch your baby. Won't happen here. Our workshop is not accessible to the public. We also have adequate insurance to cover any issue if there ever was a need to use it. Did you know that a general business insurance policy doesn't automatically cover customer pieces? You must add on additional coverage to include the pieces that a customer brings to your shop. Ask your tech to let you view their insurance certificate to be sure this additional coverage is listed. We always have a current copy for our customer review. You should have all the confidence in your luthier. And if you think that luthier's home owner's policy will cover your instrument, think again! Its a headache enough to cover your personal pieces in an incident where you have to call on your own home owner's policy, so imagine fighting with some guy's home owner's policy for a guitar that isn't documented in his own personal belongings.
I can't find time to come to your shop...
We have a Pickup & Delivery service. We pick up Tuesday-Thursday. We can come to your business address. If you are within 25 mile radius from Buford or our driver's home in Stone Mountain, our fee is $35 1 way or $55 round trip. If you are further away, email us for a quote on Pickup / Delivery. Email us to schedule or call us at the shop.
Do you do stainless steel refrets?
We do not.
A great alternative to stainless steel is EVO Gold fret wire.
We do love EVO Gold fret wire if you are looking for a stronger fret material. If you don't mind the look of a gold fret this is a great alternative to stainless steel.
A great alternative to stainless steel is EVO Gold fret wire.
We do love EVO Gold fret wire if you are looking for a stronger fret material. If you don't mind the look of a gold fret this is a great alternative to stainless steel.
My guitar needs a neck reset...?
Yes We do them, but only if you need one. The inexperienced guy will tell you need that pricey repair.
9 times out of 10, the neck reset you thought you needed, isn't the case. Before you go through with a neck reset, take the time to get a second opinion from us. Our evaluation is always free. We never charge you for a quote. You don't even need an appointment. Many customers call us saying someone told them they need a neck reset, rarely is that our professional opinion. Trust the experts. At least ask questions first. Know your options and pick a luthier's brain. If in fact you do need a neck reset, we will be more than happy to do it for you. It just isn't always the proper repair needed. You may need a less expensive repair that the other shop just doesn't know how to perform.
Other luthiers are very quick to say guitars need a neck reset. They will argue it doesn't hurt the value. Let's say you have a vintage Martin, the body and the neck have seasoned evenly over the years. They are connected right at that neck joint. Breaking that neck joint, cracking that finish line, cleaning the glue, starting the joint again and having to do finish work- that sounds intense. There may be a less invasive repair that will preserve the instrument. It's a cheaper option, many luthiers only know a neck reset. Let us check your "neck reset" out first and see what options are available before you do all of that to your guitar. Our quotes are always free. If you do need the neck reset, we can do it for you.
Forums- Be careful how much trust you put into what you read in forums. I promise you- a busy, luthier doesn't go home and give advice writing forums. Those guys giving you repair advice in a forum are hobbyists. Maybe a few repairs under their belt. Not knocking them, they are great students for our school. It's just they may not have the experience to give you professional advice on your vintage instrument. C. F. Martin came looking for us. We did not inquire with them to be a Warranty Service Center. Prior to becoming a service center, we had no shortage of Martin customers. We see more Martin guitars in a week than some techs see in their lifetime.
Other luthiers are very quick to say guitars need a neck reset. They will argue it doesn't hurt the value. Let's say you have a vintage Martin, the body and the neck have seasoned evenly over the years. They are connected right at that neck joint. Breaking that neck joint, cracking that finish line, cleaning the glue, starting the joint again and having to do finish work- that sounds intense. There may be a less invasive repair that will preserve the instrument. It's a cheaper option, many luthiers only know a neck reset. Let us check your "neck reset" out first and see what options are available before you do all of that to your guitar. Our quotes are always free. If you do need the neck reset, we can do it for you.
Forums- Be careful how much trust you put into what you read in forums. I promise you- a busy, luthier doesn't go home and give advice writing forums. Those guys giving you repair advice in a forum are hobbyists. Maybe a few repairs under their belt. Not knocking them, they are great students for our school. It's just they may not have the experience to give you professional advice on your vintage instrument. C. F. Martin came looking for us. We did not inquire with them to be a Warranty Service Center. Prior to becoming a service center, we had no shortage of Martin customers. We see more Martin guitars in a week than some techs see in their lifetime.
This other guy says he can do the job cheaper...
That is great! We wish you luck with your project. In our industry we fully believe you get what you pay for.
The best part is, you get to chose whomever you want to work on your baby.
We do not price our repairs to compete with the other guys. We are competitively priced with other top rated STAND ALONE REPAIR SHOPS across the country that staff certified luthiers. Please do your research and call around to shops on OUR level to comparison shop. If you are looking for the value priced repair, it is not our shop. If you are looking for the most qualified experienced luthiers in the US- that would be our shop and you are in the right place.
The best part is, you get to chose whomever you want to work on your baby.
We do not price our repairs to compete with the other guys. We are competitively priced with other top rated STAND ALONE REPAIR SHOPS across the country that staff certified luthiers. Please do your research and call around to shops on OUR level to comparison shop. If you are looking for the value priced repair, it is not our shop. If you are looking for the most qualified experienced luthiers in the US- that would be our shop and you are in the right place.
Do I have to pay for my repair in advance?
While we do operate on a pay at drop off system, we will never turn you away. And the only reason we changed to a prepay system is because people would leave their guitars in for a long time after the job was completed. This left us no room to even walk. Pre-payment also helped with people abandoning their guitars. We understand pay day hits at different times and that sometimes you need to go ahead and get in line. Just let us know at drop-off and we will gladly let you pay when you pick up. Also if you have a long term project in like a refret or full restoration, you can put a deposit down and pay the remainder at pickup. We are very flexible. Also if you are ever uncomfortable to pay in advance because you want to inspect our work first, you may definitely pay when the job is complete.
The guitar retail store down the street has a Plek Machine!!!
Yes, we are aware. We have repaired the human's portion of the work. While a Plek Machine might be able to compute some cool measurements, it all ends with a human doing the setup and other work. And that is the person you need to be speaking to when you drop off your guitar. Not the salesperson that sells the idea of the Plek.
We use tools that measure down to .001 of an inch. Just takes us a little longer than the expensive machine. Eventually those same guitars make their way to us so we can do it correctly and give it that perfect Setup.
I get it, I love new technology too! Do a quick internet search and you will see people over and over saying it all comes down to the tech doing the final work. No we do not plan to ever buy a Plek Machine - even though we just got a great price to buy a used one from one of the big guitar manufacturers, its not for us. Plenty of work for us to cleanup! Our clients rave about our impeccable fret work! Go ahead try the free plek job, then we can clean it up for you :) Make it play sweet & comfortable for you!
Word to the wise: If you just bought a new instrument, are you really wanting to take down the frets? You are losing some of your fret life right out of the bat. Unless it's a manufacturing defect causing the need for an instant fret level, you may want to preserve that fret life. If you do have uneven frets on a new guitar- that sounds like a manufacturing defect and its probably covered under warranty.
We use tools that measure down to .001 of an inch. Just takes us a little longer than the expensive machine. Eventually those same guitars make their way to us so we can do it correctly and give it that perfect Setup.
I get it, I love new technology too! Do a quick internet search and you will see people over and over saying it all comes down to the tech doing the final work. No we do not plan to ever buy a Plek Machine - even though we just got a great price to buy a used one from one of the big guitar manufacturers, its not for us. Plenty of work for us to cleanup! Our clients rave about our impeccable fret work! Go ahead try the free plek job, then we can clean it up for you :) Make it play sweet & comfortable for you!
Word to the wise: If you just bought a new instrument, are you really wanting to take down the frets? You are losing some of your fret life right out of the bat. Unless it's a manufacturing defect causing the need for an instant fret level, you may want to preserve that fret life. If you do have uneven frets on a new guitar- that sounds like a manufacturing defect and its probably covered under warranty.