ralley
Hi guys,
Can anyone recommend a good guitar tech in Gauteng? I recently took my Strat in to get the nut changed to a graphtech, new string tree and a general setup. Unfortunately it can back a buzzy mess that still doesn't stay in tune. Not very impressed seeing this is a "big-name" shop and cost me a lot. I'd actually been impressed when I spoke to the tech - they just didn't deliver.
Cheers, Rob.
AlanRatcliffe
Firstly - give the nut and string tree a chance to break in. Even the Graph Tech stuff takes a little time to settle in and start working at it's best. Is there a chance that the strings are still breaking in? The buzzing is a different story.
I know there are a lot of hacks around - even (or maybe especially) in "big name shops". There is also the chance that a good tech slips up or has allowed an apprentice to handle a job without checking the result properly - as often happens when the workload is high. I speak from experience when I say that a shop tech doesn't always have the luxury of being able to turn away work he can't handle the way an independent can.
You have paid for a service and it has not been delivered, so your first step should be to complain and see how they respond. If the shop and tech are worth their weight, they will make a plan and do whatever it takes to correct the job and make you happy. If they do not do so you have every right to ask for your money back. Then take it to another luthier.
In this country, we often "vote with our feet", which is the wrong way to do things. In some cases, shops do not know how good/bad their own tech is unless they hear feedback from their customers. Don't forget that most of the bigger stores are owned/operated by businessmen who do not know much about music or instruments. Not all of them care about such things, but some do.
If you don't get satisfaction from the shop, you must let us know who the offending party is, so that others can avoid the same problems in future.
andrewjbryson
Your right...
and most music shops are a joke...
MusiekLand charged me 250 to "service" my guitar
They did absolutely nothing to it, just installed a pickup
They even wired my SuperDistortion out of phase....
This was a while back , so I have learnt my lesson since then....
cain
Hi
Most shops are a really a joke. You might want to try matts music ( www.mattsmusic.co.za , guitar tech is a guy called Chris Jackobs ). He does a fairly good job. The best round here is a guy called Grant. Ill find out if he takes in new business lately and let you know.
When i replaced my saddles, andy mcgibbons wanted to charge me R300 to install it which excludes the graphtec saddles or setting action and intonation, so i just did it myself. Most shops are useless.
AlanRatcliffe
so i just did it myself
Good man! 🙂
ralley
Thanks Guys, I'll give Matts a try.
Tuning problem is not related to the nut break in - the trem is actually hanging up on the scratch plate which was cut too big from the factory, the tech was supposed to trim it but it came back unchanged, as soon as you use the trem it hangs up and instantly out of tune. Obviously it was never played to check.
The nut was also cut to deep - g-string was touching the first fret when pressed at the third fret. I've since shimmed the nut to improve things, still not great and obviously the shim is a work around. I might just get hold of a new set of feeler gauges and go through the whole thing myself - I suspect the relief needs work as well.
Thanks Rob.
JK
Ralley, How was the setup at Matts ?
I know this topic is ancient, just curious if they sorted your guitar out and if you recommend.
Martyr
Your right...
and most music shops are a joke...
MusiekLand charged me 250 to "service" my guitar
They did absolutely nothing to it, just installed a pickup
They even wired my SuperDistortion out of phase....
This was a while back , so I have learnt my lesson since then....
musikland don't do the actual servicing and repairs,they send it off to another guy(can't remember his name) for their guitars,but they do do repair work on pedals and stuff in store
Heath
IMO , andy mcgibbons is probably the best in JHB and fairly reasonably priced
JK
Ya, Andy 's is really good, had my one guitar setup there. Only problem is the 2 week waiting period! Guess its worth getting quality. I was there a week ago, and they told me my guitar would be number 50'somthing in line!
Explorerlover
I must be lucky then, as I have my guitars set up at TOMS, service with a smile and it's for free.
ralley
JK wrote:
Ralley, How was the setup at Matts ?
I know this topic is ancient, just curious if they sorted your guitar out and if you recommend.
Never made it to Matts and I'm in NZ now so not going too! The ones who stuffed it up (and they really stuffed it) was Andy McGibbons.
Rob.
Lethe
andy mcgibbons also managed to screw up my service. Came back and the volume pots weren't working. so i had to go back and they charged me to replace them. (though as the owner walked away the dude behind the counter made me a deal. hehehe) but still... not cool...
Capricorn
The best guy to probably go to would be Grant. His company is called Smashing Guitars and he is around the Roodepoort area. He tends to take a couple of weeks to get the work done but it's definitely woth it in the end. I had a Takamine acoustic that had a deep crack near the top of the neck and when I got it back it was playing better than ever.
PeachyDragon
These days I do much of my work myself. Ive been through the ringer with guitar
techs in pretoria and a few of the others...
Most guys in Pretoria have slipped on more than a few occasions. I wont slam any names,
but some guys are inreliable or over priced and another guy did a FULL service on my Ibanez
including refretting etc, and didnt notice that the pickups wiring was done COMPLETELY wrong, despite
my complaints about the tone! The neck pickup selector was still selecting one coil of the bridge pickup.
I went to Andy McGibbons and they offered me tea and spoe about wood harmonics and stuff for 15 minutes, also oblivious.
I got a number for a guy called Grant Fouche who was running a store called "smashing Guitars" in randburg last time i checked. Anyhow, after talking to me for 5 minutes he already knew what the problem was and showed me a lot of really POOR workmanship that the other guys had done, and his prices were great. BEST BY FAR!
racman
Anyone got contact details for Grant. Used to know him well but have lost contact with him over the years and would like to re establish contact. Please pm me his details
Tokai-SA
PM sent.
Btw guys, Grant is now the Lindy Fralin pickups distributor in SAfrica.
aubs1
I bumped into a guy called Grant at TOMS on Friday, he just looked at my PRS Std 24 and pointed out a few things that I did not even notice!!!
Apparently he does work for TOMS customers. Is this the same Grant? I was impressed with his fine -tuned observations.
Tokai-SA
Hi Aubs
Yep, that's Grant, he does work for TOMS amongst other stores...he is very fine tuned when it comes to guitars, an excellent tech.
His brother is Heath Fouche.
I'll PM you his cell number.
aubs1
Thanx Lance, got the PM. So then it was THE Grant. Will stick that number in my Contacts list.
