Guitar Repairs in Leeds and West Yorkshire
Whether you are an amateur hobbyist or a seasoned professional, it is important to take care of your guitar. Some things such as restringing and general cleaning can be done by yourself if you have the time and skills, but a more complex task such as fixing a loose input often requires the services of a professional guitar repairman.
A guitar repairman, also known as a luthier (who are more associated with the making of an instrument rather than only repairs) likely works in a workshop and has all the right tools to get the job done, which ultimately saves a lot of time compared with your DIY strategies at home. Here are some options when it comes to choosing someone to fix your guitar (or giving it some well-deserved maintenance) in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
Beej Guitar Repairs
http://www.beejguitars.co.uk/Home.html
Old Chapel Studios, 1 Crossland Court, Czar Street, Leeds LS11 9PR
ben@beejguitars.co.uk
Beej’s Bargain Corner may offer some great deals of used guitars from time to time. Ben Shand also works from a home workshop in Bradford so pickup and collection is flexible and convenient between there and towards the Leeds or Armley area.
Jim’s Guitar Workshop
https://jimsguitarworkshop.co.uk/
7 Melton Avenue, Leeds LS10 4RA
jimcroisdale@hotmail.co.uk
Full Beans™ setup is suitable for any player looking for a high quality standard setup on their instrument. For the enthusiastic learner, one-day guitar tech courses are available.
Ackworth Guitar Setups
https://www.ackworthguitarsetups.co.uk/
Ackworth Guitar Setups Leeds, The Chapel Works, Stocks Street, Leeds, LS7 2AU
info@ackworthguitarsetups.co.uk
UK’s 1st chain of guitar repair shops with 1-2 day guitar setup/repair courses available. More suited to the intermediate and advanced guitar player who may consider subscribing to a membership from £10 a month which includes a few setups as well as discount on strings. Ackworth Guitar Setups also undertake guitar amplifier and pedal servicing and repairs.
Tristan from Ackworth Guitar Setups also runs a shop www.onlyfrets.com which sells quality guitar, bass and acoustic guitar parts as well as pedal and amp parts.
Fraser Callum
Aire Place Studios, Kirkstall Road, LS3 1JL
Email provided after initial phone call.
If you are looking for a re-fret for your guitar or bass, consider Fraser who specialises in this area. Re-fret work comes with a full setup. Also covers acoustic guitars.
Laverack Guitars
https://www.laverackguitars.com/
The Nave Studios, Britannia Street, Leeds, LS28 6NR
laverackguitars@gmail.com
Laverack specialises in guitar repairs, custom builds, and hand wound pickups. Impressive CV with experience working with the likes of Sam Fender and the Cribs!
Worth the travel?
As a side note, it might be worth the journey to travel to Leeds even if you are based in other nearby areas such as North Yorkshire (or any region in the North of England) in order to try the services of someone in particular with a good reputation. On the plus side, it can be useful to know someone reliable who can look after your instrument and build a long term relationship with them. On the other hand, trying someone with little to no experience can pose serious problems if they harm your guitar in any way, accidentally or not.
FAQs
Do I need to refret my guitar?
The answer usually becomes yes when you start noticing the tone and/or playability degrading, for example constant buzzing and string bends not holding out. However it comes down to factors such as the fretboard radius to the type of frets in terms of size and shape. Personal preference also plays a role in the decision as every player’s touch is different. Some may press down hard with heavy vibrato while others don’t mind a relatively high action.
When should I restring my guitar?
Once again it usually depends on whether the tone and/or playability is noticeably affected. Strings do age over time as sweat and dirt from your hands stick on. Old strings can be sticky, and may also lose tuning stability which then affects the playability. Observe whether the colour is a dull grey rather than a shiny silver coming out of a freshly sealed pack, and if there are signs of rust due to humidity in the air. The tone may sound ‘dead’, losing the bright and twangy sound when the strings are new, although some players actually prefer the sound of worn in strings which sound warmer, almost like when the tone knob is rolled down. A general rule of thumb is to check monthly if you play often (everyday or every other day).
Final Thoughts
Guitar maintenance and repairs often comes down to the styles of music you play, for example you may need to set up a lower action with thinner gauge strings in order to play faster for heavy rock/metal (click here for rock guitar lessons). Check out different musical styles that I teach. Otherwise, feel free to get in touch for any pointers or advice, especially if you are new to town!
