I recently took my "affordable" guitar to Kurt for a setup, which it badly needed, and I got it back with it playing like a dream. And he provided a really quick turn around time to boot! Kurt certainly puts a lot of care into his work, and takes pride in knowing he has satisfied a customer. He clearly gets my vote! read more

Mayos Music - A proper setup really brings out the best in a guitar. - Electronics Repair Near Me

I recently purchased a new bass and could tell that it needed a good set up. I contact Kurt that evening and was about able to meet with him the next day. When We met he gave the bass a thorough inspection and walked me through the work that needed to be done. He also suggested that the bass be shielded to eliminate a really bad buzz. He was upfront about what NEEDED immediate attention vs. what he simply recommended. I ended going with all of his recommendations, but appreciated the fact that he didn't try to up sell me on unnecessary repairs. I also love the fact that he was able to complete the work in a couple of days. The sound and feel are A+++ and the buzz is now non existent. Kurt is knowledge, courteous, professional and very good at what he does. He's gained a customer for life in my and I would recommend him to anyone! read more

Mayos Music - Electronics Repair Near Me

Brought a Gretsch guitar in for a pickup swap. Kurt was extremely knowledgeable and thorough in his explanation of the process. He also gave suggestions on a few things that could use tweaking. The job was done in two days. When I pick the guitar up, Kurt explained everything that was done and even opened the back panel of the guitar to show me his soldering work. This definitely is a person I can trust with my guitars. Judging by his vast experience as both an instructor and luthier, I would definitely recommend him for any stringed instrument service! read more

I recently bought a guitar from Guitar Center that I was happy with, but not 100% satisfied. It was the guitar that I had always wanted, but playing it left something to be desired. There were some buzzy spots, and some strings felt higher/lower than others. I called Kurt and explained my situation with my guitar, a Gretsch, to which he responded that he was very familiar with. I took my guitar to Kurt, and in less than a week, I got it back. It played so much more amazingly, I'm having trouble putting it down! Kurt was very responsive, and was capable of answering any questions that I had. He gave me the option of doing a more basic set up, or a more involved one, which is a bit more costlier, but I figured I'd go all out and I don't regret it one bit! He was great at explaining the job he would do, and even showed me some of the tools that he would use, which I thought was pretty awesome. I've got another guitar that I'm looking forward to bringing back and getting set up properly. 5 stars! read more

I am very new to guitar and just recently purchased an acoustic/electric secondhand. I thought it had an issue with the pickup so I brought it in to Kurt. It's obvious he has a treasure trove of experience. The work he did was fantastic and came at a reasonable price. However, I think most importantly he taught me about my guitar and what to look for should I have problems in the future. Can't recommend him enough! read more

I really can't say enough good things about Kurt and the work he does. I brought him a guitar and a bass that both had various issues. From the neck being warped, to faulty and rusted hardware, to a big split in the wood. He was completely confident in his ability to fix everything, and was straightforward about his pricing. He fixed them both SO FAST. When I came back he ran over exactly what he had done and let me plug in and play them both. It was a wonderful experience and I've most certainly found where I'll be taking all my equipment to for work in the future. read more

I'm very happy to have found Mayos Music. I recently got a new Telecaster that needed a good set up done, and I have an older Les Paul that needed some electronics replaced and repaired, as well as some over all care done to the guitar as a whole. Kurt took the time to go over the guitars with me and explained everything he was going to do, he also gave estimates as he went over the guitars so you knew what to expect, which I greatly appreciated. I am really happy with the job he did to the tele, one of the best set ups I have ever had, but what I was extremely shocked and impressed with was my Les Paul. This is an older guitar and when I got it back it looked amazing! The fretboard looks better than it ever has, the work he did to the frets themselves is awesome. He polished all of the chrome parts and now they look brand new. He took great care in repairing this guitar and now it plays and sounds better than it ever has! I strongly recommend Kurt and Mayos Music for all of your sets ups or repairs. read more

I needed a mod kit put in a hot rod deluxe and I haven't the time or technical skills to perform such a task. I called up Nick and talked with him for several minutes about the mod and my tone options with the amp. He is a really nice guy and extremely knowledgeable! I wish I had 1/4 of his understanding when it comes to electronics and amps in particular. However, he did not talk over my head and took time to explain everything to me. I have been looking for a good "amp guy" for a long time and Nick is definitely it. The amp is sounding great! When I went to pick up the amp, Nick and Kurt both took time to talk to me. They are really nice guys with lots of experience. I love that they are close by and offer top notch work at very reasonable prices. read more

I can't say enough about Kurt Mayo. Friendly, very knowledgeable, very helpful, an expert at his craft. I am a customer with several guitars Kurt has worked on in California. Not only did he do an excellent job on my guitars, he also provided some expert and helpful tips for trouble shooting some issues on my guitar, and his tips worked! Whether you know something about guitars or you are new to guitars, everyone can learn something from Kurt. He really takes the time to help you, and I am lucky to know him. Thanks from Adam in CA. read more

I recently bought a guitar online that ended up getting cracked during shipping and was able to get that repaired as well as lowering the action on my guitar. Kurt was very knowledgeable and transparent in explaining his plans to fix the guitar! read more

Kurt is incredibly talented and professional with his process and craft! He took my Gibson sg with a neck completely fractured and detached, a guitar which I thought was done for. In a matter of weeks it was put back together and playing better than the condition I brought it to him in. Not only did he do a flawless job, he also offered additional advice on the restoration of my guitar which was helpful considering he saved me a lot of headaches I would've had down the line. All in all, I would take any and all gear to Kurt for repair or tune-ups. read more

After three years of taking lessons from Kurt it is time to write about things that I never thought I would be able to do. Kurt has taught me how to play guitar rhythm parts in a multitude of patterns, do lead fills, find the key and chord progression of Eric Clapton blues songs, and even has prepared me to play in our holiday party band at work! I couldn't be more satisfied with Kurt's teaching ability and patience with an enthusiastic beginner. His teaching style makes me stretch my ability but not so much to get frustrated. He has also set up two guitars for me and made them much easier to play. Highly Recommended. read more

After seeing high satisfaction reviews, I visited Mayo Music to have Kurt set up my new base. He seemed a very nice person and spent long time in explaining about his analysis and pricing. I asked him to set strings as low as my current base and to fix an issue that G string easily slid off fret, but he said I would develop bad habit with such a low setting. So, I accepted his suggestion. It costed me $100, if I didn't like setting, it would take more. Strings hight he set was very high and G string issue was not fixed perfectly. According to his suggestion, I had tried to get used to the strings hight for half year but still didn't get confidence. Finally, I brought my base to 13th street guitar at Huntington Beach. After quick check, first thing they told me was strings were too high and neck joint caused G string issue. They fixed the issue without using Plek and made the base very easy to play. The cost is only $85 and they won't charge for additional adjustments in case I'm not satisfied with it. Other negative points are that Kurt accepts only cash and no receipt, also his availability is not so flexible due to his class schedule. read more

Kurt's work is top-grade and he's a really nice guy! I've had 2 guitars (1 electric and 1 acoustic) in the $700-800 range set up by him and now both of them play like much more expensive guitars. If you need any guitar work done, this is the man to go to! read more

I'm a hobbyist/bedroom player that was looking to get my les paul properly set up. After looking on yelp I chose to bring my guitar to Kurt because of all the high praise for his work. Kurt took the time to go over my guitar and review the work he would do as a basic set up. Even in this first conversation he taught me things I didn't know about my own guitar. He also offered some options in case I was interested. As a hobbyist, I declined. Never did I feel any pressure for the extras. He completed the work on the day he said he would. When I picked it up, I was truly impressed. Intonation was the original reason I brought it in and now it is spot on. He crowned and polished the frets and adjusted the action. I never realized how much I was fighting the guitar until then. I highly recommend Kurt for any guitar work needed. You can tell he is passionate about his craft and it shows in his work. read more

I brought Kurt a couple of old guitars to get tuned up for my kids. They were not expensive guitars and one was pretty beat up. I could not believe the results. They were like the best guitars I had ever played. I next took my Taylor 710 for him to work over. I thought it was a pretty good guitar but after Kurt got done it was an amazing guitar. Noticibly easier to play and everything sounded more sweet and clear. Now that is the best guitar I have ever played. Now I want him to work over my Taylor 912 e. Note I like Kurt so much I ship my guitars to him in Arizona from my home in Nevada read more

I am taking classes with Kurt for several months now. I'm a 30 y.o. beginner-intermediate guitarist who decided to learn bass. I am VERY happy with my weekly lessons so far. Kurt's approach is very systematic and each lesson is built on previous one in a step by step manner. He is very to the point when handing out his weekly assignment and is on top of the material at the beginning of each class. He is perceptive and extremely good at troubleshooting and pointing out my errors not just in playing, but in how he perceives I'm taking in the information he gives me. He taught me music theory that practically applies to playing bass in a way that was very easy to understand and now makes the structure of music of many popular genres extremely clear. I went from knowing how to just hold the bass to now coming up with bass lines in various styles of music to Kurt's guitar jams. It feels great. I plant to continue taking the lessons in bass, and when feel comfortable with that instrument, switch back to guitar to improve my skills in that too. As a self taught guitarist I am grateful for learning bass now with the instruction of a bright and experienced educator that Kurt Mayo is. I would sincerely HIGHLY recommend Mr. Mayo to anyone who wants to take effective and at the same time fun lessons in either guitar or bass. read more

My 11 year old son has been taking Ukulele lessons from Kurt for approximately a year. Kurt is a great instructor with a wealth of music knowledge. He isn't overly strict but not too lenient either which is just right for my son. He is also flexible with lesson days/times which is very helpful. I would definitely recommend Mayo Music. read more

Kurt and Nick. Two top dogs at what they do. Guitar snapped in half? No problem, Kurt got your back. Your amp wont make a squeak? No problem, Nick's got you. These guys (father & son) are the real deal. Took my blues deluxe in and Nick made her sing once again. He then referred me to his dad Kurt, and he fixed my broken nick on my semi hollow. They're very knowledgeable in their craft and in music as well. You won't be looking for anyone else after being helped out by the Mayos. Give thanks read more

Took my keyboard in to get repaired (a quirtky vintage yamaha). They (Nick Mayo) did an awesome job with it. There's lots of knowledge and experience in that head of his. He also worked with my budget, and gave me a totally fair price. Cannot recommend strongly enough. read more

I was originally searching for someone to sell a couple of my guitars when I found Mayo's Music. The Yelp description and reviews lead me to call and make an appointment. I spoke with Kurt Mayo and we set a day/time to meet. We agreed to the terms of consignment and I gave him the guitars. I got a good vibe, and felt comfortable leaving them with him and that we'd keep in touch. I also ended up bringing a couple of Vintage guitars that I'd inherited from my Dad. He took the time to look at them and give DETAILED information about them and WOW is he knowledgeable! He pointed out some items that could use some attention but told me that the work didn't have to be done immediately and that they were most definitely playable. Also, the most important thing is that he keeps EV-ERY-thing original, even the screws! One thing noticed at that point, was that he didn't push to have me leave the guitars with him so that he could make some fast cash. This is huge given my past experience with people who are just out for your money. This is just one particular thing that resonated with me. I notice these things as previously indicated. Another thing is that I felt comfortable leaving my precious instruments, (again my Dad's) with him. These guitars mean the world to me. Then on to the subject of lessons. I asked about taking lessons and he asked me about some of my past music experiences. Short story long, I started taking guitar lessons with Kurt. I'd taken some lessons previously, but we started from the top. He is very methodical in his approach. He's very very patient and he's a magnificent instructor and artist. A class act all around. read more

I found Mayos Music on Yelp and so far he's done two of my electric guitars. Kurt has an eye for detail and treats your guitar like he would his own. He does everything from minor tune-ups to full restorations, but he'll be candid with you to let you know the best use of your budget. Very happy I found him, plan to use him again after my next guitar purchase. Thanks Kurt! read more

Nick is best amp tech I have ever run into. SUper knowledgeable, practical. Has worked on all my 70's vintage fender amps (champ, bandmaster, 2 bassmans (bassmen??)) and the quality of his work is superb. He is also a great guy. As others have noted, Nick is super thorough, incredible attention to detail. Would not let anyone else touch an amp I care about. read more

I am a professional bass player living in Los Angeles. I discovered Kurt through a word-of-mouth reference at a gig, and I am very grateful for that moment. I have not had experience with a luthier of higher caliber than Kurt; he is honest, timely, and immensely knowledgable. Above all else, I trust him with my instruments. I have asked Kurt for standard setups on basses as well as more nuanced/complicated repair jobs. Expectations have always been exceeded. I can't stress enough the amount of trust I have in his experience. I hope to give Kurt my business for a long time. read more

Guitar: ESP LTD KH-202 Work Done: - Basic Guitar Setup (Truss Rod, Intonation, Cleaning) - Action Adjustment (To my playing style) - Replaced stripped screw on bridge - Fret Re-Crowning, Dressing, and High Polish - Input Jack Replacement Mods - Locking Nut Mod on Floyd Rose bridge (Palm Mute Heaven) - Phase Switch (Push Pull Knob) - Series - Split - Parallel (Mini Switches) - Humbucker Re-wiring to 4 Wire Configuration (More Wiring Options) - Copper Shielding (Reduces Hiss and Radio Noise) - 4 Way Switch - Black Ice (Push Pull Knob) This is by a landslide the best work that has ever been done on my guitar. The attention to detail and meticulous nature of Kurt is highly evident in the final product. He went through every single crevice, screw, nut, string, key, knob, and part on the guitar and ensured that it was in working order. If it wasn't he would promptly give me a call and thoroughly explain to me his diagnosis and would leave it up to me to decide whether to replace it or not. There were a few iterations of the guitar before reaching the final product for this very reason, Kurt involves you every step of the away. This ensures that there are now surprises and you are completely in-the-know on the work that is being done on your guitar. First, the basic guitar setup with the other items up top under 'Work Done' was completed and I arrived at his shop to play it a bit and get a little sense of the feel. It was perfect, at this point I knew my guitar wouldn't be leaving with me. It has to stay with Kurt so he could work his magic! Have you ever gone into a high end shop and picked up one of those $3,000 dollar guitars a played it for bit? That's how it felt, that's the type of work and attention Kurt put on my guitar. From here on things got very interesting. Everytime I went to Kurt's shop it was an event, I honestly could listen to him for hours. This man knows so much about the guitar I felt like the man might have invented it if I didn't know any better. We spent quite some time talking about different sounds and preferences along with the modifications that could achieve such sounds. We went through the type of styles I play and that type of sounds I might need. Kurt made some recommendations as well as showed me some examples of his previous work. I'll be honest initially I had no plan to modify my guitar and Kurt does not up sell you in the least Let me emphasize, Kurt DOES NOT up sell you in the LEAST. What Kurt does do is break down every single detail of your instrument from the very basic to the most advanced. His love for his work shows in his ability and desire to share the knowledge with anyone who is willing to listen. I selected to move forward with the Mods you see up top and I couldn't be happier. It's been about 4 months since I got the guitar back and I still haven't gotten through all the sounds I now have. I started with about 4-5 different sounds and now I between the phase switch, series-split-parallel, and the black ice. I have upwards of 75 sounds. The workmanship is amazing, the knowledge is amazing, the experience was top notch, and no other luthier will ever touch my guitar again. I am a customer for life. Thanks Kurt, Jonnathan Perez tl;dr Kurt is amazing, he knows a lot, he is meticulous and passionate about his work he turned a $500 guitar into a $3,000 guitar, and I will go to him for any work I need for the rest of my life! read more

Over 4 years ago I posted an enthusiastic 5 Star review for Kurt Mayo and Nick.... It was all about how Kurt helped me overcome physical issues and recover from a significant injury to my left arm, and how that helped me prove to a doctor that I WOULD NOT accept his medical "Your nerve is permanently damaged and you almost certainly play guitar again".... With Kurt's support, strengthening exercises, guidance and constant positive attitude we proved the doctor wrong..... Kurt motivated me to rebuild my skills beyond what I was able to do before the injury... All while making my '63 Gibson J-45 easier to play (which I did not think was possible)... It was a long 6 months, but we did it.... l truly believe that he was happier than me.... Now Kurt takes me to a new level.... Just recently he helped me achieve my dream of owning my first Martin Acoustic, and he kept me from making a rookie mistake in a purchase decision.... I take a lesson from him once a week, and we were talking about how great his Martin Guitars sounded and how easily they played... He watched me agonize over the Martin vs. another fine guitar, and when I bought the other instrument he asked why I chose it.... I said that it was just easier to play.... he calmly suggested that I just look at how the guitars sounded and not how easy they were to play out of the box.... He said that he would take care of the "ease of play part" for either guitar... He never told me what to do... He let me find that path on my own.... So back went the one that I had purchased a day or two before and the Martin was in the case heading to Mayo Music.... A few days later he handed me the Martin with the signature sound, and it played like a dream..... He explained all that he did and why, and based on happy he was for me you would have thought he just worked on Paul McCartney's Epiphone.... His estimate of the pricing was on the mark and I know that he put in some extra work just to insure my dream would be a reality from the incredible sound to the ease of playing lead notes and tough bar chords.... Mayo Music is simply The Best!!!!! I almost never review a business, but this is a standing ovation for the Mayos..... read more

I took my guitar to Kurt to get worked on because it wouldn't stay in tune. Not only did he fix the problem but he is very knowledgeable and passionate about his work. He will explain everything to you and also give you some good advice. Nick also worked on a 69 Fender Deluxe Reverb that i brought to him with a popping problem.He is also very knowledgeable and passionate about his work, it shows in the finished product. He fixed it perfectly!. The turn around on both jobs were extremely fast. Nick also gives you very awesome updates on progress which is very awesome in my opinion as most places give you a rough estimate that ends up being pushed back several times. Thanks guys will be coming back soon read more

Based on reviews from Yelp, I selected MAYO Music to repair my keyboard. The AC adapter plug in the keyboard broke and I was getting no power. Kurt not only repaired it, but he added a couple of extra adapters, as requested, as a secondary power source and to help prevent the keyboard from breaking in this area again. Then, to top it off, he charged me HALF of what I expected, and about a third of what a store would charge. He has a degree in Electrical Engineering & really knows what he is doing. Easy to chat with & friendly too! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED read more

We highly, highly reccomend Kurt Mayo for not only guitar lessons, but guitar repair and refurbishing as well. My 8 year old son and I have been taking lessons from Kurt for about 6 months now and have truly seen improvement every week. Being different ages and levels, Kurt has found a way to give each of us attention while also teaching us to play together. It's been a wonderful bonding experience for my son and I, and something we look forward to every week. Kurt also took one of my most prized possessions - my father's 1957 Gibson guitar - and refurbished it with expertise and care, and is now back in my hands like new. If you are looking for a great teacher, and/or to have an expert work on your instrument, look no further than Kurt. read more

Kurt is a master guitar / uke repairman. He fixed a crack in my uke for a reasonable price and a super fast turnaround. He is really knowledgable about guitars and pickups and especially ukes. Highly recommended! read more

Kurt is simply amazing! Very knowledgeable about his stuff! I've taken multiple guitars to him and leaves them playing like butter! Very affordable for the quality of work he does. Kurt is very nice and treats every instrument with a lot of care. read more

My Vox AC30 tube amplifier wasn't working, one of the speakers wasn't getting any sound coming through. I brought it to Nick here at Mayos Music and asked him to take a look. As soon as I brought it in, Nick was telling me about the common issues that happen with these amps. I immediately knew that this guy really knew his stuff. He not only fixed the issue, but did a lot of maintenance, replacing screws, resoldering connections, etc. He also recommended some modifications to the amp that will improve longevity and tone. He did all of these things and more, and he did it for a really great price. I have nothing but great things to say about the whole experience. I'll be coming here for all my amp needs in the future! read more

I have been taking lessons with Kurt Mayo for about 6 years. Within the first couple of months of learning guitar, I was actually able to play a few songs for my family. My younger brother and cousin have also taken lessons with him and advanced quite well, even though they, in the past, weren't very musically inclined. He really teaches you what you need to know so you can actually understand music and then be able to play whatever you want. From Kurt, I have learned bass, guitar (both rhythm and lead), ukelele, banjo, and mandolin, as well as music theory. He is flexible about lesson times and works around your school or work schedule. Almost all of my instruments and equipment has been serviced by Nick Mayo in these past few years. He works quickly and thoroughly and really knows what he is doing. After repairs, installs, upgrades, etc. were made on my guitars (both acoustic and electric), basses (both acoustic and electric), mandolin, ukeleles, amplifiers, speakers, and anything else I can throw at him, I've never had a problem with any of them. He also does repairs for my band, and really it is because of him, his repairs and recommendations, that we have some of the coolest, best sounding gear out there. read more

Kurt did an incredible job restoring my husband's 25-year-old 12 string guitar. First, Kurt was honest as to how much the guitar was worth and at what price I should cap his repairs. Second, he gave it a very thorough evaluation in front of me and explained everything he needed to do to restore it to sounding good and staying in tune. He clearly loves guitars and knows what he's doing. In the end he told me it would take a week. It only took one day. Plus, he ended up putting in extra work, but only charged me the amount I had capped the repairs at. My husband loved how it sounded. He said it hadn't sounded that good since it was new. Great job! read more

Why go to Guitar Center or Sam Ash for a repair when you can have a man who has been doing repair decades longer than the guys there? I took in my 20 yr old semi-hollow and Kurt treated it as his own. He completely explained all of its issues and even worked with me on pricing. Couldn't recommend him enough!!! Just give him a call - he's really easy to talk with. read more

Got work done on an amplifier some time ago. Nick was incredible. He practically required the whole thing. The amp works beautifully now. Very few people left with his kind of talents. I highly recommend him! read more

I took my guitar to Mayos that needed a full set up and possibly frets redone. Kurt is extremely knowledgeable and told me exactly what he needed to do to make it play to it's fullest. He also gave me some good insight on hardware upgrades that would also make my guitar that much better. He didn't try to up sell me on anything, but only let me know what he would do if it was his own. I got the guitar back within 48 hrs and it was perfect. I'll bring my next one to Kurt. read more

My 9 year old has been taking guitar lessons with Kurt since he was 5+. My son has a very sensitive and perfectionistic personality and shuts down easily but Kurt is not only an amazing teacher for little ones but really knows how to use the back door approach with kids to motivate them to perform at their optimal level that day. He is great at communicating with parents and sets clear expectations with my son on what to work on each week. He is very systematic in his teaching and very knowledgeable about music education. We have been very pleased with his teaching style as Kurt is not only teaching my son how to play the guitar but life lessons about perseverance but effort at the same time. read more

I've been taking bass guitar lessons from Kurt for a year. I knew nothing about the bass or guitar. I can't believe how much i learned in a year! Kurt will teach you the right way to play. He is a great teacher with alot of patience! You won't be disappointed! read more

Kurt is very knowledgable and nice. I went in for a small repair on my acoustic guitar and I'm really happy with the way it was fixed.