Met Jim in 1978-9 as the 'best' guy by The LB Arena and all of us playing hard out of Gilmore's,World of Strings(he was their best dude), Whittiker's, McCabe's, Morey's,Guitars Afire,Music City and on and on. Jim is INCREDIBLY talented and smart. He has a heart of Gold and is honest as the day is long too. His time is very valuable and he is 75 now. I urge him to charge a lot more because he deserves it and is very well worth it ! So the news is maybe a great thing for all of us, looking forward. I called to say, no rush on my axes, let us help? Apparently. his landlord decided to remodel for more profit, despite being lousy. Poor Jims doors were broken, HVAC full of issues, and anyway. All Jims inventory is safe, secure, carefully placed and he is there, in a special new place, for a while, by appointment. He also needs us to find him a managable storefront, and maybe a nice dwelling in or close. The few weird comments I have seen are, well..."I left my acoustic guitar,no name, and expect a 100 tune up or so and called.called and maybe did not get the hint? The best guy in the business is in no huge rush for $100 tune up? 'I'm sore unaware that the poor guy is very polite but is staring at investing a lot of money and may spend days, fabricating a special, specific jig for this work? Maybe check yourself and let players and Luthiers or techs round this reasoning . Jim is not in this for the money and will tell old friends this. Collecting,buying, selling or tossing instruments kind of includes the ability and experience to judge, then think like a business person. Or a Luthier. Offer another Luthier a 1,000 for the making you a special Jig and have Jim sign it. It will be worth a lot more money some day,amigo. Then get it fixed for a great price, and you take the jig home, and find other no name 6 string guys to share it, ya know? If it ain't workin' as some say,well? Buy a better axe. Invest in a Gibson, Fender, Martin, Ovation or one of Segovia's students instruments? Sounds like glued and pressed and baked composite wood from China or Viet Bong. If you want to play,buy a real guitar with one piece neck and body, and invest in nice tone and better playing maybe ? Handing cheap junk to the Master kind of insults his friends intelligence when blasted around the world and unfair. There is a speaker seeker in oh no panic mode too. Google Jim, big news,,THE LA SHERIFF has formerly filed and served an official eviction demand and bla bla who gives a duck. Those who know, know and this will all work out. Sherifs serve people all day and night.Normal rental ending Due Process,Notice and this gang has rats all over the poor guy too? Don't be a rat. Be a musician,and artist. A gift . Dudes, dudettes, please just remember, slander and libel is a real means of business tort(Civil wrong=Pay. Honest opinions are 1 thing, but innuendo,distortions, false facts or omissons of fair, neglected facts is important. Objective,detached balanced reporting is key, and a duty, in Californa. I have maybe,$60-70,000 worth of my children with Jim right now, museum pieces I have loved since 19 79 and 1984. A black Clapton Strat kind of. Bad Ass black Maple neck with old school EMG's, the original type, plus, the originals for trade in, out. My V neck, hard tail (rare), Blonde, 1956 dream mobile. Birthday gift from my best brother. Neck says 1/56 and it is really, too bitchin to sweat on ! The original tweed case they claim fetches 3500-4500...no way....but Yes way.. Simple point? ONLY Jim is EVER going to tune these up. I trust and value him, endorse him fully and many many are calling him for a well deserved, and hard earned accolade...WE LOVE HIM. Thus, ; 'Do you need anything Jim?Can I, or WE,help you reloacte, find a new cool place?" Yesterday he sounded really happy, and like, wow ! He said; 'I can't believe how many kind people are calling me to volunteer help, work for me, do whatever, show friendship'. I said;"Jim, you have a huge friends and fans base and are so modest and cool, it was just out there waiting for you to need to hear about it,maybe ?" "You are a legend dude, and loved !'' Maybe get on that train, and in to the next Chapter of Music History, we feel ? Bless you Jim ! We need a 1) Power pack at the storage vault for lights, and machinery. A nice home and why not, there is definitely a cool Lady around the Music Industry to share the best things of life a little?'' Food,paperwork,errands, whatever frees him up to do his Art. Many wish he could DELEGATE related cool things, like what NORM's always did? Have a separate piece of the buy and sell world. Detached but connected? T SHIRTS Jim? Just an Image of you at your bench doing what Wizard;s Do. And dudes, Jim was a GOOD player? Up in Berkley, he needs to play too?Sit in with Jim now and then? Why not. Jim is like a Hendrix in our world that we much cherish and respect, Play on James (3rd stone from the sun). I'm in... read more

See all

Best Guitar repair! Jim is very knowledgeable! Many different choices in the South Bay. I'll always come back to Jim.

I took my Classical in to Jim for neck straightening. He said he needed to make a jig for it so give him 3 months. 3 months later he hadn't started it but was ready too. That story was given to me 3 more times for 9 months. He was always working on guitars when I would drop in to check progress on mine. Even told me a story about a guitar he just got in and was working on that had to get fixed for a client asap which at that point he had my guitar for 9 months. When I said WTF? he promised me he would start on mine tomorrow! My guitar never got fixed. The concerning thing is our parting conversation. He was super nice and apologetic but didn't understand how telling me 4 times it would get done and not doing it after 9 months wasn't ok. read more

I brought my Martin guitar in for work on June 18th 2024. I was told it would take 4-6 weeks, but maybe 8 weeks. From the reviews I knew to expect everything to be longer than estimated but that the work would be amazing. It is the end of March of 2025, I still have not gotten my guitar back. I have been calling once a month every month since November. Jim is always very kind and always says "it's almost done." I told him in February I had to have it by the end of March, he said not a problem it'd be ready. Tomorrow is March 31st and still nothing. I know the work ended up being more than expected, but still, he's had my guitar for close to over 9 months now. I haven't want to write a negative review, but I'm hoping this might get me my guitar back... I honestly don't know what to do at this point. read more

Been coming to Jim since I bought my first Fender from him thirty-five years ago. He's a one-man operation so, yeah, you're going to wait a long time for work to be done. The dude sometimes has to drop everything for jobs he does for BIG NAME heavy metal acts getting ready to tour, so don't take your gear here if you're going to get bent out of shape about a wait. I recently dropped off an acoustic of mine that needed work on the neck, and knew I'd be playing my other guitars instead for maybe a month or more. So what? (I think it actually only took four weeks. Haven't looked at my ticket.) I personally love wading through the labyrinth of old amps, and then hanging out and talking to this guy. He's a wizard, people... one of a dying breed of true genius guitar techs. You can complain about his customer service or how slow he is, but Jim is always going to be honest and fair. He's a good man. read more

Jim is a great guy. It might be quite a wait to have your instruments repaired. But I've never had to take back one of his repairs. He has always been a top notch professional. Sadly I now live in the inland empire and had to find a tech closer to me. read more

Great place to get our guitar repair,replaced accessories .. I found him very informative and easy to understand about what my guitar needed .no BS.. thanks Jim.God bless your family!!! read more

Took my Tele to Jim for a refret job. He was recommended to me by a pro player. Really happy I did. He did a wonderful job. He is an excellent craftsman, but you need to be patient as he works solo and is in demand. The guitar plays and sounds wonderful. You can check it out here: https://youtu.be/m7dv5w23uzM read more

Jim does terrific work, and is a pleasure to chat with when dropping off/picking up. It can take a while, but that is evidence of the quality of his work: he is in demand! read more

This is the only place I go to service my guitars. Whether changing the strings on my 12-string, or making sure my necks are straight and the bridges flat. He cleans it up and gives it back to me like new, sounding as good as the day I bought them, some as many as 45 years ago. Jim is the guy! I even found my next guitar on his wall last week. I'm buying it in the next few days. Thank you, Jim! read more

Took my Seagull acoustic guitar here for a tune up after taking a break from guitar for a couple years. Nothing major wrong with the guitar but the action was a bit high, making it hard to play on the lower frets and and affecting some of notes on the higher frets. Jim shaved some of the bridge and nut off, correcting the action to the fraction of an inch. He also put on brand new strings. My guitar plays perfectly now and I cant wait to start playing again. Price was good and turnaround was fast. Don't be put off by the state of the repair shop, Jim is not only an extremely skilled veteran technician, he also takes the time to answer any questions you have and provides helpful tips for maintaining your guitar. If you get the chance to swing by check out his record collection on the wall - donated by the legends he's worked with, including Guns n' Roses and many others! Thanks Jim for reviving my guitar back to life! read more

This guy is a true craftsman. It takes him a while some time, but if you want a the job done right, every time, you can't do better than this guy. If you have the time, Music Works is the best. read more

Brought amp for repair which started making crackling noise. Since I read reviews here, I expected it would take a while. One month later I called him to get update. Althogh he didn't start yet, he said it wouldn't take long time to finish. One week later, he said he should be able to check today. One week later, he said he confrimed the crackling noise and would let me know as soon as it is fixed. No call from him. One month later, when I called him he said he couldn't fix it because circuit diagram was not avaialbe from the manufacturer. When I pciked up my amp, I found it was covered with dust, no sign that he worked on it. I just felt I'd been lied and wasted my time. read more

I've been going to Jim for about 20 years for any Guitar work. He is really good at what he does. He will not trick you into doing something you do not need. He is fair with his price and very trustworthy. read more

look, are you in a hurry, well, I've been going to Jim for well over thirty years. I am meticulous about my GUITARS, so is Jim. he's done major Mods, to basic set ups for me. I've always been very happy with my results! so it may take a little longer sometimes, he works alone, but for me, that insures the quality, Ive never been in a hurry, becauseI want it done right! I moved just outside of LA, so I tried someone else closer, when I got my brand new guitar back, it had all kinds of scratches, and the push/ pull tone pots were second rate, nota happy camper.... so I'll make the 60 mile drive, wait an extra few weeks, because Jim is one of the best.... one more point.. in todays world, I ordered a door made herein America.. my order has been pushed back 5 times already, the supply chain is broken. if you want to change parts on your guitar, order them yourself, that's what I do. this way I have my guitar until all the parts arrive, If I want new strings, I bring those too. then it's just a matter of the time of labor, ( just do your research to make sure the parts you order will work with your guitar ). but I hope Jim stays in business forever, thanks Jim. read more

I received an Epiphone J-200 from a seller on Reverb that was set up by Jim. Let me say that I have never played an acoustic that was this playable. The action was super low without any fret buzz, and the guitar sang like nothing I have ever had the pleasure of playing. Although I have never met him in person, his workmanship is top-notch! read more

This is the best instrument and amplifier repair shop in the U.S. It doesn't look like much when you walk in the door, with instrument & amps everywhere and no product displays to speak of - but with the exception of select instruments sold for regular customers it's not a "music store" - it's strictly a repair/service facility. Jim - owner and only employee - specializes in careful, thorough service on vintage gear, precise instrument setups, repair of obscure, ancient tube amps - but also handles plenty of day-to-day work for "home musicians" like restringing, tube replacement, solid-state amp and effects repairs...and all at incredibly reasonable prices. The number of professional musicians who come to Jim is like a who's who of the rock world, and for good reasons: he does incredible restorations of damaged gear interprets player's needs very well - and his fretwork is like jewelry. It's not the type of place where you walk in and get same-day service; good repairs take time, and Jim is extremely busy - so if you need some major repair done overnight, I would look elsewhere...but if you want it done *right*, be patient. A couple of tips - it helps to clearly communicate what you need, and to NOT be embarrassed if your not sure and need guidance. He won't steer you wrong. There are a few other good repair shops around town, but nowhere else I'd go for any critical work. read more

I came in here looking to buy an amp or guitar. I know this place is mostly for people coming in for repairs, but the items for sale on the floor looked dirty or broken. Everything was disorganized, and it looked like a swap meet lot but in a room. I saw a silverface champ that caught my interest. There were no price tags on anything and I couldn't get the owners attention to ask him since he was too busy making idle chit chat with other customers. I didn't want to wait around for them to finish just to find out the champ was $500 so I left. I'm assuming he does great repair work, but anyone coming in looking to buy will probably be a little disappointed. read more

This Place does a good job repairing amps and guitars. Price is decent. But, be prepared to wait! This place can take a wile. Ive known people who have waited months for relatively simple repairs. Still probably the best repair shop in the southbay. read more

I have been bringing stringed instruments to Music Works and Jim Foote for many years. If you want true craftsmanship at a fair price look no further! read more

If you care about getting the best quality work done on your guitar or amp this is the place in LA. I have been going to Jim for a few years and have had him do work ranging from fixing a boutique amp builders sloppy work to several guitar set ups, fret levels, etc. Recently I had an issue with a new floyd rose that he went the extra mile to figure out what was wrong and how to correct. His fret work is next level and very meticulous. He is a master with a wealth of knowledge and is always willing to talk shop and explain what and why he does certain things. I would not take my guitars or amps anywhere else. read more

Jim is an absolute GENIUS! The best Luthier on the planet, I've been taken my guitars there for years, as a matter of fact, he just took a Fender Telecaster that I had given up and turned it into my new favorite guitar! Super cool guy and very reasonably priced, I mean really great service! read more

Brought my Les Paul to Jim in April, 2021 due to a faulty toggle switch. Jumps on it right away and says the toggle has a lot of corrosion. Cleaned it up to get it working but yeah, toggles for my year Gibson are notoriously bad. "Let's replace the toggle"! "Don't have those on hand but I'll order the part. Should be a week or so." May, no word. June; "Hey, Jim. What's goin' on with my guitar? Aw, need to order the part". July; "Yeah, sorry. My fault. Been real busy here". Me - Hey, that's cool. Any idea when you'll get it done? "Well, have a couple of rush jobs. Not sure". By the end of July, I decided to stop by to see what was up. Nothing done. No sorry. I brought the guitar home without the switch being replaced. I guess I wasn't important enough to warrant a sorry. Jim may be a genius but I wouldn't know. Very disappointed with the customer service. I would not recommend Music Works to anyone, unless you were one of those rush jobs that got taken care while I was still waiting for service. read more

You can't find a better price and his craftsmanship is as good or better than any. Be patient, he really has done some great work on my guitars. Amazing fret dressing job on my ESP EII MII. I had it up for sale until he performed his magic. read more

Does it take a while to get your guitar or amp worked on? Yes Is Jim one of the best luthiers in the South Bay? Yes Did he help build Slash's Appetite for Destruction guitar? Yes Do I keep going there? Yup Do I recommend him to others? Of course...Just be prepared to wait a while...But when you get it back, it will be perfect. He is knowledgeable, skilled and precise. His setups are the best I have ever had. Try him out and see what you think. read more

Well, he used to be good. I dropped off an amp head for repair. After repeated calls and promises that he'd get to it, I came to pick it up after almost 2 months. It never was looked at. The thing that ticked me off was after bringing gear to him for years, he had nothing to say but "Here it is." No sorry, I wasted your time, or let you down. He didn't care and I think he is burned out and wouldn't care about your gear either. read more

Brought 2 amps for repair. It took a while and if I didn't call every week, it may be still there. One of them I got returned in pieces not repaired! Second one suppose to be repaired but wasn't. Making strange sounds from the first day I brought it home, after a week didn't work at all. This probably doesn't bother Jim at all. You have to pay him even if he doesn't fix it! No, thanks. read more

Thank you for the amazing service and reasonable pricing for repairing my guitar. I thought it was hopeless and that it would be better just to buy a new guitar. But after Jim fixed it and now Im playing my guitar again like nobody's business. Thanks, I shall return for further repairs when I need them in the future. So glad a place like this exists. read more

Jim is always honest sometimes acerbic but generally with tongue in cheek. He will give you a few estimate and often tell you the cost to repair it exceeds the value of the item in question. his breadth of knowledge about music related items is amazing. His workshop is packed with the who's who of equipment. He has set up everyone of my guitars and basses worked on my amps soundboards and subs'. Items can take awhile but if you are willing to wait his prices are reasonable and the work is done right the first time. He makes amazing customs guitars to order. read more

Nobody sets up and repairs guitars like the guys from Music Works. I've been driving 2 hours each way since high school to have my instruments set up here and I couldn't be happier. I just wish they could be closer to the IE. read more

Great selection on amps, guitars and pedals. Excellent repair on both guitars and amps. Closed Mondays.

Jim has done really nice guitar repairs for me--nut and saddle replacement, and wiring of electric guitars.

I've been using Music Works for about 7 years. I've gone there for guitar setups and also for more sophisticated work like lowering the nut on a Floyd-equipped guitar. I've also gone there for amp repairs and amp tube selection/replacements. The work has been terrific and very reasonably-priced every time. Some reviewers have been frustrated by a lack of responsiveness... I think most of this just stems from the fact that it's basically a one-man shop. If he's really busy/buried, there's a chance he'll lose track of things...and I have experienced that once in a while. Not a big problem -- I just call and check after a few days if I haven't heard anything. The quality of work has been worth the occasional delay. read more

I've been taking my acoustic and electric guitars and my amplifiers Music Works for over ten years and I always get great service at a very fair price. Jim is very knowledgeable, does great repair and electronic installation work and is a great guy too! Highly Recommended! read more

Jim is the best at everything he does with a guitar or amp. His prices are good, his work is excellent. He is knowledgable of any guitar related query you could throw at him. read more

Jim is a nice guy but he seriously lacks the professionalism necessary when working on gear. When you walk in to the shop it looks like a travesty. Piles of broken equipment fill the room with only a little walkway for you to navigate through. There is nothing to buy. As everyone else has expressed the turn around time for repairs is excruciatingly long. For my experience it took him 7 months to replace a pot in a guitar pedal. Mainly because he never called me with updates on his progress and assumed I might never come back for it, which is a terrible way to do business. Granted I was out of town for 6 of those 7 months, but I could have had a friend pick it up if he notified me. I called him a few times and each time he said he hadn't had time to look at it. The job would really have taken an hour at the longest. Simple solder work. He also lacks organization because when I finally walked in to confront him he had to dig through a million boxes to find the pedal and he never logged the expenses for the job. So he just estimated the cost off the top of his head. It has been 2 months since I picked up the pedal and I haven't used it much. However now that I'm using it more it is starting to break connection again. I seriously recommend researching deeper to find a more professional repair guy. read more

A very busy music shop. I dropped off an old bass amp that needed some TLC, and Jim worked a few miracles to make it sound and work better new. Thx read more