I found James after a quick search in my area for guitar repair. I needed repair on my Epiphone Les Paul. All it "needed" was repair of the strap button. Paid James via Zelle before my appointment. Upon arriving James welcomed me as though we were friends which I appreciated. Took me into his home shop and told me that since my repair was simple, he was willing to do a full set up and re-string for no additional cost. He explained everything he was doing, made a couple of adjustments I didn't know I needed and completed the repair. He's just a great guy and very professional. My guitar feels amazing and I would highly recommend James. read more

The Guitar Dog - James working on my guitar! - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

Called to make an appointment. He wanted payment to make the appointment . I think that illegal, but his system would not even take the information. So I notified GD of the problem. Said I would bring cash$. They Refused to work with me. Must be nice to be so successful, to turn away people calling for appointments. read more

Service was excellent, James is full of expertise and his love of music shines through the work he does! Should be everyone's no.1 pick in Phoenix read more

The Guitar Dog is the real deal. I just got a great setup while I waited. I explained I was new to guitars and he made some great suggestions for gear and stuff. He has all my future business. read more

This is my go to dude for anything guitar and bass related. He truly knows his stuff. He has a great appreciation for and knowledge of vintage instruments, knows how to treat them and will go the extra mile to care for the important details. Anything from simple set up to full on instrument builds, The Guitar Dog is the man for the job read more

James is an absolute gifted professional and provides great service! I have taken two of my Bass guitars to him and each setup was personalized specific to my needs/playing style. The work is performed right in front of you in his shop, and completed in a timely manner. If you go anywhere else, you're going to wait at least a week for a "one size fits all" setup. James gave me a complete, tailored to my needs setup in 1 hour and exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend him for any of your needs! read more

The Guitar Dog was an awesome find. I saw his reviews here and saw he was local, so I gave a call. What great fortune. TGD is a top level guitar tinkerer and really knows his stuff. My ES-335 and old campy Hohner JT Hollywood needed a lot of TLC from too long in storage. In an hour he turned them new again. Both play like dreams and look great, too. Both of them had bum switches, too, and now they're perfecto. He really knows his way around all kinds of guitars and basses. He's like a veterinarian because he can't ask the patient, he just has to know what's wrong. He fixed a few bugs I had no idea about and it really made a difference. You can just tell when you get in his workshop that he knows what he's doing. He showed me a picture of neck that got decapitated of its head piece then showed me the repaired neck. The repaired neck was indistinguishable from a perfectly new neck. Solid as a rock and straight as an arrow. His knowledge of instruments and experience are expansive. His value for your repair dollar is excellent, too. He gives you an estimate and consults you if he finds any other issues with your axe. I'll definitely consult him if I ever find that vintage Firebird I can't afford. And no one will be doing set up but The Guitar Dog. You can't go wrong with TGD. Look him up read more

The Guitar Dog - The patients. - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

Another great experience with The Guitar Dog! James is awesome! He's always willing to listen and adjust his services to tailor your instrument to your individual needs. You can count on him to always put in the extra time and effort to make sure you walk away with a perfectly set up and professional feeling instrument. I've been taking my acoustic to him for years, and will use him as my tech, repairman, and advisor for as long as he's in this business! Thank you, James! read more

James is definitely my go-to guy for any future guitar repairs or setups. I've taken 3 guitars to him, and he has consistently gone above and beyond what I've asked him to do, and the "while you wait" service is great. You can really tell he enjoys what he does, and takes pride in his work. Can't recommend him enough! read more

James is great - easy to chat with, easy going. A clean shop - and fun gear in there too! He took great care of my Tele which badly needed a resurrection. To go the extra mile, he added in some services like fret buffing and polishing at no charge. A safe pair of hands for sure. Highly recommended! read more

James is the one to go to if you want quality, and if you want it done right ! I had been looking for a good repair person for the past few years to set up my bass. He did such a great job on that 1st bass guitar, that I ended taking the other 3 to him as well. None of my basses have EVER played this nicely, nor have they ever sounded anything like they do now. I'm so glad Sire Guitars recommended him. They surely have the right guy ! He's the best you're gonna find in the area..and I'd venture to say a new good friend..Can't do better than The Guitar Dog ! read more

The Guitar Dog is my "go to" guitar guy from now on. He did a great job on both my Les Paul & my Taylor acoustic! read more

Took my son's new guitar in for a setup. James is nice and knowledgeable. He got us in the same day, and did the setup while we waited. I'm so glad we found him! I highly recommend taking your guitar to The Guitar Dog! read more

Took my Nashville Telecaster to James, and he had it feeling and playing better than a Fender Custom in less than 24 hours. It's difficult to overstate the quality of his work and attention to detail. Your setup will be excellent, but I encourage you to explore the panoply of additional services you can get from master like James. He won't push them on you, so ask! I basically describe the feel and tone I want in layman's terms, and he responds with wizardry. My ears and fingers notice immediately. His shop is filled with stories of guitars and musicians reborn. Do yourself a favor - let James work his magic, and you'll have every tool to take your playing to the next level. read more

I just found my new go-to guy for all guitar work! The Guitar Dog got me in right away and set up two guitars while I waited, and they play great now after needing a setup for far too long due to our dry, hot/cold weather. This is after I called around to other shops, left messages, and either didn't get called back or was quoted really long wait times and higher prices. I'm confident he does good work because the guitars sound great and play great, and he's done guitar work on the road for multi-platinum acts. While I was at his shop, a bass player was in from Denver for some work on his rig before taking it back for a studio session, so we all just hung out while he got my guitars ready to go. I have some old Japanese guitars from the 60s (an archtop MaxiTone, a tulip, and an Audition) that I'll be bringing in next. They need some electrical, and he said that's no problem. But, his prices are really reasonable. He doesn't advertise, and he works out of his house, so he doesn't have to charge you a lot for his overhead--just the work he does on the guitar. He also guarantees his work, so if something goes out before it should, you won't have to pay twice. He even offered me a shot of espresso while I was waiting. Next time, I'm coming by in the morning. I love my guitars, and even though they're not collectible, they're worth keeping in top form. And it's better when you like the person working on them, you can hangout for awhile, talk music, watch the work getting done, and take your guitar back home right away sounding like new. read more

I moved out here from NY about 10 years ago. I used to go to Manny's Music in NYC from about 1980 until 2000, for my setups and Guitar repairs. Then the Guitar Tech I always used from Manny's, ending up managing the repair Dept. of a Music shop near my house. Over the years he had worked on Clapton's and Knopfler's Guitar's, the list goes on. There is a point to the story, the point being, James has his list of Pros too and is just as talented and it shows in His work. He enjoys his craft and takes pride in his work, (do you remember those People ?) He has worked on a Vintage 1973 acoustic Guitar, and my Bass had issues he resolved while I waited. They sound better than I could have imagined. On top of being excellent at what he does, he is a good guy who charges fair prices, that you probably could not buy elsewhere. Since I moved out here I have not seen anyone on His skill level. P.S. He is an excellent Bass Player! read more

James is the Top Dog in Phoenix for my guitar repairs! I just took my 3 main axes down to his shop for restringing and some tweaks here and there. James got all of my guitars up to pro-caliber in no time. James is very personable and extremely passionate about his craft! He is a total pro! We are very lucky to have this talent in the valley. Give him a try and you will be glad you did! Rock On! \m/ read more

James has been an amazing tech. James is super friendly and timely in his set ups/repairs.

James is incredible! By a stroke of fantastic luck we were both in a pawn shop at the same time where I was buying a guitar. He gave me his card and I contacted him after purchasing to let him know which one I chose. Not only did he give me an introductory rate for a full tuneup, he threw in a tuner and picks for a deep discount! So kind and fun to talk to while he replaced the strings and worked on the guitar. His shop/office has a separate entrance right off the street. read more

After being in the Valley for over 2 years, I've finally found my go to repair guy!! James will respond in a timely manner and get your instrument in ASAP. His service is second to none and the fact that he will do it while you wait is unheard of. He has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry and his work reflects it. Knowledgable and skilled are the 2 best words to describe James Knopp. read more

Call me "old school" if you like, but I was raised at a time when taking pride in one's work meant something. I learned early in life that there was only one way to do something: the right way or not at all. James Knopp, aka The Guitar Dog, is a man who takes these time-honored principles seriously, and it is highly evident in the work he does on stringed instruments. Putting it simply, and hopefully not too bluntly, James knows his stuff. But beyond his many years of experience working on six-string guitars and basses for famous world-class guitarists and aspiring neighborhood kids alike, is a perfectionism and a passion that characterizes any master craftsman. James has worked on three of my guitars so far, and in each case he did what was right for the instrument, while tailoring the final setup to my specific playing preferences. One of my older guitars needed more than a quick setup and a fresh set of strings. James was straight and honest with me about what would be required to restore it to optimum condition and playability. And he went well out of his way to make it great, taking extra steps out of his sheer love for the instrument. This is the thing about James: a genuine love for the instrument. He knows that each guitar or bass (or whatever else he is working on) is more than the sum of its parts, more than the wood, steel, plastic, or other material making it up. He knows that each instrument has a soul all its own. I have been completely satisfied with the work James has done for me. In our age of mass production and high-volume throughput, when attention to detail and personalized customer service seem to be remnants of the distant past, James restores my faith in American craftsmanship. He takes pride in a job well done. As a musician who has been around the block a few times, and who has received decidedly inferior service in the hands of other guitar repair personnel, I wholeheartedly recommend The Guitar Dog. You won't be disappointed. In fact, you will be amazed and delighted. James will make your guitar or bass play better than ever before. For me, this helps to inspire more tunes and more songs. My guitars are a true pleasure to play now. The only trouble is, I don't want to put them down! For what it's worth, this review came straight from my heart. James didn't ask me to write it for him. One of the benefits of being older like me is that I don't have time for BS anymore. I tell it like it is. Thank you for your great work, James. read more

If you have a stringed instrument that needs some "love" in Arizona, you'll find no one more passionate and professional than "The Guitar Dog" AKA James Knopp. He works on just about any string instrument and gets the work done in a timely and cost effective manner. If I could give 6 stars James definitely would deserve it. I met James after finding him online via his website http://theguitardog.com. Now I have an old ukulele that has been in my family for a few decades. The instrument was kept in storage for the vast majority of this time and due to improper storage conditions the instrument was just falling apart. All the glued seams were coming lose, the frets were tarnished, and the old koa wood really had seem better days. I wasn't sure how cost-effective it was going to be to repair it, but since it was a family heirloom I had to give it a shot. After reviewing the portfolio of work James has on his website I decided to give him a call and send him a few pictures of the damage to see what he thought. He meets by appointment only at his private studio workshop. To make a long story short, he gave my old sad heirloom a head-to-toe makeover! From re-gluing and re-varnishing all the seams to replacing the old rusty tuning keys with some new geared hardware. The bridge was reglued, the frets were polished, and some wear-n-tear was tended to all about the instrument. It is seriously a resurrected instrument and sounds fantastic! It's such a joy to hear the old Koa wood brought back to life! He completed all this work in just a few short weeks and charged me a very reasonable price for all his time, talent, and expertise. James is a truly great guy and even surprised me when he replaced the old vintage case that the uke had been stored in for all those years with a new sturdy case for no extra cost! The old case was about as protective as wrapping the uke in wet paper bag (exaggerating, but you get the point) and James knew I was planning to travel with the instrument to take back to my family. It was beyond thoughtful for someone who has already done such an amazing job. I will say, "JOB WELL DONE" Guitar Dog! If you have a guitar, bass, violin, banjo, whatever and you need a bit of help with it, you can trust James Knopp "the Guitar Dog" to get the job done! read more

Unbelievable work! I heard about The Guitar Dog from a musician friend of mind. I received a quick response after contacting him and brought my Gibson Les Paul in for a setup. I was welcomed in to the shop by James. James performs the work as you are there. As I waited he allowed me to play some of his bass guitars, in fact he insisted. He carefully examined my guitar to get it into tip top shape. After each adjustment he'd ask to play it and let him know how it feels. After just a couple adjustments, it has never played better. He explained the work he did as he did it and made it a fun learning experience. Incredibly friendly and fun to talk music with. Highly recommend! read more

Thanks to the Guitar Dog (James). He is the only guy I will bring my guitars to from now on. His knowledge, attention to detail and customer service are unmatched. Do your guitars a favor and take them to James and ask him to play his 12 string bass! Thanks James, Rock on! read more

The Guitar Dog is awesome. He tuned up and restored my old Hofner acoustic guitar that hadn't been played in 10 years. It is now as good as new, but he kept the cool patina that had been hard earned over it's long life. I would recommend him to anyone in need of a tune up for their strings. Thank you! read more

Don't mess around elsewhere. James is the best. He has repaired and set up my guitars for many years. Always a great time hanging with James and he often is able to take care of my issues while I wait. With many years in the biz, James is one knowledgeable dude. You won't be disappointed. read more