This is one of those "I'm not normally a review writer, but I needed to warn people" kind of things. I went in for some minor luthier work and it seemed fine. Disorganized, a little dumpy, and rambling staff, but fine. They were closer to me than The Lutherie Shop, and quoted a similar price range. Well, this job ended up taking about month instead of a couple days. Whenever I would call in to the shop, they would either be confused about me having a guitar there or they would push the date back with excuses.
I'm not a rock star; I don't have a stable of guitars to use while I get told that I have to wait just *one more week* for a job that should have been done weeks ago over a single weekend (and was told "it will be done on X day multiple times"). When the job was finally done and I went to pick up my guitar, no one was at the shop. Apparently (confirmed by the luthier when I called to say "what the heck, man?") 1:00 PM is early for the guy who opens up and he sometimes doesn't get around to the shop for a long time. Great.
So the luthier pulls up 20 minutes late with my guitar in hand and he doesn't have a set of keys to open the shop. Not a problem, he says. He has the receipt and he has some change if I have cash. Naturally, the cost is at the top of the quoted range. That's silly that I can only pay cash unless I want to wait an unknown amount of time, but whatever--I do happen to have some cash me. He doesn't have the right change on him for the bills I have, though, so I end up having to drive down there street and getting my own change at the gas station.
Even though the guys there are fairly nice and the simple work I requested was done fine, the glacial slowness and lack of professionalism knocks down the rating to the minimum. It's like they're trying to represent all the negative stereotypes of guitar players. read more