LOCATION

5 Denmark Street, Second Floor
London UK, WC2H 8LP

–Stairway To Kevin–

 Quality Craftsmanship from the world-famous Denmark street

That’s right, it’s all in the details…

Knowledge, Experience, and understanding those details are incredibly valuable and align with everything I do. With that in mind, the work in this shop is all handled completely bespoke, one-on-one, with each individual case given the respect and attention it needs. There are plenty of Luthiers and Technicians out there who might be able to ‘improve’ your instrument, but few who take it so far as I do to maximise your playing experience and help you get the absolute most out of your equipment. It could be a quick and simple job or something more in-depth, but it’s going to be looked after correctly, the first time, no cutting corners

After nearly 30 years of doing this, It's important to me that how a person plays and interacts with their instrument is taken into consideration. With my very open & transparent communication, clients gain not only a finely tuned instrument but a better understanding of it as well. Whatever type of work I’m looking after for you, I like to have each client try their instrument when they collect so it can be finely tuned to an individual's own style and make sure it's giving out its maximum potential.

You can still find a high-quality repair service in a comfortable environment, right in the heart of London. So let me be the craftsman for your creativity

Location

5 Denmark Street, Second Floor
London, UK, WC2H 8LP

Re-String

This includes the changing, stretching, and tuning of new strings, cleaning & oiling the fretboard, clean & polishing, tighten machine heads, cleaning the electronics. I don’t sell strings here, as there are many guitar shops on the street that do, so please bring along a set that you would like me to fit.

Setups

A setup is one of the most commonly needed adjustments for guitars and other musical instruments. A good setup should fine-tune your instrument to your own style of playing, so it plays its absolute best for you, personally. The work I do here is carefully assessed, measured, and corrected for optimum balance. That way, you get exactly what you want! There are two types of service to choose from; click to find out more

Bone Nuts & Saddles

One of the most common upgrades to a Guitar or Bass that will certainly improve its sound. If they are even available, most over-the-counter replacements will not fit without work. I size, cut, and polish each one to ensure the best fit and sound. 

Frets

Frets are an intricate and very important part of any instrument. This is the main point of contact in your interaction with any fretted instrument. The size and material will have a great impact on your sound and the feel of your guitar. A high-quality job is imperative for both the playability of the guitar and the life of the frets. All my fretwork includes the cost of a full setup to ensure maximum service & playability. 

Bridges

It doesn't matter what kind of stringed instrument you have; the bridge is where the strings make contact with the body. It is one of the most important points of contact where much of the tone and sustain will develop. There are various types of upgrades available, and should your instrument be in the unfortunate position of requiring repair, then there are solutions. Don’t forget this often neglected part of your instrument! You can lose a lot of tone here, especially with archtop and floating bridge options, if not looked after properly

Headstock Breaks

Accidents happen, and we can help with all sorts of headstock damage. I've had hundreds of distressed people over the years arrive with their instruments in pieces and leave with a smile on their faces after collecting their repaired guitar, knowing it will have many more years of faithful service. Repairs can cost as little as £80, but will need to be inspected in person to determine what will be necessary to get the job done right.

Cracks

It’s true that even with great care, sometimes things can happen to an instrument that will need more in-depth examination and repair. There are all sorts of things that can happen, from temperature or seasonal climate shifts to sudden impacts that can form cracks and splits in your guitar or other wooden instruments.

Amplifier & Pedal Repair

Although I do not repair any guitar amps or pedals, I can certainly direct you to Frank and Jim over at ‘Sweet Amps’ in East London, who are able to fix many of these things for you!

Pickguards

Pickguards can be a tricky one. Sometimes a new one will just drop right in place; typically, they might need some trimming and fine-tuning, and occasionally a whole new one will need to be cut by hand! Clearly, the more time we spend fitting or making a pickguard will affect the final cost, and I don’t like to cut corners (hahaha) to ensure the final product is top-notch.

Consultations

Starting now, I have a new personal online consultation service! Looking for video help with your guitar? Stuck on a repair or adjusting it somewhere? Tired of scrolling through forums for info and guessing if it’s right? Or just need some advice on selecting the right parts from the wide variety out there? Well, you can now get one-on-one advice from me from anywhere in the world :)

I’ve spent most of my life around guitars and other musical instruments, and in that time I’ve seen a lot, learned a lot, and gained a great deal of information on what is out there. What’s good, and what isn’t. While I can’t claim to know everything, I’ll certainly be honest if I don’t think I can help. It’s only £25 per appointment, and I’m a pretty friendly guy, so if you’re tired of waiting or want to take the guesswork out of guitar work, book a consultation and see if we can assist!

Pickup Installation

I install both acoustic and electric pickups in a variety of instruments and have extensive knowledge to help you get the most out of amplifying your gear. So if you want peace of mind that knowing your pickups are installed and balanced correctly will give you, come on down! Book an appointment to get your pickups installed correctly, the first time.

Active pickup systems often require changing the wiring harness and possibly adding a battery, and are evaluated individually. 

Electronics

Upgrading your electronics is an economical way to get a great-sounding guitar on a budget. Many of my customers come in looking to improve the sound or reliability of their instruments, and we can wire up nearly anything you want. (No smoke machines. I've been asked, really) 

I see tons of broken, worn-out, and abused components that can be repaired or replaced as required. Bad electronics work is something I see come in daily for repair, and I hold myself to the highest standards when it comes to soldering. Rest assured that if I wire something up for you, it'll be ready for a world tour.

Interference (humming or buzzing) is everywhere these days with screens, lights, dirty power supplies, and more. Every year, more people come to me needing their guitars shielded from these elements. A properly shielded guitar will virtually eliminate most interference.  

Routing

I get asked quite a bit to do modifications to instruments that require routing. Whether it’s pickups, tremolos or bridges, neck reinforcement, or even that new bolt-on neck that just doesn’t quite fit, we can handle many requests that involve precision routing!

Bracing & Bridge Plates

Bracing is the strength, the skeleton, if you will, that holds most instruments together and plays a pivotal role in shaping the tone of any acoustic instrument. Braces can come unglued, pop off, and sometimes even break, and when that happens, it’s important to glue them back on correctly so the tone is maintained. There are many different styles and types of bracing out there, so please do get in touch if you need help

Paint & Finishing

One of the very few limitations in my workshop is the ability to do paintwork and full refinishing. We operate in a very limited space in Central London, which also carries certain environmental and emissions regulations, as you might imagine, so no spray booth here (sad face). Certain small finish repairs and correction work are sometimes possible, but please contact me first so we can properly assess your individual needs.

Parts

I keep a small stock of the most commonly used parts, but I can order the correct materials once I've examined the instrument and know what is required for the job. I may be able to point you in the right direction, but I will only discuss parts in detail with a job being booked in. As much as I'd love to help everyone, it is the responsibility of the shop or person selling you the part to provide answers to your questions. If you’d like to book a consultation with me, I can absolutely spend more time on this with you. Apologies, I’m really not trying to appear harsh, but I get a mountain of emails asking questions about parts, and I must devote my time and energy to serve my current clients best. 

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