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Guitar Center Repairs

Your go-to spot for expert
stringed instrument repairs,
maintenance and mods

Find a Local Store

to come in or schedule an appointment

One-Stop Shop for Services
One-Stop Shop for Services

Bring in your gear for all of your stringed instrument needs

Highly Trained,
Certified Technicians

Our techs can service a range of instruments, including vintage and high-end gear

Available at Every Guitar Center
Available at Every Guitar Center

With 300+ stores across the country, our Repairs service is never far away

Services We Provide

All pricing listed on this page is for labor only. Parts are sold separately. Starting rates vary by location, and the services required may vary by instrument. The Repairs tech will provide a full quote before starting any service. Read our Repairs Disclaimer for more information

Not every store is equipped to handle all services listed below. However, we can coordinate shipping your instrument to one of our advanced repair locations if necessary. Contact your local Guitar Center for more details.

Stringed Instrument Maintenance
Stringed Instrument Maintenance
Platinum Setup ($89.99-$109.99)
Signature Setup ($59.99-$69.99)
Restring ($24.99-$34.99)
Additional fee for non-standard instruments ($9.99-$69.99)
Fret Repair
Fret Repair
Level, crown and polish ($159.99-$184.99)
Fret end dress ($59.99-$69.99)
Refret ($359.99-$424.99)
Partial refret($209.99-$249.99)
Additional fee for non-standard fretboards($59.99-$69.99)
Additional fee for stainless steel frets($19.99-$109.99)
Electronics Upgrades and Customization
Electronics Upgrades and Customization
Electric pickup installation($59.99-$69.99)
Acoustic pickup installation (includes setup) ($119.99-$154.99)
Output jack replacement($24.99-$34.99)
Potentiometer replacement($34.99-$69.99)
Hollowbody instruments($9.99-$49.99)
Custom wiring/wiring repairs*
Additional fee for non-standard instruments($19.99-$109.99)
Hardware Upgrades
Hardware Upgrades
Pickguard replacement($9.99-$54.99)
Tuning key replacement($9.99-$59.99)
Strap locks/strap button repair($19.99-$29.99)
Bridge replacement*
Cosmetic enhancements*
Nut and Saddle Fabrication
Nut and Saddle Fabrication
Nut fabrication($139.99-$159.99)
Premade nut replacement($99.99-$119.99)
Saddle fabrication($119.99-$139.99)
Premade saddle replacement($89.99-$109.99)
Non-standard nut fabrication($9.99-$59.99)
Bone, graphite and brass upgrades*
Structural Repair
Structural Repair
Humidification service($19.99-$69.99)
Headstock breaks ($119.99-$559.99)
Bridge reglue($179.99-$269.99)
Cracks*
Brace reglue*
Other structural repairs*

*Service offerings vary by location. Contact your local store for pricing

Stringed Instrument Maintenance

Restring

  • Instrument inspection
  • Replace and stretch strings
  • Tuning
  • Quick clean

Non-standard instrument charges may apply

Signature Setup

  • Instrument inspection
  • Lubricate and tighten hardware
  • Clean and condition fingerboard
  • Clean and polish fret wire
  • Replace and stretch strings
  • Check tremolo spring tension (where applicable)
  • Adjust truss rod
  • Adjust saddle height
  • Adjust and clean nut slots
  • Adjust pickup height
  • Intonate with strobe tuner
  • Quick clean

Non-standard instrument charges may apply

Platinum Setup

  • Instrument inspection
  • Lubricate and tighten hardware
  • Clean and condition fingerboard
  • Clean and polish fret wire
  • Replace and stretch strings
  • Check tremolo spring tension (where applicable)
  • Adjust truss rod
  • Adjust saddle height
  • Adjust and clean nut slots
  • Adjust pickup height
  • Intonate with strobe tuner
  • Claybar detailing treatment on neck and body*
  • Hardware cleaning and polish
  • Carnauba wax protectant on finish*

*May not be applicable on certain finish types

Non-standard instrument charges may apply

Non-Standard Instruments

An additional charge applies for non-standard instruments, including but not limited to:

  • Floating tremolos (Floyd Rose, Kahler, Ibanez Edge, etc.)
  • Required neck removal for setup adjustments
  • 7-string or more guitar
  • 5-string or more bass or ukulele
  • Classical nylon-string guitar
  • Violin, cello or upright bass
  • Mandolin, lute or charango
  • Banjo, dulcimer, resonator guitar or other folk instrument
  • Bajo quinto or sexto

Fret Repair

Level, Crown and Polish

  • Instrument inspection
  • Level frets
  • Restore the fret crowns
  • Polish frets
  • Clean and condition fretboard
  • Signature Setup

Fret End Dress

  • Instrument inspection
  • Bevel and dress fret ends
  • Clean and condition fretboard
  • Restring

Stainless steel charges may apply

Non-standard instrument charges may apply

Refret

  • Instrument inspection
  • Remove all old frets
  • Radius and cut new frets
  • Install new frets
  • Level, crown and polish
  • Clean and condition fretboard
  • Signature Setup

Stainless steel charges may apply

Non-standard instrument charges may apply

Upgradable to a Platinum Setup

Partial Refret

  • Instrument inspection
  • Remove up to five old frets
  • Radius and cut new frets
  • Install new frets
  • Level, crown and polish
  • Clean and condition fretboard
  • Signature Setup

Stainless steel charges may apply

Non-standard instrument charges may apply

Upgradable to a Platinum Setup

Non-Standard Fretboards

Additional charge for non-standard fretboards include but are not limited to:

  • Maple fretboards
  • Finished fretboards
  • Fretboards with intricate inlays

Stainless Steel

Additional charge for stainless steel fret wire. Pricing varies depending on the service.

Electronics Upgrades and Customization

Electric pickup installation

  • Instrument inspection
  • Replace or install one electric guitar pickup

Additional charges will apply for active to passive or passive to active installations

Hollowbody instrument charges may apply

Acoustic Pickup Installation (with Setup)

  • Instrument inspection
  • Installation of undersaddle and/or microphone pickup
  • Replace end pin with end pin jack
  • Mount soundhole controls
  • Mount battery pouch
  • Manage wires with ties and anchors
  • Signature Setup

Additional charges apply for routing of preamps or batteries

Non-standard instrument charges may apply

Upgradable to Platinum Setup

Output Jack Replacement

  • Instrument inspection
  • Replace or install one output jack

Hollowbody instrument charges may apply

Potentiometer Replacement

  • Instrument inspection
  • Replace or install one new potentiometer

Hollowbody instrument charges may apply

Hollowbody Instruments

Additional charges for hollowbody instruments. Pricing varies depending on service.

Hardware Upgrades

Pickguard Replacement

  • Instrument inspection
  • Pickguard installation on acoustic or electric guitar

Additional charges for cleaning adhesive

Restring or setup charges may apply

Tuning Key Replacement

  • Instrument inspection
  • Remove old tuning machine(s)
  • Install new tuning machine(s)

Non-standard instrument charges may apply

Restring or Setup charges may apply

Strap Locks and Strap Button Repair

  • Instrument inspection
  • Drill holes and install new strap button(s) or remove and replace old strap button(s) or install strap locks on guitar/strap

Additional charges for dowels and redrilling

Nut and Saddle Fabrication

Nut Fabrication

  • Instrument inspection
  • Remove old nut and clean nut slot
  • Fabricate a new nut from a blank
  • Signature Setup

Non-standard nut fabrication charges may apply

Additional charges for a 12-string nut

Upgradable to a Platinum Setup

Pre-Made Nut Replacement

  • Instrument inspection
  • Remove old nut and clean nut slot
  • Fit a pre-made nut to the instrument
  • Signature Setup

Non-standard nut fabrication charges may apply

Additional charges for a 12-string nut

Upgradable to a Platinum Setup

Saddle Fabrication

  • Instrument inspection
  • Remove old saddle and clean saddle slot
  • Fabricate new saddle from a blank
  • Signature Setup

Non-standard nut fabrication charges may apply

Upgradable to a Platinum Setup

Pre-Made Saddle Replacement

  • Instrument inspection
  • Remove old saddle and clean saddle slot
  • Fit a pre-made nut to the instrument
  • Signature Setup

Non-standard nut fabrication charges may apply

Upgradable to a Platinum Setup

Non-Standard Nut Fabrication

Additional charge for non-standard nut and saddle requirements.

Structural Repair

Humidification Service

Additional charge to rehumidify instrument and restore it back to its designated humidity level. This may be a recommended or required add-on dependent of the service needs of the instrument.

Headstock Breaks

  • Instrument inspection
  • Gluing of cracks within the neck or regluing of a severed headstock
  • Smoothing of the glue joint and surrounding areas
  • Signature Setup

Charges vary depending on severity of headstock break

Additional charges for any finish touch-up and/or finish repair

Subject to availability by location

Non-standard nut fabrication charges may apply

Upgradable to a Platinum Setup

Bridge Reglue

  • Instrument inspection
  • Remove old bridge
  • Clean bridge bottom and guitar top of old glue
  • Reglue bridge in proper place on guitar top
  • Clean-up of glue joint
  • Signature Setup

Non-standard nut fabrication charges may apply

Upgradable to a Platinum Setup

Looking for a service that isn’t listed? We can still help.

Visit or call your local store for more options about your specific needs and what else we offer.

Find a Local Store

Free Pickup Installation

With Purchase of Any Electric Pickup Thru Oct. 9

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Shake the Room

Enhance your sound at your next gig with our speaker and subwoofer rentals

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Dial In your gear with a free consultation

Upgrades, Mods and Repairs

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Restrings, Rebuilds & Beyond

Make your instrument sound and play its best with help from our expert techs

Frequently Asked Questions

New instruments from the factory are set to stock specifications to accommodate the general player. A setup can provide a personalized experience to fine-tune your instrument to fit how you like to play.

Platinum Setups are the ultimate service to enhance the look and feel of your instrument. Upgrading to a Platinum Setup will make your guitar feel even better and stand out from the crowd. It will also preserve your instrument’s finish and make your guitar look and feel new for longer.

A Platinum Setup is the ultimate service to enhance the look and feel of your instrument. It’s the Signature Setup cranked to 11. We start by removing old strings, polishing the frets and oiling the fretboard (dark woods only) for a clean look and feel. Hardware is tightened and polished with Music Nomad Pro products.

This is followed up by proprietary claybar detailing, an exclusive Platinum Setup service that pulls any debris from the finish that can’t be removed with only a cleaning cloth. Carnauba wax is applied to fill in remaining gaps and provide UV protection for a smooth, shiny finish.

To complete the setup, strings are replaced and nut slots are fine-tuned to their appropriate size. The action and truss rod are adjusted to your preferred specs to ensure the best playability possible. For electric guitars, the service is finished by setting pickup heights and dialing in the intonation on a strobe tuner, so your instrument is gig- and studio-ready.

Customers can bring in gear anytime with no appointment necessary. Walk-ins are welcome during regular store hours, but turnaround times may vary from store to store.

If a Repair Tech is unavailable, your instrument can be dropped off and you will be contacted by a Repair Tech to discuss service details as soon as possible.

We’ll replace and stretch strings and remove any dust or fingerprints for a clean, smooth feel. Each string is then precision-tuned for optimal playability.

Exact timing depends on each store’s volume of repairs and the specific repairs needed. We always do our best to ensure your instrument is back in your hands as soon as possible.

Contact your local Repair Tech for estimated turnaround times.

New pickups, customized wiring or personalized modifications make it easy to dial in your preferred sound and to get your instrument playing the way you want.

No problem. Simply bring it in and have a Repair Tech check it out. We’ll provide a full evaluation of your instrument’s needs and recommend any appropriate services.

We’ll replace a worn or chipped nut or saddle for improved performance. Plus, we’ll customize both to perfectly fit your instrument and playing preferences. We can also upgrade the tone of your instrument with bone, graphite or brass options.

Yes. We offer free evaluations to help you find the best solution for the needs of your instrument. There is no bench fee for stringed instruments at Guitar Center.

For superior feel and sound, we can level your fretboard and repair divots, chips or flat spots. To extend the life of your guitar, our Repairs techs can also oil and condition dark wood fretboards and even refret your instrument. We can ensure precise action and intonation, and even extend the life of your instrument with personalized wire specs and upgraded materials. Switching to larger or thinner fret wire can drastically alter the feel of your instrument.

Guitar Center offers manufacturer warranty service for many brands and Pro Coverage for every brand. Please contact your nearest Guitar Center for more details.

No matter what style you have in mind, we can give your instrument the look you’ve always wanted with hardware customizations and cosmetic upgrades. We can switch out the bridge and install new tuners for improved tone and superior tuning stability too. Plus, we can install strap locks for added security during performance, rehearsal and recording.

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Our product catalog varies by country due to manufacturer restrictions. If you change the Ship-To country, some or all of the items in your cart may not ship to the new destination.