| Gabriel's Guitars Service ~ Repair ~ Retail ~ Construction 3146 N. 1st. Ave. Tucson, Az 85719 |
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Q: Why choose Gabriel's Guitars as opposed to the other repair
shops in Tucson?
A: We are simply the best at what we do. Luthier Gabriel Wright
oversees every repair in his shop. He was taught by some of the most
venerable and imaginative minds in the luthiery world how to build
guitars from scratch. Having understood how to build the ideal guitar,
he moved his focus to repair. At Gabriel's Guitars, we look at a
broken guitar and see its potential - and help you take steps toward a
better guitar for less money.
We pride ourselves on customer service. We guarantee that you will
be satisfied with our work and that your guitar will leave our store in
playing condition*. You will always be greeted by a knowledgeable
and kind representative who will do his/her best to help you.
Did we mention lower prices? Sometimes as much as 25% lower than
our competitors! At Gabriel's Guitars, our passion is guitar repair. We
are not in it to make a quick buck. We are confident that our
customers will agree that we are the best option, and that's why we
do what we do.
*see customer contract.
_______________________________________________________
Q: My guitar plays well until I'm soloing up at the 10th to 12th fret and
when I bend the string it just frets out and stops playing - it's only a
few months old!....can you fix it?
A: Yes, of course. If you look down the sides of your fret board, you
will see that there is a hump in the neck right about where it meets
the body. This happens because many manufacturers do not
consider string tension when they sand the fret boards flat. Humps in
the board can also be caused from age and wood warping over time.
Depending on the size of the hump, you may need to have fret board
work done which will require at least a partial re-fret and an LCP.
_______________________________________________________
Q: I just bought a brand new guitar, shouldn't it play well right out of
the box?
A: No! Many companies ship their guitars all over the world - to
different climate zones, with different humidity levels. It would be a
bad idea for them to set up their guitars perfectly in the factory
because wherever it wound up it would be all out of whack. So most
factories dial their guitars in ONLY PART WAY before shipping. Your
guitar almost definitely can play a lot better with only a simple Set Up.
_______________________________________________________
Q: How much does a Setup cost and what is included?
A: For most instruments, a setup costs $50, and includes adjustment
of the neck, saddle, and nut. We will adjust and lubricate geared
tuners and inspect all hardware of the guitar. On electrics, we will
blow out the control cavity to ensure that it is dust free. If your guitar
uses a 9v battery, we will test the battery and replace it if necessary.
Finally, we will adjust the intonation of the guitar using a Peterson
Strobe Tuner, and clean the instrument and the interior of the case it
came in.
If you bring in your guitar before noon, we offer same-day service for
a nominal fee. After noon, we offer next-day service.
A setup does not include strings, although you can find many of the
most popular string sets from Elixer, D'addario, GHS, Ernie Ball, and
DR Strings in our storefront available for purchase.
Instruments that will require additional fees include guitars fitted with
Floyd Rose locking bridges, 12-string guitars, and 8-string basses.
_______________________________________________________
Q: Does changing the gauge of my strings change the feel, sound,
and intonation of my guitar?
A: Yes. The thicker the string you use, the lower the action can be
set, the fatter and fuller sound they will produce, and the more
tension will be put on the neck and vice versa. Your guitar will need to
be Set Up if you want to change the gauge of the strings either up or
down.
_______________________________________________________
Q: How often should I change my strings?
A: How much do you play? And what kind of strings are they? What I
tell most guitar players is that they should change strings a minimum
of once every 2-3 months. If you are a heavy player you may want to
change them more frequently. Some players can make strings last for
years. This is not recommended as strings lose tension as they get
older and this allows the wood in the neck to warp more easily.
Bass players should change strings every 5-6 months minimum. For
those players who boil their bass strings, this time can generally be
stretched to 8 or 9 months though boiling strings is not recommended
for optimum long-term maintenance of the bass. Note that not all bass
strings should be boiled (e.g. Elixer).
NEW STRINGS JUST SOUND BETTER! So change them as often as
you can. It will help keep your guitar in optimum condition for a longer
period of time and you'll be more content with your overall sound.
Oh, and if you bought your strings from Target, you should probably
skip putting them on your guitar and put them directly into the trash
where they belong.
shops in Tucson?
A: We are simply the best at what we do. Luthier Gabriel Wright
oversees every repair in his shop. He was taught by some of the most
venerable and imaginative minds in the luthiery world how to build
guitars from scratch. Having understood how to build the ideal guitar,
he moved his focus to repair. At Gabriel's Guitars, we look at a
broken guitar and see its potential - and help you take steps toward a
better guitar for less money.
We pride ourselves on customer service. We guarantee that you will
be satisfied with our work and that your guitar will leave our store in
playing condition*. You will always be greeted by a knowledgeable
and kind representative who will do his/her best to help you.
Did we mention lower prices? Sometimes as much as 25% lower than
our competitors! At Gabriel's Guitars, our passion is guitar repair. We
are not in it to make a quick buck. We are confident that our
customers will agree that we are the best option, and that's why we
do what we do.
*see customer contract.
_______________________________________________________
Q: My guitar plays well until I'm soloing up at the 10th to 12th fret and
when I bend the string it just frets out and stops playing - it's only a
few months old!....can you fix it?
A: Yes, of course. If you look down the sides of your fret board, you
will see that there is a hump in the neck right about where it meets
the body. This happens because many manufacturers do not
consider string tension when they sand the fret boards flat. Humps in
the board can also be caused from age and wood warping over time.
Depending on the size of the hump, you may need to have fret board
work done which will require at least a partial re-fret and an LCP.
_______________________________________________________
Q: I just bought a brand new guitar, shouldn't it play well right out of
the box?
A: No! Many companies ship their guitars all over the world - to
different climate zones, with different humidity levels. It would be a
bad idea for them to set up their guitars perfectly in the factory
because wherever it wound up it would be all out of whack. So most
factories dial their guitars in ONLY PART WAY before shipping. Your
guitar almost definitely can play a lot better with only a simple Set Up.
_______________________________________________________
Q: How much does a Setup cost and what is included?
A: For most instruments, a setup costs $50, and includes adjustment
of the neck, saddle, and nut. We will adjust and lubricate geared
tuners and inspect all hardware of the guitar. On electrics, we will
blow out the control cavity to ensure that it is dust free. If your guitar
uses a 9v battery, we will test the battery and replace it if necessary.
Finally, we will adjust the intonation of the guitar using a Peterson
Strobe Tuner, and clean the instrument and the interior of the case it
came in.
If you bring in your guitar before noon, we offer same-day service for
a nominal fee. After noon, we offer next-day service.
A setup does not include strings, although you can find many of the
most popular string sets from Elixer, D'addario, GHS, Ernie Ball, and
DR Strings in our storefront available for purchase.
Instruments that will require additional fees include guitars fitted with
Floyd Rose locking bridges, 12-string guitars, and 8-string basses.
_______________________________________________________
Q: Does changing the gauge of my strings change the feel, sound,
and intonation of my guitar?
A: Yes. The thicker the string you use, the lower the action can be
set, the fatter and fuller sound they will produce, and the more
tension will be put on the neck and vice versa. Your guitar will need to
be Set Up if you want to change the gauge of the strings either up or
down.
_______________________________________________________
Q: How often should I change my strings?
A: How much do you play? And what kind of strings are they? What I
tell most guitar players is that they should change strings a minimum
of once every 2-3 months. If you are a heavy player you may want to
change them more frequently. Some players can make strings last for
years. This is not recommended as strings lose tension as they get
older and this allows the wood in the neck to warp more easily.
Bass players should change strings every 5-6 months minimum. For
those players who boil their bass strings, this time can generally be
stretched to 8 or 9 months though boiling strings is not recommended
for optimum long-term maintenance of the bass. Note that not all bass
strings should be boiled (e.g. Elixer).
NEW STRINGS JUST SOUND BETTER! So change them as often as
you can. It will help keep your guitar in optimum condition for a longer
period of time and you'll be more content with your overall sound.
Oh, and if you bought your strings from Target, you should probably
skip putting them on your guitar and put them directly into the trash
where they belong.
| FAQ |
_______________________________________________________
Q: I just noticed that the bridge on my acoustic is lifting up in the back
and I can stick a business card underneath it. Is this serious?
A: Well, not yet, but it is important to have this issue dealt with
quickly. If left alone, the bridge will continue to rotate and lift off of the
top. Your action will get higher, and the top will distort making a
decent repair nearly impossible. As a general rule of thumb, repairs
should always be made as quickly as possible to avoid more costly,
intensive, and widely less successful procedures.
_______________________________________________________
Q: Do you have any kinds of student discounts?
A: Yes! If you are a UofA student, present your CatCard to receive
15% off your total purchase!
If you are an ASU student, an additional $20 will be added to your
total. Just kidding (or am I?).
_______________________________________________________
Q: How do I know when I need a Set-Up?
A: There is a number of reasons why you may need a set up and
different types of instruments have different problems. All of the more
intensive procedures include a set up, and so in reality there are far
too many reasons to list here....but here are the major reasons that
someone would strictly need a set up.
Look down the sides of your neck from the headstock towards the
body. The fret board should be ALMOST flat. If there is a significant
bow in the direction of the strings, or if it bows backwards at all, you
need to have a set up performed.
If your guitar feels like it has gotten harder to play recently, that you
really have to push down on the strings, you need at least a set up.
If the strings of your guitar get dramatically further and further away
from the fret board as they get closer to the bridge, you need a set
up.
If you plan to change the gauge of string on your guitar either up or
down, you will need a set up.
If you just bought a new guitar, it probably needs to be set up - this
will help it really sing and will also increase the lifespan of the guitar
(especially in lower-end models).
If you are starting to hear buzzing all over the fret board, you
probably need a set up.
_______________________________________________________
Q: I was jammin' out with my band the other night and got really into
the music. I turned around and smacked the headstock on a cymbal
stand and nearly knocked the thing right off! Theres a huge crack in
the back of the headstock now, and it seems like it might fall off at
any minute. Can you fix it?
A: Yes, but first, DON'T MESS WITH IT, and DON'T TRY TO FIX IT
YOURSELF!!! If there are any shards of wood, pick them up and
bring them in with you. Headstock re-glues are more common than I'd
like to admit, but when done poorly, you can ruin a guitar forever. We
guarantee that your headstock will be in solid condition and will not
easily break again. Additionally, we can often make the break nearly
invisible. Depending on the seriousness of the break, a down
payment may be required.
_______________________________________________________
Q: So I just bought a brand new Les Paul off the wall at a guitar mega-
store and it plays great except that one of the strings buzzes when I
play it open. The guy at the store told me that it was no big deal and I
should just back off the truss rod 1/4 turn and everything should be
fine, right?
A: NO! DON'T DO IT!!! The problem is not the neck, so why adjust
the neck? The problem is that someone at the store probably tried to
set the guitar up for some other customer and took the nut action too
low. You will either need to shim up the nut or replace it entirely.
This is a common problem that happens when someone who doesn't
know what they are doing tries to do a set up. They screw up your
guitar, and instruct you to screw it up more!
There is a very specific order to doing the fine adjustments of a set
up and its all based in science - physics to be exact. It starts with
adjusting the neck, then the action is adjusted at the bridge (saddle),
and finally action is adjusted at the nut. So....if the problem is at the
nut, again, why mess with the neck? Theres nothing wrong with the
neck...but there will be if you adjust it.
Go ahead, adjust the neck and see what happens. In about a month
or two, you'll probably be in my store needing fingerboard work
done...which is approximately triple the price of replacing the nut with
a custom bone one, and about 10 times more expensive than
shimming!
Bottom line: We are the experts. Don't trust your guitar mega store
employee, because almost none of them have had any actual
experience doing guitar repair. In fact, if you find one who actually
knows anything about guitars at all, you should get to know him
personally for your future guitar and gear purchases. Apart from that
rare situation, I would stay away from mega stores altogether unless
you really know your guitars.
_______________________________________________________
Q: Recently, Ive been having a lot of trouble with my electric guitar
making a lot of static noise whenever its plugged into the amp. The
sound seems to diminish or go away completely whenever I play it or
touch any metal part on the guitar. Its really annoying! Can you help?
A: Sure! The problem is the grounding system on your guitar.
Somewhere in your electronics configuration, a ground connection is
missing or not making a good connection. Most commonly, this
happens at the output jack because with constant use, the nut on the
jack loosens and many people try to just screw it back on. They don't
realize that they are actually turning the jack itself, twisting all the
connecting wires until inevitably one of them breaks off. Chances are,
you just need some minor electrical work done.
Need an temporary fix because you're in the recording studio right
now? Grab some aluminum foil and tape it to your bridge on one end
and to some part of your body on the other. It looks stupid, but it will
get you by.
_______________________________________________________
More coming soon!
Q: I just noticed that the bridge on my acoustic is lifting up in the back
and I can stick a business card underneath it. Is this serious?
A: Well, not yet, but it is important to have this issue dealt with
quickly. If left alone, the bridge will continue to rotate and lift off of the
top. Your action will get higher, and the top will distort making a
decent repair nearly impossible. As a general rule of thumb, repairs
should always be made as quickly as possible to avoid more costly,
intensive, and widely less successful procedures.
_______________________________________________________
Q: Do you have any kinds of student discounts?
A: Yes! If you are a UofA student, present your CatCard to receive
15% off your total purchase!
If you are an ASU student, an additional $20 will be added to your
total. Just kidding (or am I?).
_______________________________________________________
Q: How do I know when I need a Set-Up?
A: There is a number of reasons why you may need a set up and
different types of instruments have different problems. All of the more
intensive procedures include a set up, and so in reality there are far
too many reasons to list here....but here are the major reasons that
someone would strictly need a set up.
Look down the sides of your neck from the headstock towards the
body. The fret board should be ALMOST flat. If there is a significant
bow in the direction of the strings, or if it bows backwards at all, you
need to have a set up performed.
If your guitar feels like it has gotten harder to play recently, that you
really have to push down on the strings, you need at least a set up.
If the strings of your guitar get dramatically further and further away
from the fret board as they get closer to the bridge, you need a set
up.
If you plan to change the gauge of string on your guitar either up or
down, you will need a set up.
If you just bought a new guitar, it probably needs to be set up - this
will help it really sing and will also increase the lifespan of the guitar
(especially in lower-end models).
If you are starting to hear buzzing all over the fret board, you
probably need a set up.
_______________________________________________________
Q: I was jammin' out with my band the other night and got really into
the music. I turned around and smacked the headstock on a cymbal
stand and nearly knocked the thing right off! Theres a huge crack in
the back of the headstock now, and it seems like it might fall off at
any minute. Can you fix it?
A: Yes, but first, DON'T MESS WITH IT, and DON'T TRY TO FIX IT
YOURSELF!!! If there are any shards of wood, pick them up and
bring them in with you. Headstock re-glues are more common than I'd
like to admit, but when done poorly, you can ruin a guitar forever. We
guarantee that your headstock will be in solid condition and will not
easily break again. Additionally, we can often make the break nearly
invisible. Depending on the seriousness of the break, a down
payment may be required.
_______________________________________________________
Q: So I just bought a brand new Les Paul off the wall at a guitar mega-
store and it plays great except that one of the strings buzzes when I
play it open. The guy at the store told me that it was no big deal and I
should just back off the truss rod 1/4 turn and everything should be
fine, right?
A: NO! DON'T DO IT!!! The problem is not the neck, so why adjust
the neck? The problem is that someone at the store probably tried to
set the guitar up for some other customer and took the nut action too
low. You will either need to shim up the nut or replace it entirely.
This is a common problem that happens when someone who doesn't
know what they are doing tries to do a set up. They screw up your
guitar, and instruct you to screw it up more!
There is a very specific order to doing the fine adjustments of a set
up and its all based in science - physics to be exact. It starts with
adjusting the neck, then the action is adjusted at the bridge (saddle),
and finally action is adjusted at the nut. So....if the problem is at the
nut, again, why mess with the neck? Theres nothing wrong with the
neck...but there will be if you adjust it.
Go ahead, adjust the neck and see what happens. In about a month
or two, you'll probably be in my store needing fingerboard work
done...which is approximately triple the price of replacing the nut with
a custom bone one, and about 10 times more expensive than
shimming!
Bottom line: We are the experts. Don't trust your guitar mega store
employee, because almost none of them have had any actual
experience doing guitar repair. In fact, if you find one who actually
knows anything about guitars at all, you should get to know him
personally for your future guitar and gear purchases. Apart from that
rare situation, I would stay away from mega stores altogether unless
you really know your guitars.
_______________________________________________________
Q: Recently, Ive been having a lot of trouble with my electric guitar
making a lot of static noise whenever its plugged into the amp. The
sound seems to diminish or go away completely whenever I play it or
touch any metal part on the guitar. Its really annoying! Can you help?
A: Sure! The problem is the grounding system on your guitar.
Somewhere in your electronics configuration, a ground connection is
missing or not making a good connection. Most commonly, this
happens at the output jack because with constant use, the nut on the
jack loosens and many people try to just screw it back on. They don't
realize that they are actually turning the jack itself, twisting all the
connecting wires until inevitably one of them breaks off. Chances are,
you just need some minor electrical work done.
Need an temporary fix because you're in the recording studio right
now? Grab some aluminum foil and tape it to your bridge on one end
and to some part of your body on the other. It looks stupid, but it will
get you by.
_______________________________________________________
More coming soon!