PittPastor
Member
In another thread, Retro Rocker said this:
And that brings up the question: How did you find your Luthier? It's really weird I find myself asking these questions, because I have owned my Guild since 1981, and I've been playing for longer, but I have never used a Luthier. Recently I had a pickup installed on my Guild, but that was the first time I directly interacted with anyone who worked on my Guitar. Seems like most folks pick a Luthier before they pick their family doctor!
According to the "LuthiersPortal" The nearest Luthier is about 230 miles away from me. That doesn't seem right. But is there such a thing as a certified Luthier? I live in the Pittsburgh area. I have 2 Guitar Centers in the region. I have "Pittsburgh Guitars" downtown. And a couple other music stores that advertise they do repairs.
But none use the term Luthier. Is that a special designation? Are their Guild specialists in the Luthier world like there are BMW specialists in automotive?
And you need to shop for a good luthier/ tech like you would shop for a doctor. Seriously. Get referrals, check Yelp, see if they have a website, ask around. And never just go for the cheapest guy! There are some guys doing this who shouldn't be allowed near guitars! And there are some who are true luthiers, and stand behind their work and can take a guitar you thought was alright and make it play like OMG!!! And you might go through a few guys til you find the right one, but it is so worth it when you do!
Don't be shy, be prepared to play for your luthier/tech. He needs to see what you're doing and why, and to make the adjustments for you!
And that brings up the question: How did you find your Luthier? It's really weird I find myself asking these questions, because I have owned my Guild since 1981, and I've been playing for longer, but I have never used a Luthier. Recently I had a pickup installed on my Guild, but that was the first time I directly interacted with anyone who worked on my Guitar. Seems like most folks pick a Luthier before they pick their family doctor!
According to the "LuthiersPortal" The nearest Luthier is about 230 miles away from me. That doesn't seem right. But is there such a thing as a certified Luthier? I live in the Pittsburgh area. I have 2 Guitar Centers in the region. I have "Pittsburgh Guitars" downtown. And a couple other music stores that advertise they do repairs.
But none use the term Luthier. Is that a special designation? Are their Guild specialists in the Luthier world like there are BMW specialists in automotive?