The Hub

Hi guys, it's my first post here. First of all, english is not my first language, so I'm sorry for any mistake or its a bit rough. Recently I have a Sterling Maj200xsm from a costumer that has tunning issues with the tremolo. Any of you has experience with this model? I made a full set up and I checked the nut, saddles, springs, and dont found the trouble. Sometimes there are no issues at all, then the 2º and 3º string goes higher, then…

Hi all, I'd like to get some input on how to address this top blowout. For starters I own this, I got it as a project guitar, 71 D28. I'm not as experienced with acoustics as electrics and this is a big project but I got it to learn new skills and I'm confident I can do it with guidance. It had been stored in the case for many years under tension and was way too humidified. The bridge had pulled up I assume in stages. The center seam se…

It’s Factory Friday! I’ll be in the shop today from 2–4 PM Eastern for the weekly open office hours. Drop in, hang out, ask questions, talk tools, guitar building, SMF, or whatever you’re working on in your shop. No agenda. No presentation. Just shop time. Join at www.stringsmicrofactory.com/factoryfriday See you this afternoon! ✌️

Hello to the Council of Elders! My name is Joe Byron, and I am president of the Stringed Instrument Makers of Southern California (SIMSCal). We have been around for over 30 years and have a large number of members and followers. Our membership includes both professional and non-professional luthiers. SIMSCal meets 4-8 times per year (both live and virtually), and we share tips, processes, stories, and show off our work. We frequently inclu…

Hello all! My name is Jake and I run a repair shop out of my NYC apartment. I am looking for someone who's experienced in CAD to help me with a project. I am working on a 5 string headless bass build for a customer. The neck & body are to be CNCed by a local mill here in Brooklyn, NY. I have a 2D design (PDF and CRD), but I need help making some modifications, as well as translating it to 3D. Pay is negotiable. I will basically pay whate…

Since most of us fix or make guitars, we have probably heard something about the cease and desist letters Fender has sent out concerning the Stratocaster. I thought I would offer some thoughts. As always, caveat emptor. There are three basic ways to protect intellectual property under Federal law. Patent, trademark, and copyright. Each protects different things, and has different underlying legal theories. Lets begin with pate…

Hey everyone, Recently I've been struggling to determine how much to charge the customer in regards to parts for a repair. The best example of this I can give would be guitar strings. Occasionally I'll buy strings on sale, other times when they're not on sale, and since cost of strings often varies, I may buy strings at the start of the year, and at the end of the year the price will be different. So the question is, what variables do I…

Call for Luthiers and Small Makers Daymaker Music – Bainbridge Island, WA Daymaker Music is opening this November in downtown Winslow in Bainbridge Island, and we’re inviting makers and luthiers who value craft, sustainability, and community to help us shape what customers see and hear when they walk in. We’re looking for small makers, independent luthiers, and custom builders who want their instruments on a dedicated wall of our new retai…

So, I’m a month and a half into this repair business and so far so good. I think I’ve got more than adequate skills to handle the physical, customers have been coming in and balancing a relationship with starting a new business is going well. But…… The scariest thing is how to handle customers and the things they love. So far, I’ve been able to test the waters on repairing fairly inexpensive, not too attached to instruments, easing my wa…

I turned 60 in January and started wondering about retirement. I can't decide if I should retire at 62 or 67. Waiting for maximum S.S. money sounds better, but its not all about the money for me and who knows if that program won't go the way of the Dodo by then? I'll probably keep working in this biz after I retire, but at a very leisurely pace and not enough to jack up any possible retirement benefits. Are any of you out there officiall…

Maybe there’s already a place for this but someone wants an old sentimental guitar modified with a Floyd rose and I haven’t done one of those in forever. Thinking back to when I was younger in the trade and stuff like this came up I would’ve loved to have a place to go where helpful repair folks hangout who might help me to avoid underbidding the hell out of a job. I used to bid everything low because I was thinking about the client and…

Hello looths worldwide ! 🌍 I just moved into a bigger space, called "Comme un Établi" here in Rennes, France (https://www.commeunetabli.fr/). It's a pretty cool space, with shared tools and knowledge, in which I have 13 square meters dedicated solely to my loothing business. People here have different jobs (leather work, wood work, metal work, book repair, furniture repair, etc.), and are used to offer workshops to people. I'm looking for…