Maybe it was your dad’s guitar sitting in the closet. Maybe you found it at a yard sale or a pawn shop. It’s dusty, the strings are rusty, and it might not even hold a tune. Restoration to playable gets it back in your hands and making music again.
What we usually find
- Rusted or dead strings
- Dirty fretboard, dull frets, and grimy hardware
- Neck that has moved and needs adjusting
- Strings sitting way too high off the fretboard
- Tuners that are stiff, loose, or broken
- Crackly volume knobs or an output jack that cuts out
- Sharp fret ends from years of dry storage
- Chips and missing finish exposing bare wood
How it works
- Bring the instrument to the shop on Redcliff Drive in Redding.
- We look it over and test everything that can be tested.
- You get a quote and a list of what it needs, starting with what matters most for playability.
- You choose what to fix. No surprises.
- We do the work and get it playing.
What’s usually included
Most restorations combine a few of our standard services:
- Full cleaning and polishing
- Guitar setup with new strings, neck adjustment, action, and intonation
- Tuner replacement if the old ones won’t hold
- Pots, switches, and jack repair on electrics
- Fret end dressing and fretboard conditioning
- Spot finish touch-up where wood is exposed
Practical, not perfect
The goal is an instrument that plays well and is safe to keep playing. We focus your budget on the things that make the biggest difference: playability, tuning stability, and working electronics. Cosmetic wear that doesn’t affect playing can stay, which keeps the cost down and keeps the guitar’s history.
Sentimental instruments
Family guitars are some of the most rewarding jobs we do. We’ll treat it with care and keep original parts whenever they still work.
Before you buy a project guitar
Thinking about buying an old or beat-up guitar to fix? Look for a straight neck, no major cracks in the body or headstock, and frets that still have some height. Rust, grime, dead electronics, and missing tuners are all fixable at a reasonable cost. Big structural problems cost more. If you’re not sure, bring it by and we’ll give you an honest opinion before you put money into it.
Get a quote
Call or text to set up a time to bring it in. We help players and families across our service area, including Redding, Anderson, Shasta Lake, Palo Cedro, Bella Vista, and Cottonwood.
Guitar Restoration to Playable questions
How much does it cost?
It depends on what the instrument needs. We look it over first, then give you a quote and a list of what we'd recommend before doing any work.
Is my old guitar worth fixing?
Often yes, especially if it's been in the family. We'll give you a straight answer about what it needs and whether the repair makes sense for that instrument.
Can you make it look brand new?
Our focus is getting it playing well. We clean it up and touch up damage, but we don't strip and refinish. Some wear is part of an old guitar's character.