founded in 2012
the new repair standard
About Us
Founded in 2012 by Tristan Johnson, we are a team of experienced guitar technicians/luthiers who are dedicated to achieving mastery in guitar repair. We have led the way in guitar repair in UK for the last 10 years becoming the UK’s only chain of qualified guitar and amplifier repair shops.
However, we want to push it further and aim to raise the standard in the world of guitar repair. To that end over the last few years we have worked with smaller guitar repair companies to support continued learning opportunities for other repair shops in the UK.
ackworth guitar setups
Ackworth Guitar Setups currently has 3 workshops offering guitar repairs and guitar setups in Manchester, Leeds and Huddersfield. We also have a number of collection/drop off points across the North of England. Our main workshop offers a 3,500 square feet fully equipped guitar repair workshop that allows us to do all manner of work from restringing to total strip down and restoration. This fully humidity controlled space means that whiles in our care, your guitar is kept at optimal humidity. Our fully insured workshops give you the peace of mind that your guitar is in good hands.
Our electronics workshop can do anything from guitar setups, wiring mods, fret levelling, neck resets, building a bespoke pickup, to fixing and building valve amplifiers and pedals. With a firm eye on education and the future of the repair industry, our workshop turns into a classroom to offer students the chance to learn the skills we employ.
You can get a full list of our services and prices below. As a future customer of Ackworth Guitar Setups, we look forward to meeting you.
Services and Prices
Standard Setup: £60 + strings
This is the basic level of work required to bring the geometry of the guitar into tolerance and playing cleanly and comfortably without excessive fret buzz or an uncomfortably high action. Most new guitars will require a setup to ensure they play their best.
Standard setup includes:
– Re-string
– Truss Rod Adjustment
– Action and Intonation Adjustment
– Re-cut Nut Slots
– Clean and Polish
Deluxe setup: £85 + strings
If your guitar has had to go without it’s proper care for a while, it may have also developed some crackly electronics, some oxidisation of the frets, and the general dirt and grime that forms on a guitar that has been missing it’s upkeep. Our Deluxe Setup ensures that all these issues are taken care of.
Deluxe setup includes everything from our Standard Setup PLUS:
– Buff Frets
– Clean and Oil Fretboard
– Set Pickups to Optimum Height
– Deep Clean of the Instrument
– Intonation is set with a digital strobe tuner which is accurate to 1/1000 of a semi-tone
– Some spot levelling of frets (done at the technicians discretion)
– Full electrical check (any replacement parts and components will incur some additional cost)
Premier setup: £140 + strings
The more you play your guitar the more wear you will see, especially to the frets. How fast the frets wear will depend on your playing style, how much you play, what strings you use, etc. but eventually the wear and tear to the frets will be to such an extent that a full fret level is required. Also, as mich as we hate to admit it, there are more than a few cases where the frets on a brand new guitar might be so uneven that they need to be levelled in order for the guitar to function properly. Our Premier Setup tackles these problems.
The Premier Setup includes everything from the Deluxe Setup PLUS:
– Full fret level, crown & polish
– Reseating any loose or listed frets
– Smoothing any sharp frets
Please note: A premium of £10 is added to any setup on 12 String Guitars of Floyd Rose, Kahler tremelo systems etc.
guitar repairs
Please note – the following is the price of the labour only. Parts are not included.
nut replacement (custom carved bone nut)
Fender Style (requires restring or setup) – £75
Gibson Style/Acoustic or Fender with Binding – £100
12 string – £150
nut replacement (Pre-cut)
Fit & Adjust Precut nut – £50
Graphite pre-cut nut – £60
Brass or Steel – £75
12 string – £80
Saddle replacement (acoustic guitars)
Custom carved bone – £65
Plastic – £30
other
Complete re-fret – from £260
Partial re-fret – from £220
Headstock breaks (Price includes Deluxe Setup, finish repairs extra)
Glue – £195
Spines – £325
Neck reset (requires new nut and saddle) – £395 +
Bridge Reglue (requires setup) – £195
General Electric Repairs (please note there is a £25-£75 add-on for Hollow Body guitars due to their complex wiring)
General Electric Repairs
(please note there is a £25-£75 add-on for Hollow Body guitars due to their complex wiring)
Pickup replacement/fitting:
£40 (1st pickup)
£60 (2 pickups)
£80 (3 pickups)
Output jack replacement – £30
Selector Switch replacement – £30
Potentiometer (pots) replacement:
£40 (for 1 pot)
£55 (for 2 pots)
£65 (for 3 pots)
£75 (for 4 pots)
Full Re-wire – £125