About AGS
Ackworth Guitar Setups is an independent top-tier guitar repair shop based in Manchester, Leeds & Huddersfield.
Founded in 2012 by Tristan Johnson, we are a team of experienced guitar technicians/ luthiers who are deidcated to acheiving mastery in guitar repair. We have led the way in guitar repair in the 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 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 or work from restringing to total strip down restoration. This fully humidity controlled space means that whilst in our care your guitar is kept at optimil humidity. Our fully insured workshops give you the piece of mind that your guitar is in good hands.
Our electronics workshop can do anything from guitar set ups, 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 service and prices here. As a future customer of Ackworth Guitar Setups, we look forward to meeting you really soon.
meet the team
“I’ve been playing the guitar since I was 9 years old. I would spend hours practising, rebuilding my electric guitars when they would fall to pieces after shows. It seems natural that my love of fixing guitars became something that I would want to do professionally.”
Tristan Johnson
I started Ackworth Guitar Setups in 2012, but I’ve always been fortunate to make a living through various artistic endeavors. Fixing things has always been at the centre of what I do. In the early 1990’s I began tinkering with old cars, anything that required a spanner and some thinking about.
I’ve been playing the guitar since I was 9 years old. I would spend hours practicing, rebuilding my electric guitars when they would fall to pieces after shows. It seems natural that my love of fixing guitars became something that I would want to do professionally. To understand more I trained with Roberto Venn trained luthier Jim Fleeting.
Ackworth Guitar Setups was an idea that just took off. Within 30 minutes of putting an ad up in a local shop we had two instruments to repair. The rest is history. Since launch I have been fortunate to develop a core customer base who are loyal to what we do and how we do it. I am very fortunate to have toured with some of my favourite bands in the world and have a bucket load of ‘road’ stories. Ask and I’ll tell you some time.
I am passionate about repairing guitars and valve amplifiers. I am really lucky that I get to do what I love. Ackworth Guitar Setups now has guitar repair shops in Manchester, Leeds and Huddersfield.
damian hughes
I joined Ackworth Guitar Setups at the back end of 2019 and begin studying luthiery seriously while being coached by Ackworth Guitar Setups‘ senior luthier, Tristan Johnson.
Prior to that I’d been cutting my teeth in the music scene playing in bands and maintaining and repairing my instruments (and everyone else’s) on the road. I started playing guitar when I started high school and quickly became obsessed with the guitar as both a musical instrument and a piece of art in and of itself, lead to a ferocious interest in guitar maintenance, repair and modification. It wasn’t until many years later that I’d considered making this a professional pursuit, by which time I’d gained a wealth of knowledge and experience through my curiosity and experimentation.
Eventually in the winter of 2019 I teamed up with Tristan, who took me under his wing and helped me to translate my experience into serving the music community at large, professionally. As a passionate musician and ardent tinkerer, I feel blessed to be in this position and am excited to help you.
“I started playing guitar when I was in High School and quickly became obsessed with the guitar as both a musical instrument and a piece of art in and of itself.”
“No two days are the same…there’s always something to learn…”
Nik Hartley
My background in guitar repair came from building my own instruments. I have a keen fascination in construction and using woods to make quality instruments.
Since working with Ackworth Guitar Setups I have learned a lot about construction techniques amongst the various manufacturers. No two days are the same – there’s always something to learn. I like working with people, and enjoy meeting the AGS customers.