Bloomingdale School of Music
A trusted name in music education
Instrument Repair
Setup and Maintenance
Routine maintenance is essential for keeping your instrument in proper playing condition and preventing damage that can occur from environmental changes and wear and tear. We recommend having your guitar “set-up” once every 3-6 months or as issues with playability occur.
Price
Restring
$20-30
Standard Setup
$60-75
Prices do not include parts or strings
Additional fees may apply for non-standard instruments.
Restring
- Instrument Inspection
- Replace and Stretch Strings
- Tuning
- Light Surface Clean
Non-Standard Instrument charges may apply
Standard Setup
- Comprehensive instrument inspection
- Lubricate and secure all hardware
- Clean and treat the fingerboard
- Polish frets
- Install and stretch new strings
- Check tremolo spring tension (if applicable)
- Truss rod adjustment
- Adjust saddle height
- Clean and shape nut slots
- Set pickup height
- Precision intonation using a strobe tuner
- Light surface cleaning
Non-Standard Instruments
- An additional charge applies for non-standard instruments, including but not limited to:
- Floating tremolos (Floyd Rose, Kahler, Ibanez Edge, etc.)
- Required neck removal for setup adjustments
- 7-string or more guitar
- 5-string or more bass or ukulele
- Classical nylon-string guitar
- Violin, cello or upright bass
- Mandolin, lute or charango
- Banjo, dulcimer, resonator guitar or other folk instruments
Level, Crown & Polish
- Comprehensive instrument inspection
- Level existing frets
- Restore fret crowns
- Polish frets
- Clean and condition fretboard
- Includes Signature Setup
- Optional: Fret End Dress (includes beveling and smoothing fret ends)
Refret
- Full instrument inspection
- Remove all existing frets
- Radius and cut new frets
- Install new fret wire
- Level, crown, and polish
- Clean and condition fretboard
- Includes Signature Setup
Fret End Dress
- Instrument Inspection
- Bevel Fret Ends
- De-bur Frets
- Polish Frets
- Clean and Condition Fretboard
Fretwork
A guitar’s frets are one of the most important parts of the instrument. Many issues can arise from a fingerboard that is not maintained properly. Fret sprout occurs as your fingerboard dries out and the wood shrinks revealing sharp, jagged fret edges. Frets will also start to loosen from their slots causing buzzing and dead notes. Some woods like ebony are prone to cracking in dry environments so it is important to condition your fretboard. Be careful to not over condition your fingerboard. Over-conditioning the fingerboard can also result in frets popping out of their slots.
Price
Level, Crown and Polish
$160-$200
Refret
$379 - $469
Fret End Dress
$60 -$130
Prices do not include parts or stringsStainless steel frets may incur additional charges Non-standard instruments may incur additional charges
Nuts & Saddles
Upgrading your guitars nut and saddle can improve the tone and playability of the instrument a good deal. The nut and saddle of inexpensive guitars are usually plastic, mass-made, and inferior in quality. A bone or “Tusq” nut will enhance the tone of the instrument. Having the slots cut to the optimal depth will allow your instrument to sing much more freely.
Price
Nut Fabrication
$140-$170
Pre-Made Nut Replacement
$100-$120
Saddle Fabrication
$120-150
Pre-Made Saddle Replacement
$90.00-$110
Non-standard nut fabrication charges may applyAdditional charges for a 12-string nutUpgradable to a Platinum Setup
Nut Fabrication
- Instrument inspection
- Remove old nut and clean nut slot
- Fabricate a new nut from a blank
- Signature Setup
Pre-Made Saddle Replacement
- Instrument inspection
- Remove old saddle and clean saddle slot
- Fit a pre-made nut to the instrument
- Signature Setup
Pre-Made Nut Replacement
- Instrument inspection
- Remove old nut and clean nut slot
- Fit a pre-made nut to the instrument
- Signature Setup
Saddle Fabrication
- Instrument inspection
- Remove old saddle and clean saddle slot
- Fabricate new saddle from a blank
- Signature Setup
Pickguard Replacement
Complete instrument inspectionInstall pickguard on acoustic or electric guitar
Tuning Key Replacement
- Complete instrument inspection
- Remove and replace tuning machines
Pre-Made Saddle Replacement
- Instrument inspection
- Remove old saddle and clean saddle slot
- Fit a pre-made nut to the instrument
- Signature Setup
Strap Lock & Strap Button Install/Repair
- Complete instrument inspection
- Install new strap buttons or strap locks, or replace existing ones
- May require drilling or removal of existing hardware
Hardware
If your guitar is having trouble staying in tune, consider upgrading your tuning machines. Good quality tuning machines will help tremendously with the tuning stability of most instruments. If you really want to stay in tune, we recommend locking tuners.
Additional charge for adhesive cleanup if needed
Additional charges may apply for dowels and redrillingRestring or setup fees may apply
Electronics
If you are having any issues with electronics, we are here to help. Noisy volume and tone knobs? No problem, we can replace or upgrade volume or tone knobs, output jacks, pickups, or any electronic components to help you achieve your desired tone.
Restring or setup fees may apply
Additional charges will apply for active to passive or passive to active installations
Additional charges apply for routing of preamps or batteries
Non-standard instrument charges may apply
Pickup Installation
- Instrument inspection
- Replace or install one electric guitar pickup
Potentiometer Replacement
- Instrument inspection
- Replace or install one new potentiometer
Acoustic Pickup Installation (with Setup)
- Instrument inspection
- Installation of undersaddle and/or microphone pickup
- Replace end pin with end pin jack
- Mount soundhole controls
- Mount battery pouch
- Manage wires with ties and anchors
- Signature Setup
Output Jack Replacement
- Instrument inspection
- Replace or install one output jack