Limitations of service:
1) The quoted prices assume that the guitar is delivered to me in good order, i.e. they have all their bits in working order and the strings have not been fitted in such a manner as to incur additional work in removing them. Badly rusted adjuster screws, broken or damaged tuners and anything else which has to be repaired before a set up can be completed will be repaired at the pro-rata rate.
2) The full set up service includes fret dressing which is intended to remove minor fret irregularities which may compromise the final action. It is not intended to correct heavy fret wear or large numbers of loose frets which may mandate a refret.
3) Second hand pickups are only fitted on a time and materials costing. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy a new pickup...
4) Prices for Vacuum waxing and and rewinding pickup coils do not include removal and refitting charges. Vacuum waxing will address microphonic coil squeal only, not other forms of feedback
5) The minimum charge may be reduced or waived at my discretion.
6) Acoustic guitar pickups are sold on "supply and fit" terms only. I regret that I do not supply these pickups on any other basis.
7) Prices quoted are exclusive of strings.
8) If I feel something is not economically repairable I will inform you at the earliest opportunity in order not to incur further costs however I reserve the right to levy my minimum charge against any work carried out reach this conclusion. Where I am requested to attempt a repair on something that I would normally deem not repairable, or requiring replacement, I will only undertake to attempt a repair if the cost of my time is covered and my normal guarantee will not apply. I reserve the right to request a deposit or payment in advance.
Turnround times:
9) Any turnround times quoted are a best guess and cannot be guaranteed. Average turnround time is two weeks but can be less or more depending on the complexity of the work involved. Please resist the urge to ring me every couple of days to "see how things are going"; the more of these requests I have to deal with, the longer everything takes.
Care and security of instruments
10) Every possible care is taken to ensure that guitars are not inadvertently marked or damaged while under my care. Guitars are held on purpose-built padded workstations which keep them clear of bench clutter and are kept in their cases while pending attention and on secure hangers while not being worked upon. I believe, however, that a realistic assessment of risk is more honest than a bland reassurance and the reality is that workshops are full of sharp, spiky things and it is not possible to wrap your guitar in cotton wool while working on it. There is inevitably a small level of risk which must be accepted particularly as some repairs will require things to be made worse before they can be made better. Where such risks can be anticipated then you will be informed of them at the time the guitar is booked in for repair or as soon as they can be identified, however manufacturers constantly surprise me in the number of ways they can make a repairer's life difficult through poor preparation and manufacturing standards. There follows a list of known issues for which absolutely no liability can be accepted and the risks of which you will be deemed to have accepted by contracting me to work upon your guitar. Notwithstanding this, your guitar is probably at less risk of accidental damage in my workshop than it is in your own home, or in transit or at a gig.
10.1) Fender and Squier necks with maple fingerboards.
While most of these guitars are trouble free, there are a number in existence which used a synthetic, catalytic cure lacquer applied over a solvent based acrylic sealer. This results in very poor adhesion between the lacquer and the substrate. Taping the fingerboard with masking tape to protect the lacquer often results in large areas being pulled off by the masking tape on removal. Most of these guitars emerged in the early nineties and the same problem occasionally afflicts other manufacturer's "copy" models.
10.2) Fender Guitar and Bass "vintage reissue" approximately 1988 - 1993
Guitars made under the "vintage reissue" flag sometime between these dates used nitro-cellulose lacquer for the body finish. These instruments suffer from a condition called "lacquer fusion" in which the still drying lacquer effectively glued necks and scratchplates to bodies, resulting in chipping when either were removed, an essential procedure on these instruments as part of the set up process.
10.3) Gibson Guitars- all models
Nuts often require replacement but these are routinely fitted so that the base of the nut is below the lacquer line. No responsibility will be accepted for chipping of lacquer around the nut during the course of replacement.
11) As it is impossible to establish conclusively the prior non-existence of a mark no responsibility can be accepted for dents, bumps or scratches.
12) All straps must be removed from guitars and any valuables from cases before depositing them for repair as no responsibility will be
accepted for their loss.
