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Ibanez “Black Beauty” modification
Yes, we can! My client first tried to take this job to a couple well-known guitar stores that offer repair services. He was met with refusals each time, because those stores didn’t want to do the routing work necessary to complete this project. We routed and added a middle Seymour Duncan pickup, operated through a push-push switch on the volume pot. We also installed a Fishman Powerbridge TOM Piezo pickup along with a Powerchip on-board pre-amp. The stereo output jack allows the player to split the piezo and magnetic pickup signals to feed into separate amplifiers. The addition of a mini 3-way switch allows all of the pickups to be…
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Brooklyn Fretworks is now an authorized dealer for Fishman products
It’s official! We are now authorized dealers for the full line of Fishman acoustic and electric pickups, preamps and accessories, including the Fluence series. As with all suppliers, clients will receive a 20% discount on parts and accessories purchased through us when we are doing the installation. Life is pretty good around here these days!
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Pre-lawsuit era Ibanez Crest gets a mod
Here is the first of two 1970s-era Ibanez guitars we are working on. This walnut beauty is in to have a Varitone switch added along with a new set of strings and a general inspection. Hard to believe this guitar is over 50 years old.
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PRS McCarty Hollowbody setup and repair
Another fine PRS guitar on the bench today. We replaced the 3-way toggle switch, did a thorough cleaning and gave it the Legendary Southeast Setup. Onward, and upward!
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Martin Custom X gets a little love
Here’s a super-lightweight MIM Martin, which is on the bench for a Southeast Setup and a couple minor repairs. We noted a slight crack in the soundboard along the centerline, but after a thorough inspection we noticed that the transverse braces, the bridge plate and the tailblock were holding the crack at bay, and that it was structurally sound. Sometimes doing nothing is doing the right thing for the client.
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1998 PRS McCarty hollowbody archtop
Here’s a lovely 25-year old Paul Reed Smith McCarty hollowbody archtop on the bench for a Southeast Setup, including a new set of Ernie Ball Slinkys. It’s hard to not get lost staring into the beautiful figure of that tiger maple body! IMG_6516.480
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Martin “The Backpacker”
On the bench today is Martin’s travel acoustic guitar, “The Backpacker.” It’s here for a Southeast Setup, which includes a general look under the hood where we give the player a 19-point checklist of our findings. Oh, can’t they all be as easy as this one. This guitar, as simply built as it is, sounds and feels great! We dialed in the string action, making it a bit more comfortable, then gave it a clean bill of health! Safe travels, my friend!
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Updated 1960s Harmony Parlour guitar
Here’s what we came up with for the 1960s-era Harmony G-100 parlour guitar I picked up a few months back. We fitted it with a new trapeze tailpiece, and with new MIJ tuners. A new floating rosewood bridge with rubber saddle was added. We also installed a passive Fishman pickup. And painted it black, with a new black pickguard. What do you think?
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1994 Yamaha FG-335ii
Here’s a lovely instrument that was rescued from a Glen Burnie Pawn (gun) shop. When it came into our shop, there was mold? mildew? funk? all over the fingerboard, and the rest was quite filthy as well. No idea how long it had been hanging around in its current state, but the neck and bridge both were both overly angled toward the sound hole. Our first thought was that it may require a neck reset in order to make music again. First we cut away the strings, and gave the guitar a thorough cleaning. Then we allowed it to relax in a properly-humidified space for around two weeks, so that…
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Don’t underestimate an inexpensive guitar!
On the bench today is a Mitchell T333E acoustic guitar. Some folks are quick to dismiss this brand as the “house brand” of Guitar Center. I say, not so fast, Buster! We added a hand-carved nut and saddle, replacing the generic Tusq parts supplied at the factory, the gave it the Legendary Southeast Setup, including a set of Stringjoy Naturals Phosphor Bronze strings. When the nut is carved to compliment the player’s string choice, it just sounds better. IMG_6374
Brooklyn Fretworks
Bespoke guitar design, repair and modification
