Luthier's Statement:
Dear Repair Clients,
Your guitar can reach a new level of playability and tone. Off the production line, mass produced instruments need the individual attention of an experienced and knowledgeable luthier to make them perform and sound their best. Your string instrument is primarily made of wood and some glue, organic material that will expand and contract with seasonal humidity and temperature changes. Musical instruments are by nature delicate and sensitive to these changes and most guitars will significantly benefit from regular adjustments. If you're tired of fighting your instrument and you want perfect playing action, give us a call.
My personal love and focus is on finely crafted acoustic steel-string and classical guitars. I am also highly experienced with electric guitars & basses, and have an affinity for electronic modifications. Fret work is a specialty here and we do lots of it- standard fret-leveling and dressing, and even full re-fretting on anything from guitars and basses to mandolins and banjos. Some issues can arise that are beyond a our control, especially with instruments that haven't been well cared for. I encourage clients to by picky, but practical. I will go to great extremes to assure that every customer is completely satisfied with their repair and the service provided by Custom Sound. Contact me with any questions or comments at any time.
~ Ryan R. Elewaut, founder & owner
Shop Declaration:
"Cheap fixes" sacrifice the integrity of our work. 
Servicing a poorly made instrument (or a poorly maintained one) is more difficult and time consuming because they usually have more flaws and problems. Whether it's a cherished family heirloom or a campfire beater, this means a "quick fix" can easily turn into a time consuming pain-in-the-neck! Charging for the extra time then becomes a problem because the customer wanted it done cheaply in the first place. Please understand why we must refrain from taking on quick-fixes or cheap jobs, and why we refuse to reduce estimates to compensate for an instrument not worth a reasonable amount of work. We understand the sentimental value instruments can have, so please don't take anything personally if we decline a repair for these reasons.
Turnaround Time & Estimates:
General repairs take 7-10 days to complete depending on our demand and the complexity of the repair. Restring & Clean, Pickup Installs, and general setups are usually returned within a couple days or less. Actual estimates have to be made on a per guitar basis, however, the shop rate is based on $65 per hour. A complete and full setup on a standard guitar takes about one hour, unless we have to manufacture new parts, such as nuts or saddles. Twelve-string guitars and certain electric models take much longer to work with, and we charge for that required time. The bench fee is $15 for extensive troubleshooting or for any other minimal work.
While many guitars need to have multiple repairs performed, some "fixes" are included in the price of others. It's fruitless to attempt a complete list of repair jobs and pricing, but a general price-list can be found below. We offer a rush charge of $25 which guarantees completion within 48 hours. Rush jobs are only available if the schedule permits and if the repair is possible to expedite. Making an appointment is the best way to ensure a quicker turnaround time.
General Repair Rates:
Service Warranty & Guarantee:
Your satisfaction is our primary goal. We warranty our work for 30 days. Additional fine tuning is included in this period. If something isn't right or your expectations haven't been met for any reason, please let us know. Adverse reactions due to environmental issues and negligent care are not covered under this warranty. We keep our shop within proper humidity & temperature ranges. It is best to keep string instruments between 40%-45% humidity and 65-85 degrees. We have no control over the the environmental conditions your instrument experiences once it leaves our shop. The stability of the environment, along with the sensitivity of the instrument and that of the player will determine how often adjustments need to be made. If you need additional tweaking please contact us.
