Repair / Refinish / Restoration

Retro Guitars offers a full suite of Electric Guitar and Bass Repair. All work is done onsite by Chris O'Dee and includes the cost of materials unless otherwise noted. The below is an approximate estimate for your repair, refinish or restoration. You will get an actual estimate before the work starts after instrument is assesed. Feel free to send pictures detailing scope of work. Any quote given prior to the start of the job is subject to change as the actual work is done and reveals difficulties that could not be pre-determined.

Open Price List

RESTRINGS

String install, oil board, stretch strings, tune to pitch and polish guitar.

6-String

$20

With other work $15

12-String

$30

With other work $25

Floyd Rose Trem

$25

With other work $20

SET-UPS AND FRET LEVELS

Set-ups include diagnostics, redressing and buffing frets, cleaning fret board, tightening hardware, restring, adjusting nut slots, truss rod adjustment, balancing tremolo, adjusting action, setting intonation, checking electronics, adjusting pickups, detail and cleaning. Electro/acoustics get balance of output, and archtops have bridge located and taped.

Fret levels include measuring and leveling frets, recrowning and redressing to a high polish.

Standard

Hard Tails, Les Pauls, Teles, Basic 4-string Basses, Stratocaster style guitars, Guitars with Bigsbys, 7-string electrics, 5-string Basses

$65-$75

With Fret Level $125-$135

Advanced

Locking Tremolo Guitars (Floyd Rose trems), 12-string guitars, 6-string Basses, Jaguars & Jazzmasters (Includes shimming neck, taping bridge and HAN on saddles)

$75-$85

With Fret Level $135-$145

Rickenbacker Bass or 6 String Guitar

Includes glossing board

$90

With Fret Level $150

Rickenbacker 12-Strings

$100

With Fret Level $160

MAINTENANCE & ADJUSTMENTS

Adjust Action or Intonation

Included with set-up

Adjust Truss Rod

Included with set-up

Blocking both sides of tremolo

$20 with set-up

Blocking one side of tremolo

$15 with set-up

Filling nut slot

$3 each additional

First included with set-up

Keyholing bridge slots

Requires set-up

Lower nut slots

Included with set-up

Glossing fingerboard

$15 with set-up

Masking fingerboard

Requires set-up

Clean electronics

With set-up $10-20

Dowel and drill strap button

Lowering nut shelf on Floyd Rose nut

With set-up $15-25

Strap button install

With set-up $7.00

$20

$15

$40

$30

$15

$5-15

$10

$20

$10

$15-25

$10-20

$25

$15

Shimming neck

With set-up $10

Shimming side of neck pocket

With set-up $10-15

Very Dirty Guitar or Rusty/Frozen Hardware

Requires set-up

Removing stickers

With set-up $10-25

Saddle installation for Strat Style

Includes restring

With set-up $15

Saddle installation for Strat Style

Includes restring

With set-up $15

Tuner install, with reaming & drilling 6 string

NO restring

With set-up $30

12 string tuner install

NO restring

With set-up $55

Tuner install, non-dog ears (Spertzels, Schaller)

NO restring

With set-up $35

Pick guard mounting, cutting and shaping required

With set-up $25-$40

Pick guard mounting, LP style, no screws

With set-up $7.50

Pick guard mounting, Strat style, drop in

With set-up $25

Shimming in strap button

With set-up $7.50

$15

$20

$10-40

$15-20

$40-60

$40

$60

$50

$30-50

$12.50

$30

$12.50

NUTS

Includes hand cutting and shaping new fingerboard nut from scratch, and fitting it specifically for each instrument. Some variation in pricing is due to the unexpected difficulty in removing some nuts. It is highly recommended each instrument be set up to ensure optimal playability. Restringing is NOT included. Price excludes cost of blank ($6 for bone/synthetic)

DIFFICULT REMOVAL OF NUT

With Set up $15-25

FENDER STYLE

With Set up $75

Gibson style, acoustic or fender w/ binding

With Set up $80

12 String

With Set up $125

Install Plastic Nut

With Set up $30

Graphite

With Set up $85

Brass or Steel

With Set up $120

Blanks are $10

5 String Brass Bass Nut

With Set up $125

Blanks are $25

$15-25

$90

$95

$150

$35

$100

$160

$170

Adjusting Floyd Rose Nut Shelf

With Set up $15-25

Install LSR Roller Nut w/rout

With Set up $170

Install Floyd Rose nut w/rout

With Set up $170

Shimming up and Re-cutting Nut

With Set up $25

Raising Nut Slot 1st/each additional

With Set up $10/$3

Building up broken nut

With Set up $25

Lower Nut Slots

Included

$25-45

$175

$30

Included/$3

$30

$10

BINDING WORK

Re-glue Loose binding on top, side or back with touch up

This is a very difficult repair and can require lots of touch up to make it work and look good.

$175 1st side

Each additional side $125

Repair Binding that is missing, cracked, disintegrating

This is another very time consuming repair. Often, we may recommend refinishing the whole guitar.

$275 1st side

Each additional side $175

Replacing Binding, on any part of the guitar

Must Quote

BRIDGES

All prices are for 6 strings except where otherwise noted. Add $10-20 extra for 12 strings. Restring is NOT included unless otherwise mentioned.

Mount new bridge, Tune-O-matic or Strat hard tail

$20

Mount new Tremolo (Strat, F. Rose, etc)

$20

Mount Bass Bridge (Leo Quan or other style)

$30

Mount Tele Bridge

$30

Installing Bridges

Some woodworking, includes set up

Tune-O-matic

plugging/drilling holes

$120-160

Tremolo

plugging holes/carving rout

$120-180

Bigsby Install

$120

Bigsby Install on Tele

With bridge install, cups, trem, set up

$200

Tele

mounting, drilling holes through body, etc

$300

Bass

$85-120

Rout for Install

Strat (no existing trem)

Includes Set up

$300

Floyd Rose original, with lock nut

No lock nut +$50

Includes Set up

Floyd Rose with back rout, with lock nut

No Lock Nut $50

Includes Set up

Electronics

Minimum Bench fee or diagnosis

Hollow bodies add-on

Pick up installation

$60 Two

$70 Three

Pick up Installation on Tele, Bridge

Pick up Installation on Tele, Neck

Pick up Installation on Tele, Set

Repairing/rewinding Pick ups, Single Coil

With uninstall and reinstall

Humbucker $175

Rout body, Flat top

Each additional $50

Rout Body, Les Paul or Archtop

Each additional $55

Rout Pick Guard

Each additional $30

Install Midi pick up

Removable screw in

With full permanent routing install (does not include cost of making backplates) $300+

EMG Install

1 pick up, 2 pots, jack & battery

Each additional $10

3 pick up Strat or Noiseless install $80

Les Paul with 4 pots $120

nstall On-board acoustic pick up system

$20-25

Clean Electronics

Top load (Strat style)

$20

$20-60

$50 One

$60

$50

$65

$125

$90 1st

$100 1st

$55 1st

$40

$80

$180

$20-25

$10-20

$20-25

$40

$12.50

$40

$20

$12.50

$30

$125-200

$160-240

$70

$80

$60

$200+

Clean Electronics

Back Load (LP style)

Replace Pot

Two pots $60

Three pots $75

Four pots $90

Replace Jack

Resolder Jack

Replace Switch, Les Paul style

Replace Switch, Strat style

Push Pull Pot Install

Each additional $25

Tap Switch Install

Each additional $25

Total Rewire

Regular

Total rewire

Hollowbody

Shield Guitar Cavity, Copper

Plus materials $8

Shield Guitar Cavity, Paint

Plus materials $8

Wax Potting Pick ups

Includes uninstall/reinstall

Each additional $17.50

Install Fernandez Sustainer

Does not include cost of making backplates. Price may vary.

FRETS & FINGERBOARDS

Full Fret level & re-crown, Basic 6 String

With Set up $60

Fret-end File

With Set up $40

Fret Level, re-crown and Fret ends

With Set up $90

Re-Crown only

With Set up $30

Humidify and level frets

With Set up $60

Seal, Seat and Level

Must have Set Up

$80

$50

$125

$40

$80

$100

$80

$50

$125

$40

$80

$100

Re-seat fret

Each additional $12

With Set up, each additional $6

Skunk Stripe Level and crown

With Set up $60

Heat set Neck

Must have Set up

Only guaranteed with refrets

Scallop fretboard, no refinishing

Includes Set up

Scallop fretboard, with refinishing (maple board)

Includes Set up

Replace Fender Am Std Truss nut

Includes Set up

$17.50 1st

$90

$40-60

$400

$550

$300-350

PARTIAL RE-FRETS

Includes fret level, re-crown and set up on 6 string

1 Fret $140

2 Frets $150

3 Frets $160

4 Frets $170

5 Frets $180

6 Frets $190

7 Frets $200

Guitar with Binding Add $20

FULL RE-FRETS

Includes Fingerboard plane, slot clean and seal, fretting, level and crown. Material cost $10 per re-fret, $25 for stainless steel or "EVO gold" fret wire. Compound radius can be done at no extra charge.

Unbound rosewood or ebony

$325

Unbound Maple

$335

Bound Rosewood or Ebony

$350

Bound Maple

$360

New nut with re-fret, 6 string

Plus materials $6

$60

New nut with re-fret, 12 string

Plus materials $6

$85

Refinishing fingerboard with re-fret, glossy

$175

Refinishing fingerboard with re-fret, matte

$100

Hand rubbed finish with re-fret

Gunstock finish

$80

Stainless Steel fret upcharge

Labor only $80

Plus Materials $25

FINGERBOARDS

Does not include cost of materials. Must quote.

Build, fret and install unbound rosewood or ebony fingerboard

$650 & up

Build, fret and install bound rosewood or ebony fingerboard

$750 & up

Rebind fretboard, touch up and re-fret

$600 & up

NECKS

Mounting neck, no drilling

With Set up $20

$40

Mount Neck, with drilling

With Set up $40

$60

Dowel and drill stripped neck

With Set up $30

$45

Replace or fix truss rod

Includes Set up

Plus Materials approx $30

$600 & up

Heat set neck

No maple. Rosewood/Ebony only.

Not a guaranteed repair

$40-800

Re-glue Loose Neck, Celebrity style

Must have Set up.

Not a guaranteed repair

$160-180

NECK RESETS

Includes Set up and new saddle. Proper playability is not guaranteed without a full refret.

Les Paul

Includes touch up and Set up

With Refret $800

Plus Materials $10

$500

SG Guitars (no binding)

Includes touch up

With Refret $700

Plus Materials $10

$600-650

Hollowbodies (Gibson ES style) or Archtops

Includes Set up and touch up

With Refret $800-850

Plus Materials $10

Add $25

Any guitar with binding

Add $25

CRACKS AND STRUCTURAL

Headstocks and top cracks. Guitars with multiple cracks will be done at a discounted rate per crack. -25% per each additional crack.

CA seal crack, 1"-3"

Finish only, no touch up

3"-6" $115-125

Over 6" Must Quote

$90-100

Glue Crack, 1"-3"

Includes cleating and touch up

3"-6" $200

Over 6" Must Quote

$175

Plus Materials $8 (majority of top cracks)

Glue Crack,

Includes Splint and touch up

1"-3" $200-250

3"-6" $250-300

Over 6" Must Quote

Plus Materials $9

Headstock Re-glue (no touch up)

Plus Set up

$100-125

Headstock Off, no splines

Plus Set up

With Splining and touch up $700+ Must Quote (Includes Set up, Plus Materials $10)

$150

Headstock with Expert Touch up

Plus Materials $8

$350 & up

Rebuilding Headstock

Includes Set up

Plus Materials $10

$750 & up, Must Quote

PAINT AND TOUCH UP

Finish repairs are the hardest to price. All prices are subject to change. Each touch up must be evaluated by a tech at the Production shop. Please allow 4 weeks minimum for all finish repairs and 90-120 days for refinishes.

BUFFING AND SANDING

Buffing Out Top, Acoustic

$60

Buffing Out Top, Electric

$80

Buffing Out Whole Guitar, Acoustic

$100-$120

Buffing out whole guitar, electric

$140

Wet sand and buff out top, acoustic

$100

Wet sand and buff out top, electric

$120

Wet sand and buff out whole guitar, acoustic

$200

Wet sand and buff out whole guitar, electric

$225

REFINISH

Touch up

Air brush touch-up

$150 & up

Drop Fill

$75 and up

Crazy Glue Touch-Up

$50 and up

Spray clear over signature, no set up

Must Quote

Refinish neck

No set up, post removal

$275-300

Refinish top

Clear or standard color. Not including bridge removal on acoustics

$400

Refinish side

$200 & up

Refinish Back

$250-$300

Refinish Headstock

$100 + materials

Clear over headstock

$100

TOTAL REFINISH

Includes sanding and color. Price includes cost of stringing and a short set up. Full set up add $40.

Any custom paint must be paid in full $35-60. Standard in-stock colors are $25 per guitar.

Remove Polyurethane paint

Add $100

Metallic

Add $75

White finish

Add $75

Candy Colors

Plus Materials

$700

Sunburst

Add $150

With binding and color on Neck

Add $75

With body binding and color, per side

Add $100

Bolt-on, Fender style Body

Standard color, body only $550-650

Neck and body $750

Plus Materials

Set-neck body and neck

SG, no binding

Plus Materials

$750

Set-neck with binding on body and neck

Les Paul

$850

Custom "aging" job

$150-300

Clear Coat, Glossy

Over body only

$400

Clear Coat, Matte

Over body only

$300

Custom Built Guitars for the Guitar Enthusiast

Repair / Refinish / Restoration

PAINT AND TOUCH UP

Retro Guitars

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