Restorations

There is nothing that can’t be fixed…

As luthiers working on fine vintage basses, our first objective is to do no harm. The original varnish and the original wood are protected and conserved as much as possible. When removing the top is unavoidable, we take measurements and make jigs that record the position of the neck and fingerboard relative to the upper corners of the body. This ensures that the instrument plays and feels the way it did before the repair.

Basses are vulnerable to all kinds of wear and tear, mishaps, and the ravages of climate. There may come a time when, after a thorough examination of previous repairs and unsuccessful attempts to address a worsening problem, it calls for a complete rebuild.

There’s nothing that can’t be fixed. We keep the shop stocked with repair wood that has been seasoned and is ready to be integrated into the structure of any bass, new or old.

Sometimes a top has become so distorted that repairs are impossible without first correcting the shape of the arching.
Sometimes an older bass’s geometry needs to be brought up to date by resetting the neck or cutting down the ribs in order to make it easier to execute demanding new repertoire.
We have developed techniques for making repairs through the f-holes and endpin hole that obviate the need to remove the top. This saves the owner money and prevents needless wear and tear on the instrument.