Guitar Repair and Luthier Services

Naperville Music does guitar repairs. Large or small. Whether you just need a restring, or have to reattach a broken neck, we do it all. Here are some common questions and answers. If you have a specific question, or if you want a preliminary quote on your repair, you can ask our tech, and upload all the details at this page Guitar Repair Inquiry.

Here's what one customer said about our guitar repair shop- 

"Please thank your tech, the guitar tech, for me.  I picked up my guitar last night.  He replaced the existing pickups with Seymour Duncan P-Rails, installed the matching Triple-Shot mounting rings, re-wired the existing wiring harness, and gave the guitar a professional set up.  He did a top-notch, professional job and now I have a guitar that rocks like never before.  On top of that, Naperville Music had the best shop prices around.  I called three other places before settling on Naperville Music because of the service and the repair shop prices.  Keep up the good work!  I'll be back soon. Keith P." 

We Treat Your Guitar Like It Was Our Own!

Here is some of the work we can do for your guitar:

1. Complete Setup
2. Fret Polishing
3. Nut and Saddle replacement and adjustments
4. Bridge Pin Installation- all types
5. Fret Level, Crown and Polish
6. Acoustic Guitar Bridge repair
7. Pickup Installation or Replacement
8. Electronic Rewiring
9. Acoustic Pickup System Installation
10. Re-Fretting
11. Neck Resetting
12. Crack Repairs

"Both guitar and bass were set up perfect. Thanks again! "-Randy

"The Tech was able to remove the fret buzz I was experiencing.    Kris P

"Thank you for repairing a guitar that I have owned for 44 years. Your staff did an outstanding job, treated me with respect, and answered all of my questions."  Tom M.

Here's Some Commonly Asked Questions

Why do the strings buzz when I play?

Buzzing strings can be caused by a number of things. Your bridge (if electric) or your saddle may be too low. Another cause could be that the neck might have a slight reverse warp. If a reverse warp is the cause, the buzzing will be on many strings and many frets. In any case we can make it like new.

"I appreciate the very short amount of time it took to get the new pickup installed. I did not expect to receive a call the same day I dropped the guitar off, letting me know that it's done already!" -Patrick

What if my guitar is not under warranty? Can you fix it?

Sure, we fix dozens of guitars and bass guitars each week. Acoustic and electric.

Does a guitar need regular service?

Yes. Temperature and humidity are constantly changing, swelling the wood and drying it out. Having your guitar serviced regularly will save you money in the long run.

"Not only is the work done very well I also aprreciate the call from the tech to make sure everyting is to my liking !!!" - Bill S.

What is a Set-up, and when should I do it?

A setup is a compete overhaul of your guitar. It varies depending on whether the instrument is electric or acoustic, but basically it puts your guitar in the best possible playing condition.  Certainly you should do it if you are having playability problems, but once per year is not too often and every other year is too long to wait.

Why does my electric guitar pickup switch not work?

This could be caused by a few things. First, the switch could simply be dirty. Switches can last for years, but depending upon the manufacturer, we have seen them fail in just a few months if inexpensive parts were used in manufacturing. It could also be a wire that is shorting out, or even a bad ground. Replacing a switch is not an expensive repair.

"You guys are wizards; not much more to say."  Warren V.

My guitar's strings are hard to press down, what's wrong?

This problem is the opposite of the buzzing guitar. Once again it could be that the bridge or saddle is too high in an acoustic (caused by a bridge which is pulling up, or by a top that is warping). The most likely cause is that the neck has warped due do the effects of changing temperature or humidity. This is an inexpensive repair for most quality guitars, and can be impossible on some poorly made instruments.

When I play a note the wrong note sounds, why?

If you are getting buzzing or a false note on just one or two strings, and only in certain sections of the fingerboard, it is very likely a fret that has popped up. This repair may seem simple, but great care must be taken so that the neck is not damaged. There are many ways to approach a fret repair. Your guitar tech will determine which is the best in your case.

My guitar is difficult to play, can this be fixed?

Yes! A set-up would make  all the proper adjustments to make your guitar feel good and sound great! Measured adjustments such as truss rod, bridge saddle height, pick up adjustment, torque the machine heads properly, cleaning electronics, conditioning the fret board, intonation and finally polishing, would all be done.

My guitar buzzes in some places, what is that?

Buzz comes from a variety of potential problems. Sometimes improper neck relief (fixed with a set up) or un even fret wear. In this case, the preceding fret has worn down and is “shallower” the the next fret. The vibrating string then contacts the next fret as the string is played causing the undesirable buzz. The solution is a level crown and polish. A level plane is re-established across the tops of the frets, and then the profile of the individual frets are reshaped and then polished.

Additionally other sources of buzzing noise can be caused by cracks in acoustic guitar tops, and loose or cracked braces. Other culprits include loose hardware, a low or worn nut, and even improperly seated string ball ends in side acoustic guitars. Don’t worry! Any of these causes are usually quite repairable!

"I'm not sure what all you did, but my Larivee sounds better and plays smoother than ever. It is almost as if you did a set-up on it as it was buzzing on the low strings before, but not now. Thank you! I will bring all my guitars to you from now on." -Dave S.

Why is the bridge on my acoustic guitar is lifting off in back?

The bridge may have become unglued. This usually comes from leaving the guitar in a hot environment such as a car in the summer time or other temperature/humidity abuses. The heat softens the glue, and the string tension pulls up the bridge, separating the glue joint on the back of the bridge, while usually leaving it in tact at the front of the bridge. Half the time people don’t even notice this until it is has gotten really bad, or has been pointed out in the music store while bringing it in for other work. For the repair, the bridge is taken off and old glue is removed from the top and bridge. Checking for alignment, the bridge is then re-glued, and left clamped for 24 hours. Then the instrument can be set up again.

I have loud hums and buzzes coming out of my amp.

This is usually a result of broken off ground wires. This occurs from tightening an out put jack from the outside only, or from not tightening the nuts on loose tone and volume pots. In either case the wires pig tail and one or more of them snaps off from their connection. The solution is to re-solder the wiring and tighten up the bolts, however it’s up to you to keep them properly tightened as they become loose.

How long will it take to fix my guitar?

Well that really depends on what is wrong with it, but typically restrings and minor adjustments are done in a few business days, and setups are about 3 days, and major repairs can be a week or so. If parts are necessary, it may increase the time for the repair. We will always notify you if there will be a delay.

We try to have all guitars done by Thursday evening so you can have them back for the weekend. Naperville Music does all types of guitar repairs. Complete the form found below for a quick answer to your specific question. Or just bring your instrument in and we can quickly assess your situation. 

Tell us what's wrong with your guitar and we can give you some advise before you have to bring it in.  CLICK HERE

Not nearby?  You can ship your guitar to us for repair. Call us for details.

1-630-355-1404 x105