Clipper Guitars: Repair & Restoration

Home
United States
Charlottesville, VA
Clipper Guitars: Repair & Restoration

Guitar repair, restoration, and maintenance shop serving Charlottesville, VA and surrounding.

02/23/2024

If you read my previous post you already know that I had a lot of fun with this one. This was one of the jobs that had me saying “man, what a blessing this career choice is for me”. I get to meet awesome people, I get my creative freedom, and I have the opportunity to problem-solve ~7 hours a day.

I’m in love with the end result of the neck re-shape on this Collings 470 JL. The profile was put into the slightest V, just barely knocking the corners off. The transition from raw wood to nitro at the heel is a mirror image of the heel profile, and the first 1/2” of of finish at the headstock was dulled down to more of a satin feel to ease into the gloss. (If my client ever actually grips that low on the neck.)

02/19/2024

Okay, okay.. this isn’t a sappy “I love my job” post. (Yes it is) I’m just feeling extra thankful today that I’m able to help solve quirky and unique problems on a personal level. I’m thankful for the trust that my clients put in me.

Take this Collings 470 JL for example. Dream guitar, right? Plays amazing, steadfast components, everything’s great! In this scenario my client loves everything about it except the neck profile and stickiness of the gloss finish. What is there to do? Reach out to Collings for a semi-custom build? Not going to happen. (He tried)
Insert little ‘ol me and exactly one Shinto rasp. (And a bunch of other tools and supplies)

Re-shape underway, stay tuned for the results!

01/02/2024

A fret rocker is not just a tool, it’s a friend. It helps me find and fix those pesky high frets that can ruin the sound and playability of a guitar. Without it, I would be lost in a sea of buzzes and rattles. Being used on every guitar and tossed around the bench daily, it only makes sense to periodically square it up with a diamond plate. This keeps it true and in proper working order. It’s the least I can do for my faithful companion.

12/26/2023

It’s obvious why we had a delaminating fretboard. Preliminary sanding revealed quite the warp on the plane. Quality control at the factory? Was the instrument kept in poor conditions? The only thing that’s certain is that a fresh true gluing surface on both the neck and fretboard (along with a dual-action truss rod upgrade while we’re here) will keep this Warlock playing great for years to come!

12/18/2023

Frank’s Crank; The most used tool in my shop, Handcrafted by the man himself, Frank Ford. I first met Frank during my time at Roberto Venn in 2016 during his refret demo, what a wild ride that was! He swiftly moved through the repair thoroughly explaining every step, stopping occasionally to talk about the price of rent in Palo Alto, the bass banjo that he built, or how the decision of adding oil to a fretboard all comes down to if you want that “wet look”.

Frank, you will be missed! Meeting you was a pleasure, and having a tool meticulously crafted by you on my bench is a blessing.

Check out Franks big index page of documented repairs, toolings, and musings over at Frets.com

11/10/2023

Getting a little funky with a custom dyed bone nut on this T-72 DLX. The shell pink and tort is the perfect combo in my opinion, and it was begging for a little more pizazz at the nut. I figured I’d follow suit and get all matchy-matchy.

11/03/2023

The S.S. Stewart 7001.
Popular? Absolutely not.
Absolutely bitch’n? You bet!
There’s too much to talk about here, and I don’t have an hour to sit down and type. Ask some questions!

10/30/2023

DIY gone wrong.
“I’ll just drill a hole!”
This is the result of the owner jumping straight to a 1/2” spiral bit, ultimately ripping the end graft right out of its channel. It’s important to always use a reamer (and go slow!) when widening a strap button hole to accept an output jack. Doing so removes most of the risk of catching grain or chipping finish.

09/21/2023

Martin binding keeps me up at night..

09/18/2023

After talking with about our scrap-wood neck rests that we made when we attended Roberto-Venn, I figured it was due time for a new and improved rest to reside in the work bench. This is my one-off interpretation of the Benedetto neck rest that sells.

03/14/2023

I’m always a stickler for using a lot of glue; not TOO much, but just enough and then a little more. Seeing some healthy squeeze out on both sides of this brace makes me happy and confident that this Taylor’s loose back brace wont be a problem in the future.
Shout out to for one of many dental tools that I’ve modified for various tasks.

12/28/2022

**Vigorously shakes fist at the last guy**

Address

1740 Broadway Street
Charlottesville, VA
22902

Telephone

+14343285888

Website

http://www.clipperguitars.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Clipper Guitars: Repair & Restoration posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Clipper Guitars: Repair & Restoration:

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Dentist in Charlottesville?