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Chicago Fret Works - Guitar Repair

Epiphone Casino – Classic Refin

by Steve | Jul 18, 2012 | Archtop, Refinish, Relic Service, Vintage Restoration | 7 comments

Here’s how we gave a modern Epi Casino a vintage look. The owner of a modern “natural” finished Epiphone casino wanted it to look and feel like a vintage 60’s Casino with a sunburst and lacquer finish.Epiphone uses a polyurethane top finish...

Vintage 1960 Gretsch 6120 Restoration

by Steve | Apr 30, 2012 | Archtop, binding, Gretsch, neck reset, Repairs, vintage, Vintage Restoration | 2 comments

This is a striking example of Gretsch’s famous Chet Atkins Model 6120 that we brought back to life. You’ve seen Chet Atkins, Brian Setzer, Eddie Cochran, Duane Eddy, Pete Townshend, and many others with this classic guitar. It’s a 1960 Gretsch 6120...

The Heat Is On; Time To Humidify Your Guitar!

by Steve | Oct 13, 2010 | acoustic, Archtop, gibson, Guild, Martin, Mossman, Repairs, top crack, touch up, Uncategorized

Here’s a reprint of last-year’s guide to humidifying your acoustic guitar. Chicago winters kill guitars. The weather gets dry and cold, so we turn on our furnaces – drying out the air in our homes even further. Many will see their indoor relative...

Vintage Epiphone Devon Archtop Restoration

by Steve | May 27, 2010 | Archtop, finish, gibson, touch up, Uncategorized, vintage | 8 comments

A great reason to check out estate and garage sales. You never know when you’ll find a 1950’s Epiphone Devon archtop for a song! Here’s a project with humble beginnings that grew into a full vintage restoration. The owner picked up this very old...

Vintage Gretsch Country Gentleman – Binding Repair and Restoration

by Steve | Aug 3, 2009 | Archtop, binding, finish, Gretsch, Repairs, vintage | 26 comments

When it rains it pours, and my partner Dan has been up to his elbows in binding repairs this year.  Here, he replaces the dried and crumbling binding from a vintage Gretsch Country Gentleman. A common problem on vintage Gretsch guitars is the decay and crumbling of...

Vintage Harmony Archtop – Custom Pickup Mod

by Steve | Jan 7, 2009 | Archtop, Customization, electronics, vintage | 20 comments

This tale may ruffle the feathers of vintage purists. Would you rout a 50’s Harmony archtop for a pickup? As a rule, we and others in our profession have an unwritten standard that says you don’t do irreversable modifications to vintage guitars unless you...
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