Few things are better than the bright sound of a fresh set of strings. BBZ guitar restring services start from £25. Your guitar restring service includes:

• Strip off old strings
• Check and adjust tuners
• Clean and polish frets
• Clean and feed fretboard
• Clean guitar thoroughly
• Lubricate the nut
• Fit, stretch and tune new strings
• Check and adjust intonation
• Check and tighten strap buttons

You can bring your own strings or buy them from me; prices range from £6-£20 depending on the guitar. If you have special requirements for your setup, e.g. higher or lower action, just let me know when you drop off your guitar. I’ll provide a full quotation before you book-in your guitar.

Whether they’re brand new or used, 95% of guitars will sound better after a full guitar setup. BBZ guitar setup services start from £45 for a six-string guitar. Your guitar setup includes BBZ guitar restring service plus:

• Set nut action correctly
• Adjust any high frets
• Check and adjust the truss rod
• Adjust and shim neck angle on bolt on necks (electric guitars and basses only)
• Check and adjust string height
• Check and set up tremolo bridge
• Set pickup heights correctly
• All electrics checked and lubricated
• Check and replace any batteries (extra charge at cost if required)
• Jack sockets checked, cleaned and tightened
• Full ‘play test’

Guitar refret service. BBZ refret service starts from £225 for a full refret and £120 for a partial refret. The guitar refret service includes:

• De-string
• Set neck absolutely straight with zero relief
• Mask off fretboard
• Mask off guitar body (or remove bolt-on neck)
• Protect or remove nut
• Make guitar neck level and secure on the horizontal
• Carefully ‘pull’ frets and measure tang for replacements
• Clean out fret slots
• Cut replacement frets to size (snip tang as required)
• Install new frets. Hammering (and gluing in) as necessary
• Trim frets to side of fretboard
• File flat to fretboard sides
• Bevel frets ends at 30 degrees at both sides
• File and polish fret ends
• Then perform level and recrown service to ensure radius for the length of the neck
• Perform full setup

Level frets are essential for anyone that likes a low action on their guitar. They also increase the accuracy of your guitar’s intonation and prevent fret buzz. BBZ fret level and crowning service starts from £75 and includes:

• De-string
• Set neck absolutely straight with zero relief
• Mask off fretboard
• Mask off guitar body (or remove bolt-on neck)
• Protect or remove nut
• Make guitar neck level and secure on the horizontal
• Mark fret tops
• Level off frets with a bar/ beam
• Re-mark fret tops
• Crown each fret along the length of the board
• Sand frets with fine grit and Dremel® polish frets
• Check fret ends and file off sharp edges
• Remove masking (reattach neck)
• Perform full set up

When it comes to custom shop work, BBZ can help you with most aspects of guitar customisation. If you don’t see your requirement listed here, send me a message.

Guitar electrics: upgrades, modifications and replacements

• Jack socket replacement
• All wires changed to push back wiring
• Rewires to different styles, e.g. 1950s’ wiring on a Les Paul vs modern
• Cavity shielding / lining with copper or non-conductive paint
• Pickup selector switches upgraded or replaced
• Potentiometers upgraded or replaced (push / pull etc.)
• Capacitor upgrades and replacements
• Treble bleed cap and resistors fitted
• Replacement or upgrade pickups fitted (Bare Knuckles a specialty)
• Acoustic pickups fitted or replaced. (I don’t cut holes for preamps. Controls are fitted inside the sound hole or on a straddle pickup)
• Active pickup systems fitted
• Fit Roland GK-3 type guitar synth pickups

Guitar component: upgrades, modifications and replacements

• Tuners fitted (inc. locking systems)
• Nuts upgraded or replaced (bone, Nubone®, nylon, brass, etc.)
• Strap buttons fitted (inc. locking systems) electric or acoustic
• New bridges or bridge saddles fitted
• New stop bars fitted or wrap-around systems
• Tremolo systems upgraded or replaced (Stetsbar®, standard Strat-type or replace / upgrade pre-existing Floyd Rose® systems)
• Scratch plates and pickup surrounds fitted
• Custom engraved neck plates
• Custom engraved truss rod covers

BBZ Guitars can also provide a complete renovation service for vintage guitars, visit the BBZ Facebook page to view some of the guitar renovations I’ve carried out. For guitar repair work, please contact me by email or phone to discuss the job. I’ll provide you with a quote detailing any guitar repair services you’ve requested along with the cost of any parts. If I notice any additional guitar repair work that needs doing,  I’ll let you know before completing any work.

Guitar repair services I’m regularly asked to do include replacing electrics, resoldering joints, rewinding pickups, fixing broken tuners and nuts, reseating acoustic bridges, etc.

If you have a specific requirement for guitar repair, guitar setup or guitar renovation which is not listed above, please call BBZGuitars on 07714 101207 or email service@bbzguitars.co.uk to request a quote.

You can also find ideas and advice on many things guitar related in my guitar blog.