# Looking for the top guitar repair guy in Toronto



## jackroylee (Mar 7, 2013)

I heard Brian Mascarin, Mike Spicer and John Bride are very qualified technicians / luthiers in the Greater Toronto Area, is that true? Anyone has experience with them before? Please let me know, thanks!


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I don't think you could go wrong taking your business to the 12th Fret.


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## jackroylee (Mar 7, 2013)

Thanks buddy, but I also heard it is just a hype and it screwed up a simple set up on the other thread. Since my guitar has been screwed up by a repair guy, I don't want it will happen again.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

I've had a lot of work done at the 12th Fret over the years and it was of good quality. I haven't used them for a while though so things may have changed recently. 

What kind of repairs do you need to have done? 



jackroylee said:


> Thanks buddy, but I also heard it is just a hype and it screwed up a simple set up on the other thread. Since my guitar has been screwed up by a repair guy, I don't want it will happen again.


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

The 12th Fret have a well earned reputation, and I have been very happy with any dealings I have had over the past 15 years. Everyone falls short occasionally, but I can't imagine they would knowingly allow a mistake to go uncorrected.


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

jackroylee said:


> Thanks buddy, but I also heard it is just a hype and it screwed up a simple set up on the other thread. Since my guitar has been screwed up by a repair guy, I don't want it will happen again.


You don't get a rep like the 12th fret has by screwing up a simple set-up.
What other thread are you referring to ?

How did the original repair guy screw it up ?,and better yet,why won't he fix it ?


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

You can give the Six String Garage a try. I have used Meiron a few times and he has been great to deal with


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Do they do finish repair work /refinishing also?
does 12th fret do repairs in house or send it to someone?


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

Heres the info from 12th Fret repair section on the website .All onsite as I see it .

*For well over thirty years*, the Twelfth Fret Repair Department has been building, repairing and maintaining fretted stringed instruments for musicians in the Greater Toronto Area and the world over. Our clientele includes music students, amateur players, working musicians and studio professionals as well as some of the biggest names in music (From Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones all the way to the Sam Roberts Band and Katy Perry).
*We pride ourselves on our level of customer service* and to that end, each client receives a thorough assessment of their instrument as well as a detailed written document listing the work to be done and the associated cost. Set-up work is always tailored to meet the individual musician’s playing style. Whether the job is large or small, our objective is always the same; to ensure complete client satisfaction with the work performed.
*The 6 luthiers making up the repair team* have well over 100 years of combined building/repair experience and are well equipped to handle any job from simple set-ups to complex restoration work on valuable vintage instruments. Our complete repair facility, including a woodworking shop, means we have all the tools at hand for any size job and that all work is done in house.
*We service all makes of fretted stringed instruments* and perform authorized warranty work for many of the major brands including CF Martin Guitars.
Services include:
*Set-up and Adjustment* of fretted stringed instruments including acoustic, electric and bass Guitars as well as Mandolins, Ukuleles and Banjos.
*All manner of fretwork* including fret dressing, fret replacement (re-frets) and fret repairs such as gluing loose frets and dressing sharp fret ends.
*Structural repairs* including neck resets, cracks, re-gluing loose braces, impact damage such as broken headstocks and re-gluing lifting bridges.
*Electronic repairs* and upgrades including pick-up replacement, pickup potting, pick-up rewinding and all manner of wiring including repairs and customization.
*Cosmetic repairs *ranging from simple touch-ups to spray finish repairs and custom colour matching.
*Hardware and component upgrades* including machine head replacement, bone saddles and nuts, bridge replacements, banjo head replacement, pickguard replacement.


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## corbo (Sep 14, 2012)

12th fret is highly respected and pains me to say this as I know people who work there, 
but in the last 15 years they managed to damage 2 guitars of mine and took very little responsibility, basically admitted they were at fault but offered nothing then a token price reduction, I still buy from them and understand accidents happen but in both cases turned out that the least qualified person was given my guitars to work on and that was the problem , they have some very qualified luthiers and some not so qualified techs


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## Intrepid (Oct 9, 2008)

I've used the 12th Fret in the past with no problems. As well, I have used Folkways in Guelph. They are top rate in repairs, maintenance and restoration.


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## dradlin (Feb 27, 2010)

corbo said:


> ... in the last 15 years they managed to damage 2 guitars of mine and took very little responsibility, basically admitted they were at fault but offered nothing then a token price reduction...


I'm curious about the initial condition of the instruments, the work that was done, the specifics of the damage they caused, and what in your opinion would have been an acceptable resolution?

Seems appropriate based on the perceptively inflammatory nature of the post.


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

+1 on Mike Spicer


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

dradlin said:


> I'm curious about the initial condition of the instruments, the work that was done, the specifics of the damage they caused, and what in your opinion would have been an acceptable resolution?
> 
> Seems appropriate based on the perceptively inflammatory nature of the post.


If real damage was done without a satisfying solution and the person still remained a customer of that store something seems to be amiss with the account of what really happened IMHO.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Bubb said:


> Heres the info from 12th Fret repair section on the website .All onsite as I see it .
> 
> *For well over thirty years*, the Twelfth Fret Repair Department has been building, repairing and maintaining fretted stringed instruments for musicians in the Greater Toronto Area and the world over. Our clientele includes music students, amateur players, working musicians and studio professionals as well as some of the biggest names in music (From Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones all the way to the Sam Roberts Band and Katy Perry).
> *We pride ourselves on our level of customer service* and to that end, each client receives a thorough assessment of their instrument as well as a detailed written document listing the work to be done and the associated cost. Set-up work is always tailored to meet the individual musician’s playing style. Whether the job is large or small, our objective is always the same; to ensure complete client satisfaction with the work performed.
> ...


I agree with your post. They service guitars belonging to a number of pro players. They wouldn't go there if the service was not of top quality.

[video=youtube;Bh0zdd5Ni9Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh0zdd5Ni9Y[/video]


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## corbo (Sep 14, 2012)

Steadfastly said:


> If real damage was done without a satisfying solution and the person still remained a customer of that store something seems to be amiss with the account of what really happened IMHO.


I do not see what is a miss, I continue to buy items I require, I just no longer get guitars serviced by them, like I stated in my original post which it seems people pick and are selective what they read , I know people and have good relations with some of the employees and did not wish tarnish the relations. As I stated in my original post the 12th fret has exceptional luthiers and accidents do happen, I decided to in both occasions to not stress the issue the second incident was 10 years ago. I do not understand why a person expresses an opinion on a topic on an open forum and automatically , words like amiss and inflammatory are used
all I was trying to express and it seems to have been miss communicated is sometimes an exceptional shop can have some UN-qualified people .
post was not intended to be a tear on twelth fret, sorry if it was taken as such


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## jackroylee (Mar 7, 2013)

Scottone said:


> I've had a lot of work done at the 12th Fret over the years and it was of good quality. I haven't used them for a while though so things may have changed recently.
> 
> What kind of repairs do you need to have done?


Simple set up, there was a luthier did a fret level for my guitar, and it still has buzzing problems, and my G and low E string vibrate abnormally. And also I wanna replace some volume tone pot. Thanks!


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## jackroylee (Mar 7, 2013)

Bubb said:


> You don't get a rep like the 12th fret has by screwing up a simple set-up.
> What other thread are you referring to ?
> 
> How did the original repair guy screw it up ?,and better yet,why won't he fix it ?


*tristan* 







*Feedback Score *


Join DateJun 2007Locationtoronto, onPosts3​

[h=2]there are no good guitar techs in toronto[/h]I've tried them all. None of them are good at everything. 12th fret ****ed up a simple setup. Capsule botched a stock Tele assembly. Frank Toth talked me into a fret level I did'nt need, then destroyed the frets. All of them charged me top, and I mean TOP, dollar.

You need to find one guy for each thing. Pat Rush at L+M Bloor for setups, especially floating trems. Frank for electronics. 12th Fret and Capsule for, I don't know - hype?

No-one here is capable of doing fretwork. Bite the bullet and send it to the States to get Plek'd. Seriously. No-one in Toronto is ever touching my fretboard again.​


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

hmmm,ok

That's one post from a guy who honestly comes off as a bit of a twat.
To say no one in Toronto is capable of fretwork is just silly.
I'd still like to hear how they f-up a set-up.Maybe he wasn,t clear what he wanted.Who knows.

Anyway,it's your choice,but why take his post as gospel when there are lots of other positive posts ?

Pretty much any shop with a good reputation will try to make you happy,or they wouldn't have said reputation or remain in business


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## jackroylee (Mar 7, 2013)

Bubb said:


> hmmm,ok
> 
> That's one post from a guy who honestly comes off as a bit of a twat.
> To say no one in Toronto is capable of fretwork is just silly.
> ...


I just called Mike Spicer, he is so busy lately and since he is in Hamilton, I will consider John Bride or 12th fret, do you have any experience with them before? If I choose 12th fret, can you tell me who is the most qualified luthier in the shop? Thanks!


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

jackroylee said:


> Simple set up, there was a luthier did a fret level for my guitar, and it still has buzzing problems, and my G and low E string vibrate abnormally. And also I wanna replace some volume tone pot. Thanks!


I would think that any of the one's mentioned could fix the buzzing issue. Could be too little relief in the neck, nut slots cut too low or saddles just adjusted too low. If the bridge saddle height is adjustable, just try raising those ones a tad..may fix the issue. An 1/8th counter-clockwise turn on the truss rod may also do it. Over the years, I've learned to make adjustments on my own, although I still leave the major stuff to the experts.


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## corbo (Sep 14, 2012)

jackroylee said:


> I just called Mike Spicer, he is so busy lately and since he is in Hamilton, I will consider John Bride or 12th fret, do you have any experience with them before? If I choose 12th fret, can you tell me who is the most qualified luthier in the shop? Thanks!


may also want to consider Freddy Gaberski , he is based in Niagara on the lake , goes by Freddy g , more then qualified , he is currently building the Alex Lifeson run of guitars,


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## jackroylee (Mar 7, 2013)

Scottone said:


> I would think that any of the one's mentioned could fix the buzzing issue. Could be too little relief in the neck, nut slots cut too low or saddles just adjusted too low. If the bridge saddle height is adjustable, just try raising those ones a tad..may fix the issue. An 1/8th counter-clockwise turn on the truss rod may also do it. Over the years, I've learned to make adjustments on my own, although I still leave the major stuff to the experts.


Thanks a lot for your detailed reply. The luthier who set up the guitar was Zak from supper audio fuzz, and he could not fix this problem, unbelievable.


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## jackroylee (Mar 7, 2013)

corbo said:


> may also want to consider Freddy Gaberski , he is based in Niagara on the lake , goes by Freddy g , more then qualified , he is currently building the Alex Lifeson run of guitars,


Thanks buddy, but it's kinda far for me.


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## corbo (Sep 14, 2012)

jackroylee said:


> Thanks buddy, but it's kinda far for me.


what kind of guitar is it


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## jackroylee (Mar 7, 2013)

It's a strat, can you tell me who is the most qualified luthier in 12th fret? which luthier should i talk to?Thanks!


corbo said:


> what kind of guitar is it


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## corbo (Sep 14, 2012)

jackroylee said:


> It's a strat, can you tell me who is the most qualified luthier in 12th fret? which luthier should i talk to?Thanks!


sent you a pm


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## Timmmaaay (Jun 20, 2012)

I have heard great things about both the 12th fret and Brain M, however, Mike Spicer, at the Peghead, is a magician!!
He only works by appointment or referral and then appointment, but if you are lucky enough for him to take in your axe, you will be delighted with the result!!
I don't think he charges enough for what he does.....but don't you dare tell him that or we will all have to pay more


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I would hope he has got the repair done by now as this thread is getting close to a year old.


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## bretonsydney (Nov 27, 2013)

I had a top crack repaired at the 12th on a very nice acoustic. I took it to another guy first who was cheaper which only made it worse. The 12th fret guys were able to repair the crack and fix the problems created from the other luthier. I would recommend them but that was just my experience.


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## db62 (Sep 18, 2007)

Not sure if anybody has referred you to Gian at Lil Demon in the Dundas/Ossington area. If you search for his name on the forum you'll see unbelievably glowing references for the quality of his work. He's worked on 4 of my guitars and his work is top-notch.


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## Hammertone (Feb 3, 2006)

Some excellent repair people mentioned - I've dealt with most of them, with positive results.

Here's another:
Al Clegg, who used to be in Toronto, hs been in Waterloo for a few years.
http://acguitarworks.com


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## daveps (Oct 11, 2014)

I have had several jobs done at "The Fret" and have been satisfied with most, But they did a terrible job refinishing my Les Paul. This was over 30 years ago, and the lacquer still hasn't set properly! It was gummy from day one. I don't know if it was an issue with the product that was sprayed on the guitar, or a secondary problem such as being sprayed in too humid of an environment. And in the last few months the black finish has started to bubble up and separate from the guitar in corn flake sized pieces.


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## snacker (Jun 26, 2008)

Mike spicer is a great tech / luthier and if you need finish work done, there's no one better!


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

corbo said:


> 12th fret is highly respected and pains me to say this as I know people who work there,
> but in the last 15 years they managed to damage 2 guitars of mine and took very little responsibility, basically admitted they were at fault but offered nothing then a token price reduction, I still buy from them and understand accidents happen but in both cases turned out that the least qualified person was given my guitars to work on and that was the problem , they have some very qualified luthiers and some not so qualified techs


Re: 12th Fret
-very happy with the result of my first repair experience
-second visit they managed to greatly devalue my D18 by a botched neck reset
I would never go there again for service.


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## deadear (Nov 24, 2011)

Don't fret in Waterdown are Qualified (College certificate on the wall), call first to sey up apointment because hours are all over the place. John Bride was a very good player turned tech so I don't know what kind of credentials he has.
Anyone can hang out a shingle and call themselves a tech / luthier.


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## Tim Plains (Apr 14, 2009)

Don't Fret in Waterdown? Really? I've been there and it looks like a complete dive.

I've only dealt with Mike Spicer and Freddy's Frets. I found one of BCR Greg's posts on My Les Paul calling Mike "a God" and that was good enough for me to try him because Greg is no slouch. I agree with another poster that Mike doesn't charge as much as he could. I find his prices are on the low side but his craftsmenship is second to none. Same goes for Freddy except Freddy charges considerably more but you get what you pay for. There is a reason why people from around the world send their guitars to him.


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## deadear (Nov 24, 2011)

Don't Fret a dive possibly. But that is what production looks like. Good luck with the whole Toronto cork sniffing routine.


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