Restoration

We offer everything from complete museum-grade restorations to minor repairs and replacements.

Jesse has over a decade of experience working in museums, so we know how to safely handle and repair delicate objects. Whether you have a 100-year-old oud that’s been hidden in an attic for decades or a guitar that just needs a new bridge, we can help. Our restoration services include:

  • Complete, top-off instrument restorations. This is for instruments that have suffered major damage, and often have several parts missing. For example, this could be an oud that’s missing its rosettes and bridge, and has cracks in its top or bowl. We safely disassemble the instrument so we can reach the damaged areas. Once repaired, we reassemble the instrument, repair the finish and set it up to play.

  • Minor repairs. This is for instruments that have some damage, but only in areas we can safely work in without taking the instrument apart. For example, your bouzouki might need fret leveling or re-fretting as well as repair of minor open seams or cracks on the body.

  • Replacement of missing or damaged parts. When older instruments have traveled or been stored away for decades, they often suffer damage. We often see ouds that are missing rosettes or bouzoukis without a bridge. We can create historically-accurate replacement bridges, rosettes, nuts, pick guards and other parts. 

A Turkish hanim oud, pre-repair. This oud was previously repaired by unidentified luthier, who used contemporary materials.
A fully restored Turkish hanim oud. The restoration included top and bowl repairs, and creation of historically-appropriate rosettes and pickguard.
Oud laid out.jpg
Creating a replacement rosette. We look for images of the instrument maker's previous work, so we can create period-specific replacement designs.
A fully restored Portuguese guitarra.