Our newly expanded repair shop in Nashville, Tennessee is now accepting outside guitars for repair, restoration, and setups. Whether you’re a collector, touring musician, or vintage enthusiast, our team treats every instrument with the care and precision it deserves.
Our newly expanded repair shop in Nashville, Tennessee is now accepting outside guitars for repair, restoration, and setups. Whether you’re a collector, touring musician, or vintage enthusiast, our team treats every instrument with the care and precision it deserves.
Why Choose Carter Vintage Repairs
When you own a high-value or vintage guitar, choosing the right repair shop matters. Carter Vintage specializes in structural repairs for fine vintage (pre-1980) and other high-value guitars.
Here’s why players and collectors trust us:
- Master luthiers with decades of experience
- Specialists in vintage structural and cosmetic repairs
- Precision work for maximum preservation of value and playability
- Trusted by collectors, dealers, and touring professionals worldwide
Our Repair Services
We offer a complete range of guitar repairs, organized into categories for easy reference. For advanced or custom work not listed, please contact us for a quote.
Fretwork & Playability
- Fret Level, Crown & Polish – $200
(+ $150 Stainless Steel) - Full Fret Replacement:
- Rosewood/Ebony – $500
- Rosewood/Ebony with Binding – $600
- Maple/Lacquered – $600
($750 if board needs refinishing) - Compression Fret (non-truss rod) – $700
(+$100 bound fretboards) - + $100 for Stainless Steel Frets
Bridge Work
- Bridge Lift & Re-glue – $325
(includes new saddle) - Acoustic Bridge Replacement:
- Standard Martin/Gibson – $550
- Gibson Mustache/Custom – Contact for quote
- Acoustic Bridge Plate Replacement – $350
- Acoustic Bridge Plate Plug & Redrill – $200
- + $100 for Brazilian Rosewood
- New Saddle – $125 (+ setup)
Electronics & Pickups
- Acoustic Pickup Install – $150
- Electric Pickup Install – $150
(+ $50 for Hollow/Semi-hollow) - Electric Pickup Re-wind – $125 per coil
($250 for humbucker) - Pot Replacement: Solid Body – $65
(Hollow/Semi-hollow – $100) - Switch Replacement – $75
(+$50 for hollow/semi-hollow)
Structural Repairs
- Acoustic Neck Reset
- Base Price – $1,050
- Gibson style/finished over + $200
- Maple Heel + $300
- New saddle and finish touchup included
- All neck resets require at least a fret level; most require a refret due to neck shift – not included, see prices below
- Base Price – $1,050
- Headstock/Neck Breaks
- Level 1 – $850
(standard repair, finish touch-up) - Level 2 – $1,250
(carbon fiber reinforcement, finish touch-up)
- Level 1 – $850
- Body Cracks (Standard Acoustic)
- per crack (3–4 inch max) – $125
- per additional 4 inches – $100 for extended cracks
Cosmetic & Binding Work
- Binding Re-glue – $25 per inch
- Reserved for small pieces or loose sections that can be easily reglued. Contact for quote on more complex repairs
- NOTE: We do not repair Gretsch binding if it has rotted or decomposed due to the nature of celluloid
- Body Binding Removal & Re-glue – $250 per section
(includes finish touch-up)
Setups & Other Services
- Basic Guitar/Bass Setup – $125
- Floyd Rose/Kahler Setup – $185
- 12-String Setup – $200
- Classical/Slotted Headstock Setup – $150
- Bone Nut – $125
(+ setup) - Tuner Swap – $45 per set
(+ cost of tuners) - Tuner Conversion – $100 per set
(+ cost of tuners) - Strap Button Install – $20
How It Works
Contact Us
Tell us about your guitar and the work needed.
Drop Off or Ship
Bring your guitar to our Nashville shop or use Carter Care Shipping.
Expert Repair
Our team performs the repair with updates as needed.
Pickup or Return Shipping
Your guitar is ready to play or ship back fully insured.
Meet the Repair Team
Greg Ellis
Head of Repair & Authentication
Steve Mather
Master Luthier, Team Lead
Scott Holyfield
Master Luthier
Bobby Ramsdell
Guitar Technician
Jake Byrne
Guitar Technician
Benjamin Brannan
Guitar Technician
Mo Schneider
Guitar Technician
Schedule Your Repair
Our repair staff is available Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm. Weekend drop-off available Saturday–Sunday, 10am–4pm. If you’re not in Nashville, contact us to discuss shipping your instrument for repair.
Frequently Asked Questions
Repairs
Pretty much anything your guitar could need. From simple setups and restringing to full neck resets, refrets, and headstock repairs — our team handles it all. Whether it’s a modern electric or a pre-war acoustic, we’ll get it playing and feeling exactly how it should.
Walk-ins are always welcome. If you’re bringing in something that needs a quick evaluation or setup, just swing by the shop. For larger restoration projects or vintage instruments, we might schedule a deeper look with one of our luthiers to make sure we give it the time it deserves.
Most standard setups and minor repairs are ready within a week. More involved work — like neck resets, refrets, or structural repairs — can take a couple of months depending on our queue. We’ll give you an honest estimate when you drop it off and keep you updated if anything changes.
Absolutely — this is what we do best and it’s what we live for. Vintage instruments are treated with extra care, using era-correct materials and methods whenever possible. Our repair team has decades of combined experience working on priceless vintage Martins, Gibsons, and Fenders.
Yes! We work on most fretted instruments — guitars, basses, mandolins, banjos, you name it. If it’s got strings and frets, chances are we can help.
If you’ve got an upcoming show or tour, let us know. We’ll do our best to accommodate a rush job depending on what’s needed. We’ve all been there — a gig waits for no one. Rush jobs come with a rush fee associated.
We’ll take a look at your instrument first and give you a clear quote before starting any work. Our price list is posted in the shop and online, but each repair is unique — so we’ll talk you through what makes the most sense for your guitar.
Nope — quick visual estimates are always free. If your guitar needs a deeper inspection (like checking neck angle or structural work), there might be a small bench fee, but we’ll let you know before doing anything.
We can give ballpark figures, but the most accurate quote always comes after we see the guitar in person. Every instrument tells a different story, and we like to hear it firsthand.
We take all major cards, cash, and Apple Pay. Repairs are paid at pickup, and we’ll always give you an itemized invoice for your records.
Visiting the Store
We are open to the public 7 days a week! Although we can schedule appointments, it is not necessary, as you are welcome to come browse our store and see any of the inventory available at any time. Our staff is always on hand to help and welcome you in!
We are open Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. We are closed on certain holidays, so check out our Instagram and Facebook page for updates on special closures.
We offer validated parking in the Prima South Gulch Garage through Metropolis.
When you enter the garage, register your vehicle with Metropolis Parking by following the signs in the garage. When entering Carter Vintage, you will be able to scan a QR code to validate your free parking. The staff at the front desk can help you with the process.
You can find a detailed video with directions from Eighth Avenue here.