Thanks Gord Barry for you wonderful work on my 1974 Martin D35! It wasn’t in bad shape to begin with but I decided since it was 45 years old it should have that inevitable neck reset. It’s like I have a whole new guitar: it is more responsive, has better volume and tone and all the notes coming out of it are more articulate than ever, just like you said it would be. Even my old and half-deaf bandmates have noticed the difference.
I am in love again!
Thanks so much.

I have had this guitar back over a week and I am still ecstatic over what a great job Jay did with that humble Classic Vibe Strat!

After you guys put that Lollar CC pickup in the neck of my tele, I couldn’t find a telecaster style bridge pickup which matched up closely enough with it for my taste while still fitting in a conventional telecaster bridge. So Lollar wound three balanced output CC tele neck style pickup and I bought a CV Strat in order to have something to try them out in.

It was a total experiment. The CV strat had had its fret edges beveled just a little deep and there was some playing room lost on the fret. I asked the fellow who helped me (Scott?), if he could put a new nut in with a bit tighter string spacing to compensate for the loss of playing space and he assured me that he could and we left it at that.

Now as things turned out Jay was the fellow who ended up working on the guitar. Now in a mediocre place when a different fellow works on your instrument than the fellow you talked to, something usually gets lost in the translation. But I’ll have you know, that thing plays fantastic now. The before and after with a new nut and set up was really striking. Way beyond expectations! I had assumed that I would check out how the pickups sounded and change out the neck to a Warmoth or something, once I determined whether it was worth it or not. This guitar is remaining intact now.

I have owned a lot of instruments, have taken guitar building courses and put guitars together myself. Twelfth Fret’s work really is on a different level than other places in this city and it is not only the technical ability but taking the time to understand clearly what the customer wants and treating even less expensive instrument with care.

I couldn’t be happier. This set up has taken this guitar to a different level now. I have a totally unique instrument that can effectively go from playing thick George Benson single-note jazz lines to Dire Straits approved ‘quack’ with the flick of a 5-way switch!

Hello Grant. Just want to let you know that my banjolele arrived on Monday afternoon, so the postal strike didn’t hold it up too long. I’m delighted with the quality craftsmanship of the instrument and I was right that the shorter fingerboard is much easier for my 81 year old hands! So, here’s a shot of me with it in my studio with my dog Dusty laying beside me. Now just to harden up my fingertips and loosen up my finger joints! (Dusty loves it too!)
Thanks for everything.

Best. John.

John McConnell – Deering banjolele

October 2018
(Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)

I really like what you folks have done with the web site and now with this Newsletter posting. Please keep these things coming. Another reason why The Twelfth Fret is just about the finest ‘go to’ place for all of us guitarists, and those who pursue other fretted instruments.

Mike, I just wanted to let you know that the Thunderbird arrived safely just now.  It got stuck in customs in Chicago for a couple of days (the post office told me that it always happens that way with everything that comes from abroad) but eventually got on its way again.  Anyway, it is here now and is beautiful and plays like a dream.  It sounds great through my amp, and not surprisingly, sounds just like my 1976 Thunderbird.  I was delighted at how light it is too.

Thanks again!

I just received my Kenny Hill Torres guitar and I can’t stop playing it. The projection, sound and ease of playing are truly remarkable. I love it! Very satisfied with the purchase and your staff.