Very Very Bad Experience at Guitar Workshop Bras Basah
- Thread starter abudan
- Start date
Well, Tymusic is the only place in Singapore Id trust with my guitars. Beez is not bad aswell, from my fren's feedback. I have went for setup services in places such as guitar connection and guitar 77 and the price they quote is pretty ridiculous. Though Clement from G77 does a pretty good job, cant say the same for the other guys though.
The thing is, alot of those so-called luthiers charge upwards of $30 for adjusting the freakin bridge(and they still cant get it to a low action without buzzing).
Seriously man, learn to do your own setup. It really is no rocket science. You always hear horror stories about noobs breaking truss rod and all, but Ive tweaked more than a dozen truss rods rather drastically and none of em has failed. If you just use ur common sense, you shouldnt have any truss rods dying on you.
Plus, even if you have achieved the perfect action the wood can still warp from time to time. You cant possibly bring it to the luthier every time your action changes by abit.
Once you get the hang of it, you really wonder how some people can charge such a ridiculous price for doing such a simple job.
Granted, Im not adept at the more advanced setup techniques like fret leveling. All the other stuff such as adjusting the saddles, truss rod and shimming can be down yourself.
btw, $70 is ridiculous for a 'setup' in my book, plus he didnt even solve the problem.
If I get $70 for every bridge I tweaked, Id be pretty loaded.
The thing is, alot of those so-called luthiers charge upwards of $30 for adjusting the freakin bridge(and they still cant get it to a low action without buzzing).
Seriously man, learn to do your own setup. It really is no rocket science. You always hear horror stories about noobs breaking truss rod and all, but Ive tweaked more than a dozen truss rods rather drastically and none of em has failed. If you just use ur common sense, you shouldnt have any truss rods dying on you.
Plus, even if you have achieved the perfect action the wood can still warp from time to time. You cant possibly bring it to the luthier every time your action changes by abit.
Once you get the hang of it, you really wonder how some people can charge such a ridiculous price for doing such a simple job.
Granted, Im not adept at the more advanced setup techniques like fret leveling. All the other stuff such as adjusting the saddles, truss rod and shimming can be down yourself.
btw, $70 is ridiculous for a 'setup' in my book, plus he didnt even solve the problem.
If I get $70 for every bridge I tweaked, Id be pretty loaded.
suds
New member
Hey,
Sorry to hear this happen to you... know the feeling too. Furthermore, its a LP!
I needed my action lowered. I was lost. Google it and found soft.com.sg! Browsed about feverishly here, picking up nuggets of "tried and tested" luthiers. These names kept surfacing .. Beez and SV Guitars@Woodlands. I picked Beez bcos he is very near to my home. Great guy and can talk-cock-sing-song whilst he works on your axe.
Thanks Softies! and good luck with the final outcome....
PS. $70 smuckaroos is rather steep!
Sorry to hear this happen to you... know the feeling too. Furthermore, its a LP!
I needed my action lowered. I was lost. Google it and found soft.com.sg! Browsed about feverishly here, picking up nuggets of "tried and tested" luthiers. These names kept surfacing .. Beez and SV Guitars@Woodlands. I picked Beez bcos he is very near to my home. Great guy and can talk-cock-sing-song whilst he works on your axe.
Thanks Softies! and good luck with the final outcome....
PS. $70 smuckaroos is rather steep!
To be fair, I dont see your experience as "very very bad", disappointing maybe.
On a serious note, Ive seen many expensive guitars need re-setup due to change in climate to Singapore.
$70 may be steep for lowering the strings, but if he did intonation and truss rod work then its pretty decent.
Fret Buzz, esp on high frets normally caused by slight variation in fret heights so fret leveling must be done and its quite a serious pain to do. My amatuer DIY skills take me 3 - 4 hrs to level my fret, sand and polish.
On a serious note, Ive seen many expensive guitars need re-setup due to change in climate to Singapore.
$70 may be steep for lowering the strings, but if he did intonation and truss rod work then its pretty decent.
Fret Buzz, esp on high frets normally caused by slight variation in fret heights so fret leveling must be done and its quite a serious pain to do. My amatuer DIY skills take me 3 - 4 hrs to level my fret, sand and polish.
faekildare
New member
I think 70 for setup, including truss rod adjustment is too ex. Fret levelling for 150... way too ex.
Osiris
New member
Always good to check here first before committing your precious instrument to someone else's hands!
IMHO, $70 is not too much to spend on getting your guitar perfect, especially when that guitar's an LP! That being said, it's only worth it if the job is done right. When I was looking to get my Gibson Explorer dropped to standard-B tuning, which is pretty low and apt to cause buzzing problems, I was clueless as to who'd be best to get the job done.
After some research, and Q&A here though, I decided on SV Guitars @ Woodlands. Mike did a great job of re-stringing, and getting the action and intonation just right, without a hint of buzzing at any fret on any string! Moral of the story, don't be afraid to ask! You'll discover that the guys/gals here are more than willing to help!
IMHO, $70 is not too much to spend on getting your guitar perfect, especially when that guitar's an LP! That being said, it's only worth it if the job is done right. When I was looking to get my Gibson Explorer dropped to standard-B tuning, which is pretty low and apt to cause buzzing problems, I was clueless as to who'd be best to get the job done.
After some research, and Q&A here though, I decided on SV Guitars @ Woodlands. Mike did a great job of re-stringing, and getting the action and intonation just right, without a hint of buzzing at any fret on any string! Moral of the story, don't be afraid to ask! You'll discover that the guys/gals here are more than willing to help!
wow, good that I come across this thread because I can vouch for the OP. for me it was more than 10 years back maybe 20 years back when Guitar Workshop was situated at a building opposite hardrock cafe. They were doing warmoth custom guitars then and so with the advise of my guitar teacher back then I would go there to choose the type of wood and neck I want for my Warmoth Custom Shop guitar to come in. Paid Francis $500 deposit in cash and waited for more than a month still no Warmoth Custom shop guitar. Do I have the right to cancel order if the goods don't arrive on time? I told Francis that if the guitar is not here yet I would like to cancel my order and he told me that if the order is cancelled the $500 would be forfeited. I was very young at that time so I didn't say anything when he want to forfeit my $500. But till this day I remember it. 
Oh btw doesn't Francis have a younger brother Kevin that operates also a used guitar shop at Excelsior hotel opposite music theme?
Oh btw doesn't Francis have a younger brother Kevin that operates also a used guitar shop at Excelsior hotel opposite music theme?
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hendry_1977
New member
Bro, I feel for you. Unless you are left with no option, otherwise you should source around other luthiers. The workmanship is not that good as they claimed. Francis is hardly there. Most of the work are done by newbie/ apprentice with minimum guitar repair experience. I have my bad experience with Guitar Workshop many years back when they were located at Ming Arcade. Very lousy repair work on guitar bridge which eventually gave way after attempts by them to fix up the problem. Anyway I know the money you spent and hassle that every owner went through. Please keep broad mind to source around and open to suggestion by different luthiers. some may do the job which others feel impossible. Charges are always nego and varies on types of repairs by luthiers.
Yes correct Ming Arcade is that building across Hard Rock Café am I right? That's where Guitar Workshop used to be.
kernelspy
New member
Wow.. interesting, this is completely the opposite of my experience in Guitarworkshop in Bras Basah! Yesterday was my 1st time to go there and saw some TOKAI LPs that looks gorgeous... bought it after I negotiated a price with the Filipino guy there and even Francis. They were all very nice and accomodating!
Went back home, my Small child dropped my guitar on th floor! To my horror!! ☺������ good thing it still has the gig bag so no major damage but my 1st string broke and i noticed some fret buzzes... im unsure if it was already like this or what... went back the next day, turned out that it needs some fret leveling (just few)and some truss rod adjustments... the Filipino guy let me play it 1st and it was a dream!! Better than 1st time i tried it!! The guy did it on the spot!!
Extremely satisfied with the outcome of the job!!! Im not affiliated with them ok... ☺����
Went back home, my Small child dropped my guitar on th floor! To my horror!! ☺������ good thing it still has the gig bag so no major damage but my 1st string broke and i noticed some fret buzzes... im unsure if it was already like this or what... went back the next day, turned out that it needs some fret leveling (just few)and some truss rod adjustments... the Filipino guy let me play it 1st and it was a dream!! Better than 1st time i tried it!! The guy did it on the spot!!
Extremely satisfied with the outcome of the job!!! Im not affiliated with them ok... ☺����
Jerrysmith
New member
I had an even worse experience.
Check this post:
https://www.soft.com.sg/forum/showt...-WORKSHOP-at-Bras-Basah&p=1478651#post1478651
Check this post:
https://www.soft.com.sg/forum/showt...-WORKSHOP-at-Bras-Basah&p=1478651#post1478651
