Everything went very well.....they are very excellent in the knowledge of all guitars......and have very good customer relations stature....... Thank You for being THERE..... read more

Quoted $100 for a headstock crack repair, but the work is an absolute disaster and completely un profissional. No sanding, no polishing, and excess glue left hardened all over the surface. A lazy, sloppy job with zero care for the instrument. Stay away. read more

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I brought my brand new Fender accoustic in to see if there was room for improvement. Who knows how long it had been sitting in a warehouse letting the wood and strings rot? I asked for the standard setup and within a week my guitar came back. I could see right away that the action had been not only lowered, but with consistent height above the fretboard all the way down to the body. If you don't need a Plek, the standard setup is a great value. I was so impressed that I am bringing in my friend's guitar for a setup as a birthday present for him. read more

He's ( the owner Hugh ) is always helpful, accommodating and knowledgeable. I had a perfect set up on my steel string acoustic guitar , years ago , and have bought strings , parts and accessories. read more

Brought two guitars back to back just recently. Tune up/ intonation and a pickup swap. Workmanship was spot on, quick (even around Christmas time). Only can really say two negative things. Neither of which would stop me from going here, and shouldn't stop you either. Just to be aware. 1) know what you want to have done before you go, and if you have particular instructions or specs you want (low action, etc) you need to say it up front. They won't ask you really anything specific about aspects of the "tune up". 2) The communication, appointment situation could be better. On my first visit I got a voicemail saying the guitar was ready. So I just went over there to get it. Apparently you have to set an appointment to pickup your guitar. Kinda strange, and it just caught me off guard. I would have really hated it if I called to make a pickup appointment and was told there was no open appointments until the following day. Overall great experience, fast and obviously the techs know their stuff. Will come back! read more

12/21/24Ok..so here goes... I have posted before on Hugh and Tim, the guys behind 13th st. Guitars. In the beginning of this journey for me called music I was a total newb. Hugh was in the old shop and he and Tim were fair and honest and tolerant. Over the years I've watched them grow, move to a new place, start families and through it all they have remained steadfastly committed to their craft. Making the instruments we all love and cherish, live long and productive lives. I was not a great guitarist, I'm still not. But I had a chance to live a dream & play for others and for that I must thank Hugh and Tim for all the work done over the years on the goofy guitars I favored. I am no longer going to be able to trust my guitars to 13th Street. Not because I have lost any faith in their abilities in any way, shape or form. You want quality work? do you want your axe to play better than they did from the factory? Do you want to pay a fair and reasonable price for the work done? Lastly, do you want somebody who's going to listen to what it is you want for your guitars and do their best to make it happen. This is the place to go. it's worth your time, effort and your hard earned money. They get it. To 13th street , thanks guys. You really do rock!! Jay "Allan" Miller Coure D' Alene, Idaho read more

First time taking my custom made guitar to 13th Street and I wasn't disappointed. I had a little challenge for them to work out the final adjustments to my homemade '78 EVH Replica. I called the shop to make an appointment to bring in the guitar. When i arrived during my time slot, Hugh looked at my guitar and gave me an estimate to work out the adjustments I was looking for. After a week, I received a call to make another appointment to pick up the finished guitar. A little chat on what was done and I took my EVH home to try it out with my amp setup. I'm happier at how well it played. Despite the minor neck alignment issues (because of my build experience), the adjustments to the truss rod, string nut, pickup height and bridge made a big difference. 13th Street made it fun to play again and hope to bring some of my other guitars for some maintenance adjustments in the future. Time to get on to practicing! Reservations are a must for drop-off and pick-up. I recommend this shop! I'll be back. read more

13th Street Guitars - My homemade '78 EVH Replica. Plays great now!!! - Musical Instrument Services Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

Ive been coming here since I was a kid. Took my guitar for a setup and some extra little things and I'm really happy with how it came out. Well worth the wait. read more

This is an updated review. Hugh, Dan, and the gang over at 13th street have never failed to overdeliver on the guitar work I send them. Sometimes I send them a partially built parts caster. Other times I ask them to route pickup cavities or other odd and ends and regardless of what I need, it's done to a very high level. A word about the Plek machine at 13th. Anyone can sell an arm or leg and buy one of these (and prob do a decent job), but the real benefit of going to someone who's experienced is they know how to program these and run them properly. I just picked up my parts guitar, which the guys took over the finish line and for giggles I lowered the action even more than it was, which was low and clean fretting. It went lower still and fretted perfectly. This is what I'm talking about! read more

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Had my 2005 B.C. Rich Bich NJ Classic Series guitar in to swap out all Chrome hardware for Gold Gotoh Magnum Lock-Trad Tuners, Gotoh Tune-O-Matic Saddle and Tailpiece, Knobs, Pickup Screws, Nuts, Washers, etc as well as do a complete setup. Having this shop do the work was the biggest mistake ever. They put the wrong style of tuners on and drilled holes into my guitar. Told them to put the correct tuners on and fix / fill the holes. The repair job they did looks even worse now. Not only that, the setup job looks like an amateur did it. The saddle and tailpiece wasn't adjusted correctly, knobs were crooked and some of the screws weren't even replaced with gold screws. Do yourself a favor and don't make the same mistake I did, go find another shop to work on your guitar. read more

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I brought my favorite 2011 Gretsch Duo Jet that I've been playing since 2012 to Hugh at 13th Street Guitars for a full plek service and setup including a new bone nut. They gave me an estimate of a few days. They called me within a few hours to tell me my guitar was ready and that they think I'm going to really like it. When I picked it up and started playing it for the first time I was shocked and delighted. It felt like a custom shop version of my guitar. The action was easy, the frets were perfect and the intonation was spot on all the way up the neck which was something I could never really achieve with this guitar previously. All i want to do is play my guitar now. Thanks Hugh! read more

I had them do a major tuneup on my bass along with some repairs, including lowering the action using their Plek system on my frets. There's a little fret buzzing if I'm not careful, but the action is great and the bass plays better than it has in years. read more

Really excellent work. I got a setup and action-lowering done on a new Acoustic, and it came out better than I could have hoped for. It plays absolutely beautifully. Only note - call ahead- you need to set up a drop-off appointment. This is a busy shop (although the turnaround for the work was quicker than estimated) Will absolutely be using these guys for all guitar work in the future. read more

Took in 3 of my custom shop bass guitars because I wanted see for myself if there really was a difference if I pleked my guitars. And let me tell you, it does make a difference! It's really unfortunate that even high end guitars like mine, doesn't come perfect. My frets were not perfect, nor was the fretboard and I noticed that myself. The guys at 13th guitar told me that fenders are notorious of having pretty inconsistent necks because they tend to eyeball everything (they call it "fenderidus". But a good quality fender with a plek job makes the guitar perfect. Thank you 13th Guitar! You won my business! read more

Reliable, professional, polite, respectful and knowledgeable of anything you may be stuck in with any repairs or installations you may from with these guys, they've helped installed bridges for me along with set ups, repairs of damages of my negligence, and they sure as hell know how to make a customer happy of any projects, I would HIGHLY recommend this place to any guitar player to go to. They impressed me and out done themselves with making me a custom pickguard with my design from a drawing and they made sure if worked, as soon as I had picked up my BC Rich V and opened its case, I was shocked on how it was exactly as was hoped of seeing it to be! read more

13th Street Guitars - Custom pickguard they had done for a week and a half, money well spent! Very happy with the finish product! - Musical Instrument Services Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

Drove 10 miles to drop off guitar for a repair, this is a guitar repair shop, by the way. During regular business hours, door unlocked, walked right in, guitar and hardware in hand. Was greeted right away, only to be told "By appointment only." I paused briefly, and then asked hopefully, expecting at least a modicum of customer service before asking, "can't I just drop it off and wait?" I was coldly informed, "it doesn't work that way," and then silence. I left upset, as you might imagine. To summarize, I couldn't leave my guitar to be repaired at a guitar repair shop, during normal business hours, after being greeted and asked, "how can I help you?" WTH? read more

Bought a Seagull Maple Cutaway back in the early 90's. Installed a bridge pickup a year or two later without modifying the bridge. Played it that way for all these years. Now in my 60's I just didn't have the dexterity I used to or the bank to upgrade to a new Martin. For a little over $100, 13th Street did their magic and my beautiful maple back plays as well as any of the new $2500 guitars I've been sampling. Probably better. The guys I play with noticed the improved sound right away without my saying anything. Thanks 13th Street! read more

A friend recommended I have my ukulele strap button installed at this shop. Dan was polite and helpful over the phone when I made appointment. Turned out store (suite E) is a walk-up window in an industrial park setting along Gothard Street, requiring a correct turn - I overshot it and ended up in the parking lot of the next alley. Dan was polite and efficient. Lucky to have quality professional service easily available at a reasonable price. read more

13th Street Guitars - Musical Instrument Services Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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Second Bass, second Plek, absolutely ecstatic!! Thanks to Dan especially for always being friendly as hell and knowledgeable regardless of my impatience haha. Thanks again guys, can't wait for my next one. read more

13th Street Guitars - Musical Instrument Services Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

Had my Taylor 414CE and Fender American Tele Deluxe set up here a few weeks ago. I am very happy with the result. Both guitars sound and feel just great. If I had to mention just one downside of this place, it would be the fact that you can't actually go into the store and sit down with these guys to tell your concerns in depth. You just hand them your guitar and there is just not a good way of communicating when you're outside behind the window. (Never been to this place before covid so I am assuming this is just a precaution for Covid which I understand) read more

Ok..these guys...Tim and Hugh...Knocked it out of the park!! I took my FrankenBerry Bass in to them to get a plek job and When I picked it up I played it a little bit at the shop and was impressed.. but then I plugged it in at home in my studio, with the in ears I am used to and got to jamming and Maaaannn!! They hooked this "hybrid of various parts" bass uppp!! Tim put a new nut and plek'd the crap out of this neck!! This thing is snapping like the freaking junkyard mongrel it was supposed to! Thanks guys. I can't praise you highly enough!! You WILL see me again!! Sincerely, Andre Berry read more

I've brought two guitars in. One simple set up, another a bit more complex with a Floyd job etc. They are very popular in the area and take their time to do a great job on your need. I think this reviews about turn around times are ridiculous. If you want your guitar over night, go to guitar center and have some kid screw up your guitar. I'm getting ready to bring two more guitars and only trust these dudes. read more

These dudes do famous people's set ups? Cool. So I brought my very first partscaster build in for assembly and set up a couple of months ago. Musikraft neck w/USACG body, all USA made hardware and electronics. About $1500 worth. I was excited. The turnaround time was 2 weeks. Nice, but it seemed a little fast. When I came to get the guitar, one of the first things I noticed was that the backplate was missing. They tried to make it seem like it was never in the gig bag when I brought in all the parts. That was very weird. Asked for a Plek job. I could feel right away that the frets were mowed down too far. Something I didn't notice though until I brought the guitar home was that the frets were not polished, and have divots in them. Unpolished stainless steel frets with little divots in them just totally defeats their own purpose. Bummer. Also asked for the strings to be stretched as part of my list of requests. I played the guitar for a couple of minutes, did some test bends and it was pretty out of tune. The guy behind the counter explained they don't do that because it affects intonation or something. That was weird, too. The Hipshot locking tuners I included weren't screwed onto the headstock properly. They started shifting on me. I might as well have gotten vintage tuners because the tuning stability isn't any better. I also didn't discover this until after I brought the guitar home. Another bummer. Like I said at the beginning, this was my first partscaster and I wound up being pretty disappointed at the result. I was really hoping for better. Going elsewhere for my next build. read more

Picking up guitar again in my late 40s... several months have passed since I first brought my 1993 Gibson Invader to Hugh with a bag of pots, pickups, bridge/tailpiece, switch, Jack, and asked him to install and setup for coil split. When I first got it back I wasn't impressed with my upgraded guitar as I failed to find my tone... I felt frustrated trying different combos of pickup positions/splits, everything sounded blah. Then one day, I was inspired to reroute how my processor/amp/pedals were connected, woah my invader came to life! From subtle overdrive to crush metal, the sweet harmonies I haven't had before came to be. During this process I bought a 2018 Gibson SG HP, it has a Gforce auto tuner and would go out of tune easily. Since it needed a setup, I had Hugh Plek'd it. After Plek, SG plays awesome and would stay in tune. But after my new signal chain, I find myself drawn to my Invader more so than SG. It's more dynamic with all the upgrades put into it and I'm loving playing it more than I ever did before! Thx so much Hugh! read more

Hugh is simply the best. Just got a couple of guitars plek d here. Quality of work is superb and Hugh is just an honest good dude. I was thinking refret on an old les paul but he suggested saving the money and seeing how the plek turned out. Well he was right and saved me a ton of money. I should add I did indeed get a refret on an old charvel model 6 which came back stunning Hes starting a new guitar line too tested one out and of course it played great. Cant recommend this shop enough. Wish they fixed amps too. read more

I am a lifetime musician. I play several instruments but mainly drums and Keyboards. I wanted a Gretsch guitar bc they record well but when I received mine it had strings that were so far off the neck that being a fairly poor guitarist, I couldn't really play it. Doing my due diligence on Yelp I discovered 13th Street Guitar. Not only is their store in my home town but they earned great credibility on Yelp. I took my 'new to me' guitar there for a basic setup. Dan was very kind and helpful and so was Hugh. The guitar was ready and I went to pick it up. It was so much better but still not easy enough for a poor player like me. I called and spoke with Dan. He told me to bring it over, which I did. The same day. When I picked it up it was exactly how I needed it to be. Hugh said most guitarists like a higher action so next time be sure to ask for the lowest possible action. Good tip Hugh, I have two other guitars that need your magic! The point is that they aren't happy unless you're satisfied with their work. The Gretsch guitar is a lovely instrument. But, is a Beast for a novice like me to handle without an intervention from a world class luthier and that's precisely what you get at 13th St. Guitar. Highly recommended! Five stars all the way! read more

Awesome team here. I felt bad as I had to return my electric a second time to get them to adjust the neck as there was a lot of buzzing even after the plek. They just said to bring it in again. Thanks for being super cool! Best guitar shop in OC! read more

These guys are the BEST! Took in 2 guitars that have been on the road for over 20 years and we're plum wore out. After receiving them back, they play like soft butter and sound better than when they were brand new! Amazing attention to detail is what you get with these guys! I'll never take my babies to anyone else even though it's a 6 hour drive!!! Highly recommend if you're serious about your guitars!! read more

Possibly the best fret dress and setup I've ever seen and with a ton of fret issues. I've had dozens of setups and 3-4 complete refrets with good guitar techs over the years. I'm really picky about every detail but I never thought my cheap old mim strat could sound/feel like this. It's dead in tune all the way up with no buzz, low action, and never frets out. I'm sold on the PLEK, especially since they know how to use it. I'lol be bringing the rest of my guitars. read more

So this is a 5 Star update added to the other 5 Star Review. Hugh continues to really impress, not only does his work stand out but so does his virtue. He truly spends time with your instrument as if it was his own. Believe me, I've brought in a few challenges through the years but he always gets it done. As a side note: With regards to virtue. A few years ago an older gentleman came in with a vintage Gibson looking to restore some paint and a few other issues, the guitar was "vintage" and had typical wear, something you would not want to do to a vintage Gibson. Hugh advised the customer NOT to do the work and referred him to have it appraised at Norman's Rare Guitars. He could've easily taken his money but gave him GREAT ADVISE. I had to mention this story because sometimes it's not just the quality of work that matters, but also the quality of person behind it. "Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise." ---Psalm 33:3 (KJV) read more

Hey guys, Hugh really does guarantee his work. I had to go back because my guitar felt different than when I had tested it in store. I was told the Truss rod had moved, which happens quite often when your guitar needs to be getting used to the new setup. Didn't cost a thing of course, didn't have to wait a long time, just a half an hour and I was out! Guitar plays so smooth! Thanks again Tim, Danny and Hugh :) read more

13th Street Guitars - Inside the PLEK machine, the LTD JH600 - Musical Instrument Services Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

What an awesome service this shop offers to all guitarist, regardless of skill or ability.... I brought in my guitar because I noticed that my neck was out of alignment when I was changing my strings. ( I won't mess with the neck ) ...after doing a google search I found their website & I called for a quote. Their prices are fair - way better pricing then the two big guitar mega-shops that are in the area. I brought in my very used-&-abused Ibanez to get its first ever detailed set-up, & I'm so glad that I brought it here. I picked it up yesterday, & it's been cleaned, oiled, & detailed. It's like I'm playing a brand new guitar that was made to my specifications! What a difference it makes in playability, sound & all around feel! It's intoned perfectly & the action is perfect - to my standards - in fact, the service was so good, & I am so satisfied in the outcome, that I brought my brand new guitar to get set-up before I even played it. Yes, their service is THAT good read more

I apologize for the delayed update. I would like to start out by clarifying an issue on my part. 13th Street Guitars did reach out to me on 2/6 and left me a voicemail stating my guitar was ready, unfortunately I didn't receive the voicemail until 2 days later, that is an error on my part. Instead of focusing on when the actual call was made I would rather focus on fit and finish of the final product. On 2/8 I was excited to receive my guitar after waiting 4 weeks. As much as I wanted to like the finished product I was very unhappy with the intonation, action height, buzzing, and issues pertaining to the control plate. I decided to take the guitar home and plug it into my own setup, play it for a few weeks and see if the adjustments just needed some time to settle in. Unfortunately the problems still remain. In doubting myself I have a few other musicians check the guitar out and they also agreed with my assessment. Hugh and 13th Street Guitars have reached out to me on several occasions to assure my satisfaction and have guaranteed their work. My final thoughts on this journey with 13th Street Guitars is this; I have worked in customer service for many years and I have never come a across a scenario where a customer cared what I had going on in my personal life, what issues I encountered when performing a service for them, or how much it should've cost, the customer only cared about how the finished product turned out, and my thoughts are just that, I am not happy with my experience and lack of communication involving 13th Street Guitars. I understand Hugh guarantees his work, but I question that guarantee when they were satisfied with letting the final product go in the state it is in. At this point I have decided to part ways with 13th Street Guitars and pay someone else to make the necessary changes. read more

These guys are brilliant. They always set up my guitars for a great price and make it sound amazing. Guitars sound like new when they are done with them. Can't recommend highly enough read more

Great service, knowledgeable and professional. Would drive miles to see them Use them to service my guitars and ukuleles

I took a Gibson ES-330 here that was in rough shape and Hugh did an amazing job, it's a totally different guitar. Anything I need in the future I'll be bringing here. Thanks Hugh and Dan! I'd give your shop six stars if I could. read more

13th Street Guitars has 1 of 5 Plek Machines in Calififornia, so if you're looking to get your guitar Plek'd and live in or near Orange County, see Hugh at 13th Street!!! Can't say enough good things about Hugh and his team's work at 13th Street Guitars. Their bio definitely rings true; whether you're bringing in a less-expensive beginner instrument or a rare guitar, they have never let me or my friends that I've referred to them down. While their Yelp reviews and works speaks for itself, I wanted to get on here and post a few photos of their work as well as express my gratitude for their great pricing and awesome turnaround time. Depending on what you want done and whether or not they're slammed (they are busy for a reason), you can often get in and out pretty quickly and pick your instrument up knowing the greatest care has gone into making sure it plays, looks and feels up to your specs and standards. Follow them on Instagram to keep up with their latest work and shop news straight from the bench and as a longtime player who has worked with a good number of luthiers, guitar techs and guitar repair shops in Orange County over the decades, I can say without any reserve that 13th Street Guitars is the best place to get your work done and Hugh and his team are by far my favorite to work with. A 100% Guarantee on their work says it all, but for me -- it's in the feel and mojo of your instruments when you get them back from this shop -- they just feel right. Thanks A+ read more

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Took time off from my day to drop off my guitar. Guy wouldn't open the door due to Covid. He asked if I had an appointment? I said no just want to drop off the guitar as it needed some work and not my primary guitar. He said NO. Come back on Tuesday. I said I could do that but I could also go elsewhere. He said "fine w me". This business does not care about customers. I called Guitar Center in FV. Guy said NO problem drop it off anytime. I am on my way read more

These guys are the best. Unbelievably good work, I've never had a setup that came out perfect or didn't need an extra adjustment after I picked up my bass. Can't recommend them enough. read more

Great service. Had two basses serviced. They did a great job on both. Basses we're ready on time and sounded great.