I had a great experience at this guitar repair shop. We've taken my son's guitar to Guitar Center multiple times and paid out of pocket each time, but the issue kept coming back over and over again. When we brought it here, the gentleman took one look at the guitar and immediately knew exactly what was wrong. He fixed it perfectly and took the time to explain what caused the issue and what my son should do moving forward to prevent it from happening again. He was incredibly friendly, patient, and very knowledgeable. You can tell he genuinely cares about helping his customers. The service was excellent from start to finish. Highly recommend this shop to anyone needing guitar repairs or advice--you'll be in great hands! read more

Unfortunately I have to rescind my 5 star rating after my last experience with Chris. I took a 1979 Flying V to him for a refret. After how well he did my previous job, there was no other choice in my head than Chris to do the job. First, the price was PRETTY hefty. $541. Refret, nut, and setup. Usually a set up is thrown in free of charge when you do a nut and refret but whatever. No big deal. I knew from past experience that the job would be done well and it was worth the money. It wasn't. Not in the slightest. First off, the nut is in the slot uneven. It sits further towards the high e string than it should, and it hangs off the fret board slightly. Meaning there's a gap where you can feel the nut slot on the low e side. Annoying since your finger rests there quite a bit. Second, the refret was NOT good. There were still scratches in the top of the frets you could feel when bending strings, there were very sharp fret ends poking out of the side of the fret board, and the fret board was MANGLED on the sides and top. Third, there WAS A MASSIVE spot of damaged finish on the back of the guitar. Obviously the guitar was resting on a rag or something with some kind of solvent on it, and damaged the paint in a 3x5 spot where the nitro finish was cracking and flaking off. Another small thing was that the guitar was missing a tuner mounting screw. I took photos of the guitar before and it was there. Not sure why it was removed or why it went missing but it was an original Grover imperial screw from the late 70s so it's not easy or possible to replace it. One shiny new screw is not highly visible. I was supremely disappointed in the workmanship. It feels like it was done in about 2 hours as fast as possible with at little care and thought for my instrument as possible. When I got it back, I had to knock the fret ends down myself flush with the neck, and I polished the frets from 1500 to 3000g and polished them to how they should have been for almost $600. The guitar is now currently being refinished, because the back of the guitar was just so disappointing to see that giant spot that was just cracking and peeling more and more every day ruining the beautiful 40+ year natural wear. I wrote him a nicely worded email asking for an explanation but got no response. So this is why this review is finally coming out. I have read that Chris has a tendency to get argumentative with customers who have genuinely bad experiences, so you can trust what I say or not. I think my photos speak for themselves. I have no reason to be dishonest. I've sent plenty of people to Chris's guitar shop over the years, but unfortunately I got some real dirty. Now it's costing me a pretty penny. read more

Chris’ Guitar Shop - The after photo of the damage done to the back of the guitar. This is how it started. It chipped and flaked to 3x this big - Guitar Stores Near Me - Pomona, California

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Guitar re-string. While I waited very nice peeps. Fun place to go. Very affordable and dependable tuning. read more

Chris’ Guitar Shop - Ronnie rocking out in Chris's guitar while waiting for a re-string. - Guitar Stores Near Me - Pomona, California

Chris is an amazing guy! Incredibly friendly, skilled, and thorough!! Was willing to get right to work to get me set up for a gig TOMORROW!!

If you need a guitar guy to fix up your instrument right, this is your guy. Have been to his shop couple of times and he has got it right every single time. He also explains what and how exactly he is fixing your instrument to make sure you're not in the dark. He has passion for his craft. Apparently he does amp stuff too which im willing to bet is also good. read more

I took my Gibson J-185 and SG to Chris' for set -ups and some mods. The SG needed new pick-ups and I was unsure what I wanted. Chris listened to my preferences and recommended some awesome pick-ups which I love. They also serviced my J-185 and made custom adjustments to lower the strings. The playability surpassed my expectations. Chris is still involved in Industry so his schedule varies but his service is exceptional and worth the wait. read more

This is a review about needing someone to help fix a very precious heirloom that my father bought for me back in 1983. I had stored it away for over 40 years, and with the heat and cold in my attic, this guitar needed some TLC in order for it to perform as it should. I decided to look for a guitar technician who could advise me what needed to be fixed. I came upon Chris guitar shop in Pomona and decided to take it to them and began my journey to restore my personal piece back into service. I met Brandon and Jeremy when dropping off my guitar. They listened to my story about my concerns to be looked at. In front of me, Chris's shop employees began working on my guitar issues. Upon the work experience of these technicians, their concerns for a hum from my guitar gave a greater need to remedy this in addition to the other issues. The communication came back to me as they forwarded this problem to Chris to look at. I was patient as I wanted my guitar to be perfect. In that situation, Chris explained to me that he was thoroughly going to look into it. Later that day, I received a call, and he explained to me how he fixed the issue. This guy has over 30 years of experience on the road with professional groups, and he knows what he is doing. I felt safe giving my guitar over for repair to them. if you are in need of a speedy repair, I would call the shop and explain the situation. Chris will always have technicians on hand. If your instrument has special needs, you should speak with Chris for a good communication relationship. I really enjoyed hearing his continuing career with the professional music industry and his contacts he has if you need some additional equipment on the side. He sells and repairs amps guitars on the side. If you want a custom guitar made, he can also do that too. read more

Chris’ Guitar Shop - My guitar was worked on by Chris Guitar Shop. - Guitar Stores Near Me - Pomona, California

Went to these guys twice in one day, first time to get some adjustments on my p bass, second time brought my buddy down to get his pickup installed. These guys are the real deal, they'll get it done quick and right. read more

Chris’ Guitar Shop - Guitar Stores Near Me - Pomona, California

The guys working here were not helpful at all. I took in my epiphone dot I got at a yard sale. I told them what I knew it needed, new nut since it was just placed in the slot and did not fit there and the input jack was glued into the wood. They acted like I was bothering them by asking how much it would cost to get it fixed and set up. They even said "why do you think it needs that" they did not even inspect it, touch it, or look at it. Just questioned me. They told me that's how epiphone dots normally are. No, they're not, an input jack glued into the wood?! Are you serious. Input jacks use nuts and washers not glue to hold them in place. Huge red flag there. I took my business elsewhere and they fixed everything for cheaper than Chris guitar shop wanted for a simple set up. Never dealt with anyone that unhelpful before. Edit: Well since Chris decided to be passive aggressive and insult me in his response and not address one thing I said (which is a huge reflection on him and how he does business/treats customers) here's a response to your response little Chrissy : I said you guys DID NOT look at it or asses anything. You just sat behind your desks continuing to work on the guitars you were working on and hardly even looking up at me. From my "vocal review," if you actually read it would see that I said you did not asses it. I brought it into your guys to ASSES it. That's what I wanted done and you guys did not do that. Why would I bring it into you guys and not want it looked at? You think I'm just doing show and tell with it? Crazy how I found a much better price from a luthier who did phenomenal work. Being a luthier may not be easy, but showing respect to a customer is, which a person like you seemed to not be able to do. I never said anything about quick and easy. You are just putting words in my mouth which makes it easier for you to make a straw man than address what I said. But a person such as myself can actually have good reading comprehension, unlike someone like you who can't even address anything I said but would rather try to be condescending. So at least you have that going for you, which isn't that nice. read more

Chris is great! I'm bringing all of my guitars here. He did a new saddle, setup, and intonation for my Martin D16E and it is perfect! Not only great with guitars he's great with people too. Taught me a lot, especially about guitar care. So friendly, energetic, and helpful. Stephanie and Jeremy are also very nice and helpful. Good prices as well. read more

Chris’ Guitar Shop - Acoustic guitar - Guitar Stores Near Me - Pomona, California

Chris worked on my 1963 Stratocaster and Les Paul standard and simply did a fantastic job. He is meticulous with his work and I will absolutely use him again. I don't trust just anybody with my '63 strat but I trust Chris, and you should too. Highly recommended. read more

Chris’ Guitar Shop - Guitar Stores Near Me - Pomona, California

Short Version: I would not trust this shop to refret a guitar. Take lots of photos of how your guitar looked before you dropped it off to this place. Get everything in writing--Chris may offer discounts verbally and then "forget" about them later. Long Version: I brought a guitar here for a refret, and the experience was incredibly disappointing. I dropped it off at the end of May, and Chris told me he would be gone for six weeks but would complete the job upon his return. That was fine with me. However, when I called in late August or early September for an update, I was told someone would get back to me--but no one ever did. I waited until October to follow up again and simply asked for the guitar back due to the extended delay. Chris then called to apologize and explained he had a lot going on. He offered to finish the job and comp the fretwork as an apology. I agreed. In November, Chris called and said the guitar was ready. When I went to pick it up, I immediately noticed a bare patch on the neck where it looked like the finish had been stripped, and something had stuck to the wood during the refinish process, leaving the area unfinished. Chris tried to quickly buff it out with a rag. I told him he could hold onto the guitar for a few more days to fix it properly. At that point, he became visibly upset--slamming drawers and tools and yelling at his assistant. The whole scene was unprofessional and incredibly awkward. When I returned a few days later, the unfinished patch had been refinished, but it was still very noticeable that something went wrong, see photo attached. I didn't make a big deal out of it because, at that point, I just wanted my guitar back. When I asked how much I owed, Chris said, "Well, the fret work is usually $400, so you owe me $400." I politely reminded him that he had offered to comp the fret work. His response was basically that he I didn't have time to sit there and barter with me and to just take the guitar. Not wanting to burn bridges, I paid $200 after discussing the matter with his assistant. Having never had a guitar refretted before, I initially assumed this must be normal. But I couldn't get over how deep and uneven the fret slots were, and how many tooling marks and scratches/scars were on the actual fretboard. So I posted photos of the work on a luthier forum. The responses--over 50 of them--were overwhelmingly negative. Knowing the internet can be a little harsh, I sought out multiple second opinions in person. I brought the guitar to four different luthiers, all of whom confirmed the work was subpar--ranging from "half-done" to "completely botched." I ended up having the refret redone by a different tech who did an incredible job. The difference was night and day. I was also informed by the second tech that the fretboard was left extremely uneven and was not flattened properly before Chris installed the new frets. I never asked Chris for a refund or any kind of compensation. I did, however, ask him politely to remove a video he posted on Instagram of him working on my guitar, as I felt it was disingenuous to use it for promotional purposes given the final outcome and feedback from other professionals. He left me on read and the video is still up. So seeings as he's using my guitar to advertise his shop I really felt it necessary to provide the full story for anyone considering getting the same work done by him. I've attached images that show the quality of work Chris did and two photos of assessments I got from other guitar shops indicating what would need to be done to fix Chris' work. For anyone interested, click the link below to view comments from the luthier forum: https://www.reddit.com/r/Luthier/s/abbFlpgtLs read more

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These guys definitely are knowledgeable, but their outside lives are too busy leading to long wait times. My bass sat untouched for almost two months because one luthier was on tour and the other had a family emergency. I get that life happens, but no one followed up with me, and I was completely left in the dark without any timely updates. When I finally asked for a refund, a woman who worked there was rude and didn't want to give me my bass or my money back, insisting Chris would finish it when he came back in a couple more weeks? Unacceptable. We ended up arguing for a good 10 minutes before she finally gave in. It's a shame, because the work they did for me in the past was solid. But after this, I won't be going back. Learn how to run a business and have a better attitude towards your clients. read more

Absoltely 100% satisfied. He brought my Martin Guitar's life back! He was very clear about everything, and my guitar sounds even better than when I first acquired years ago. Highly recommend for any guitar set ups! read more

Very poor experience and zero accountability from Chris' Guitar Shop. I was going to go to Guitar Center but figured I'd give a small business a shot instead, big mistake in this case. Dropped off a guitar (charged $50 deposit) for a re-string and to take a look at some delaminating on the back. After 3 weeks, no update. Calling to check in, they had performed ZERO work and had no idea on how much longer it would be, or even a quote. Lots of excuses but no real reason as to why nothing had been done. I said forget it I'll just pick it up. Upon picking up...no apology, no explanation. I'm sure Chris and his cashier helper have great experience with guitars, but they don't have a clue when it comes to communication, customer service, or any kind of business acumen. read more

This is the most unprofessional business I have ever visited. Owner (Chris) attempted to assault my father for asking a simple question about a broken guitar we purchased. Screamed and pointed in our faces, cussed us out, and flipped us off. Told us to visit Guitar Center. The shop employees (Brandon) are amazing people and I could not imagine working in such an environment. Sad to see the lack of pride and integrity in owning such a beautiful business. Heartbreak to the music community at most. read more

You will consider yourself to be very fortunate if you are able to bring your guitars to Chris' guitar shop. The owner, Chris, is a very welcoming guy with tons of knowledge and know how . The store manager , goes by Butter, I have worked with him for years and he is literally one of the best, I have not seen an equal to him when it comes to figuring out wiring and schematics, excellent guitar tech all around and very chill . so whether its a set up or you are working on building a custom guitar , which they can do, this is the place to go to. Not many shops have a master guitar tech, but here you have two. In summary Great techs reasonable prices satisfactory Turn around times guitars are well taken care of Also they have their own strings which feel really good to hands read more

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I was searching around for a local shop to set up my Ibanez RG320. After calling, asking around multiple shops, I found Chris' Guitar Shop. Reviews were stellar, but more than that, Chris, the owner, was super responsive through Yelp and very helpful. When I dropped my guitar off, his apprentice was welcoming and helpful, and Chris made a quick stop by between his duties of crafting guitars across the way from his repair shop. He shook my hand and thanked me for my business. I just picked up my guitar and plugged in, because he insists you play it before leaving the shop, to ensure it is up to your standards. My guitar sounds amazing ! I'll be recommending this place to all my friends! read more

Fantastic, mega chill folks. Came in to get my guitar re-stringed and they were super friendly and got me sorted right fast! Definitely will come by again if I need anything done (and I'm not even in the neighborhood!) read more

Came through Chris's shop for the first time the other day to bring my vintage charvel for a pickup swap and was more than impressed to discover Chris's hospitality, professionalism, and craft in his work . He was informative and was more than willing to make adjustments on areas that were unexpectly in need of attention. I was pleased with the results and plan to continue to bring my other axes for future repairs/adjustments to Chris as he's a true professional. read more

Picked up my bass yesterday and it is playing awesome. Chris was awesome at explaining some of the things that might still need some work in the future. I have some uneven frets. But he said it wasn't anything that needed to be done right now. It is playing way better than when I brought it in. He plugged it in and showed me how it was sounding. Really thorough and chill guy. I'll be back to get those frets worked on at some point. I highly recommend Chris and his shop for your repair needs. read more

Chris’ Guitar Shop - G&L Fallout Tribute - Guitar Stores Near Me - Pomona, California

Chris and everyone in the shop is extremely helpful and experienced. Im still pretty beginner at guitar, so they helped educate me on certain parts and how they make guitars. While working on my guitar they kept me company and told me about their experience working with many artists even going on tours in Asia and Europe as guitar techs. If anyone ever needs guitar help go to Chris Guitar Shop read more

I just stopped by to get my guitar restringed, and Brandon was very friendly and did an amazing job with the guitar. Brandon was very friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate. When I got the guitar back, it played smooth and better than ever and the attention to detail really stood out ! Highly recommend. read more

I just stopped by Chris Guitar shop and a client came by. The gentleman needed a neck and fret adjustment on his guitar. Chris stopped what he was doing and immediately took care of his guitar. An hour and a half later, the owner had is repaired guitar at no cost. This is the pride of ownership Chris exemplifies. He stands behind his work. Those qualities are hard to find today. read more

Helped restring a guitar. Great service. Went the extra mile and gave a quick lesson.

Pulled up with my guitar and they took care of me. I came because my strat stopped playing sound into my amp. My man fixed that and had it playing like new . Highly recommended. read more

Chris’ Guitar Shop - Squier Strat - Guitar Stores Near Me - Pomona, California

Incredible experience working with Chris to fix my ukulele and Fender guitar. The respect he give his customers is unmatched. He is single handedly carrying the raw and real the city of Pomona needs. Shops like this don't exist anymore. Thank you for up keeping the legacy in Downtown Pomona. I love your store and will be back for any and every repair. And I know so many musicians. read more

Chris’ Guitar Shop - Store Front - Guitar Stores Near Me - Pomona, California

Very friendly, everyone is easy to talk to and very informative. They do good quick work

For the first time since my father's passing, his guitars are singing again. Confidently, the bold strings danced, filling the room with a warm and energetic tone. In the corner, another guitar responded, the harmony dynamic, lively, and fearless. It could only be described as one thing: music. A good company is where people care about each other and their work, and Chris and Butter were so welcoming, skilled, and professional! Honest guys and I was comfortable trusting them with my late father's guitars. Chris repaired a small crack in the heelcap of one, gave me a tour around the shop, and went over his recommendations for a set up on the others. Butter had completed the setups within just a few days and was so nice to go over what was done! He had checked the tuning pegs and truss rod, oiled the fretboards, sandpapered and smoothed down all the rough, uneven frets, lowered the action, adjusted the nuts, saddles, and bridges to ensure the correct tone and intonation, fixed the pick ups, checked all the electronics, and put on new strings. He even rounded all the square frets on the classical guitar, and installed strap buttons on my baritone ukulele! I'm so grateful for all your help and hard work. I can't believe they're the same guitars, especially the classical, they sound and feel so much better and definitely easier to play! I had arrived unaware and unsure of what a set up even was, and I left being given much advice and encouragement to keep learning and playing. Thanks for brightening up my day, for letting me chill and enjoy your playing, and for all your kindness! Keep up the epic work Chris and Butter! :) read more

Chris’ Guitar Shop - 1970's Yamaha Classical Guitar set up by Butter! - Guitar Stores Near Me - Pomona, California

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I brought in my 2005 fender strat with noiseless scn pick up for a pick up swap. Chris has done a fantastic job either the swap. Since initially contacting him through yelp messages, he has been very responsive. While looking at my guitar he recommended a guitar set up, which smooth out my frets and the neck. The strat has sound 10x better than when I first brought it in. Best part is that he was Able to get it done the next day! If you are looking for quality guitar repair service with impeccable turn around time and fair market value, Chris is your guy. read more

First time here...If i could rate zero i would...I go in to fix my bass and right off the bat, the person helping me is answers my questions in a very short and rude manner. Not even 3 min later after I get there, he goes and kicks some guy who's literally just standing on the curb and curses at him complaining about loitering, he wasn't even there for more than 2 min. The guy comes in to ask why this guy kicked him and the worker just starts yelling gay slurs LOUDLY at this guy who was literally looking for an answer on why he was kicked. Never seen a business more f*cked up, probably just wanted an excuse to kick him cause he was gay. Never coming back. read more

Went into the shop needing help seeing if there was anything wrong with my guitar and amp since I recently just bought it and they were more than happy to help. The service they provided was top tier and mind you I also got a mini lesson on how to use the amp and guitar! I will make sure to come back with any issues I have. 10/10 recommend coming here! read more

Great shop, Chris worked on two of my son's guitars and he's very happy with both. He's a Personable guy with a lot of knowledge and even found time to have a little jam session with him at the end. You made an impression on him Chris, thanks so much. read more

I have nothing but good things to say about this shop and the guitar tech I worked with. Butters was really attentive and helped me trouble shoot the issues with my guitar. We came to a conclusion it may just be the mixing board and not my guitars after all. He gave them a once over and gave me some tips on how to care for my guitars. If I ever have any issues with my guitars again I will drive all the way to Pomona to work with them. Great shop and great vibe. read more

I was referred to this place by a good friend of mine and his father. First and foremost, it's a total musician's atmosphere in the store! I first walked in and ended up somehow getting tossed into a wicked jam session with a local guitar giant (oh it was a BLAST!) Anyways, I went in to have Chris look at my pedalboard and clean it up for me. Even though he's a busy guy, this man turned my rig from a DIY project to a full professional piece! He even set up the pedals so I avoid accidentally turning any of the wrong ones on! To say that the job was professional is an understatement. Chris does a lot of work with other artists so my board took about 2 or 3 weeks till it was done BUT he wanted to tackle my project himself and was given permission by me to take that long, so I'm in no way holding any time against him. As soon as he got back from his tour, it was up and under my feet days later! Amazing people, thorough work, recommending them to any guitarists or bassists I run into. I couldn't be happier! read more

Chris’ Guitar Shop - This is my Before picture of the board before Chris put in the work. Cluttered, wires everywhere underneath...busy but not pretty.... - Guitar Stores Near Me - Pomona, California

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Daniel is an incredible repair guy and guitar tech. Personable, clear, and made sure my needs were met well. Can't recommend this place enough if you want some worn done on your electric. Glad I took my Gretsch in to get properly set up! Plays like a dream now. Might come back for some TV Jones pickups in the future :) read more

Great shop! Chris, the owner, has been very communicative and letting me know what to expect once the guitar is brought in for set up. Butter, the store manager, really took care of my ESP guitar and set it up the way exactly how I wanted it to play! He was able to accommodate my timeline and got everything done in a few days. Hugh thanks to Chris & Butter! Will definitely be coming back to them again for any future guitar needs! read more

I had taken a Taylor mini to Chris's guitar shop that was dropped and cracked bad. They did an amazing job on the repair and finish. The turn around time was quick. I will always be bringing in my guitars here. Thank you guys you rock read more

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Came in to get the action lowered on my guitar and it only took about 10 minutes. Chris was a super awesome dude and an insanely nice person. Even though it didn't take long to do, he didn't rush the process and carefully inspected the guitar to make sure that everything was done correctly. I was waiting to pay at the counter and he told me not to worry about it, since it didn't take much time at all. Regardless if the service I got today was free, the customer experience provided was great and I would pay just based on that alone. I'll for sure be coming back to Chris' again when I have any guitar repair needs. My guitar plays and feels great now! Also, the store was really clean, inviting, and looked really awesome as well! read more

Chris is the master. I dinged the back of a nitro finished distressed roasted maple neck on a custom guitar. I can't feel it at all after the repair. He wouldn't reveal his secrets. I am thoroughly impressed. Chris and his crew answered the phone, were responsive, and efficient in scheduling me for an appointment so Chris and I could look at the guitar together and discuss the repair. I would trust Chris for any guitars high-end to affordable from set-ups to heart surgery. The price was surprisingly lower than I expected and the turnaround was quick. Very happy customer who left feeling good. I asked him why he has a storefront downtown. He said he wanted to provide a safe and approachable place where mom's would feel good about bringing their kids, and to provide a place for youth to hangout and discuss gear to encourage music. That is super admirable. Wherever you are in Socal, make the drive to have Chris and his team work on your guitar. read more

Chris’ Guitar Shop - Before: Sharp ding on back of roasted maple neck - Guitar Stores Near Me - Pomona, California

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