I brought my guitar to Ike's expecting nothing more than a quick pickguard swap and a tightened output jack. But after a short consultation, I decided to go for a full setup and I cannot overstate how glad I am that I did. For $135 (including new strings), Ike completely transformed my guitar. I had a setup done by a respected local luthier just a year ago, so I assumed another wasn't necessary. I was very wrong. Ike is operating on another level entirely. He immediately identified an issue with the floating bridge and dialed everything in with surgical precision. The result? Unreal. The frets now feel like glass where they meet the neckboard on sides. So smooth, fast, and effortless. My Squier Classic Vibe Jaguar, which I already loved, suddenly feels like a high-end, custom shop guitar. And here's what really sets Ike apart: not just his technical brilliance, but the way he infuses the process with excitement. He doesn't just set up guitars; he unlocks their potential. His work has reignited my joy for playing, and I just love the feel. If you care about your instrument, take it to Ike. He's not only a master technician but a freakin' artist! read more

Isaac is knowledgeable, friendly, honest, and charges reasonably for his work. Very highly recommended.

Had a great experience. Made my Martin playable again. My guitar sounds great! Knowledgeable, skillful, and friendly... Explained the process and addressed any concerns I had. Would bring my guitar here any time. Highly recommended. read more

Isaac made my Gibson SG sound the like guitar I suspected lived inside untapped. Plugged into my Marshall, she sounds like the sound of rock n roll and all hell breaking loose. Color me impressed with his unmatched skills and great demeanor explaining the inner working of the dark art he practices. Bring your Squire or Collings down and get your guitar a sonic make over now! read more

I'm a bit torn on this one, because Ike came recommended to me by a friend but the work and customer service was a mixed bag. TL;DR: Ike did a PU swap well, but his setup caused issues that previously weren't a problem. He also had a bit of an attitude. Full length: I came in with a strandberg guitar for two pieces of work: 1. PU swap 2. An issue with the high e slipping from the fretboard and getting stuck behind a fret The PU swap is an unconventional routing and was done well, so props to Ike and team for that. Issue two is where things get a bit weird. Ike said there was no guarantee of fixing the issue even with expensive fixes so he recommended moving up a string gauge and a set-up and seeing if that worked. I agreed. When I got my guitar back, I noticed the frets were scratchy on bends and vibrato, implying a so-so polish job. Then, I noticed string buzzing on the E, A, D, G-string. It was the worst on the low E. Both the string buzz and the fret polish were not issues before taking the guitar in. Ike said to bring the guitar back. The next day I do, and he asks me to show him the buzzing. I do. He says that the reason it's buzzing is because I'm playing to make it buzz. He says every guitar buzzes if played too hard. He proceeds to demonstrate really slamming some strings on a telecaster to show me how I'm doing it wrong. Nice. Then he asks to see my guitar and starts playing and realizes it's buzzing pretty badly. A quick measurement confirms there's been changes in the neck affecting the action. I think this would've been a good moment to apologize for saying I was causing this problem the guitar didn't have before going to his shop. Instead, he says he'll be done some time before the end of the day. I come back to pick up the guitar. The frets mostly seem to be less scratchy, although some still aren't in great shape. Whatever. Most of the buzz is fixed with some slight buzzing on the D, which I'll get fixed elsewhere if it gets worse. I think all-in-all PU swap was great. The set-up and attitude were not. (There were some other smaller moments I left out cuz this shit is way too long already.) Feedback: I would've given this 4 stars if when I dropped the guitar back I got a "Hey, sorry this shouldn't have happened. We'll make it right." instead of a lecture on my playing lol. 5 stars if the issues were all actually fixed. (Got any recs for a good teacher in LA?? I could use a lighter touch.) read more

My girlfriend's daughter needed a new guitar set-up. Her music teacher recommended Ike, so I dropped it off. Ike did a great job -- fast and affordable. Plus, super nice guy. I'm an old washed up guitar player with a handful of old guitars that need some TLC, and I'm really glad I was recommended to Ike's shop, because now I know where I'll be taking my axes in the future. I highly recommend Ike. read more

Excellent work!! Overhauled my beloved 72 Jazz Bass and new D,Angelico 175, amazing setup!! Thanks again guys!

Best shop in LA hands down. The service is unbeatable- Ike knows his stuff and does his work with a passion. The curated selection of guitars is more than special- amazing pieces. Did I mention his restoration work is unmatched! Well kept and welcoming space. Highly recommend for anyone who is sick of the pompous arrogant people in shall I say "other shops." Let Ike and his right hand man (Lefty) rock your world. Happy shredding! read more

I brought in a Player II series Mustang and Ike did an amazing job of settling it up. Thanks to him, the guitar plays like a custom shop guitar. It only took several days to get the job done. Both Ike and Lefty were very friendly. I wholeheartedly recommend this shop for any guitar repairs. read more

Ike does amazing setups and is a great guy. I was looking for saddles for my son's guitar and started calling guitar shops to see if anyone had them. Ike had them laying around and told me to swing by and he would give me them for free. He had some guitars on the wall and they all played amazing so I brought my next guitar to him for a setup. It played amazing. He's done quite a bit of work on several of my guitars since then and they all come back playing amazing and set up the way I like it. I've worked with a majority of the luthiers here in town and they all usually have your guitar for 3 weeks. With Ike it is days. He's really quick. I send all of my students his way. Highly recommend. read more

This place is great! Brought our kid's electric Loog here today because we weren't getting any sound from the built in speaker/amp. I was prepared to drop it off and leave it but he literally troubleshot the problem, took it apart, and fixed it in 15 minutes and I was on my way with guitar in hand! Looks like we've officially found our guitar repair place from here on out!! read more

Called to see about setting a Strat. Ike said just come on down. I was busy at time but went the next day and he had it ready the following day. Playa great and at great price. read more

One of the most fantastic places I've been to this year. While this may not be a restaurant, it ranks as one of the best places I've been to and not just because they fixed my son's guitar but because of the pleasant and phenomenal service I received. Ike's guitars is exceptional when it comes to guitar repairs, they come through with knowledge and experience. Also, they keep their promise when it comes to completion of your repairs as well as being very reasonable when it comes to pricing. My son had been unable to play his PRS acoustic/ electric for a while and when I walked in the door of this great store Ike was able to give me a quick idea of what the problem might be as to why it wouldn't hook up to an amp and play. After he diagnosed the problem he made quick work of the repair and the price was unbeatable. It's nice not be taken advantage of and I can assure you this is by far the best guitar repair shop in all of California. I will be back for any and all of my musical instrument needs. I love this place and you will too!! read more

I wanted to give my decades old electric bass to my son but it needed work: a broken tuning peg, a corroded volume knob and 20 years of never having it been "tuned up." Isaac is an incredibly personable guy and he made it look and sound better than it ever has. Very reasonable "bench fee" that covered dressing the frets, straightening the neck, cleaning and oiling the fretboard, and the other mentioned repairs. I was so pleased that I brought Isaac my old Telecaster to hot rod. UPDATE: my Telecaster overhaul is a complete success. It plays and sounds better than it ever has. Isaac rewired it completely, routed it out for a new pickup, created two tones that I've never seen on a guitar, and balanced it perfectly. I would take any guitar work to Isaac. Can't wait to have him build my next guitar! UPDATE #2: I took a new Warmoth body and neck to Isaac to build another and it is gorgeous. I've never named a guitar before, but this one is so nice, I'm calling it Pony Boy. read more

See all

What a find! So great to have a trust worthy and tasteful luthier in this part of town. Isaac is such a knowledgeable and efficient professional and was able to do top quality work with a very quick turn around. Can't recommend enough ! read more

took in a guitar that had previously been set up poorly. we had a lengthy conversation about my setup preferences, play style, wants/needs and he delivered beyond my expectations ! it brought new life to a guitar i had ignored for months and now i can't put it down, it's an absolute joy to play. really thoughtful and intentional setup, great customer service. will be back w/ the rest of my guitars. 10/10 recommend. read more

My dad gave me a Strat that hadn't been played in years. There were dead frets and buzz etc Isaac diagnosed the problem and fixed it very quickly and he's a nice dude to boot. Strat sounds fantastic now. 5 stars Joel Smith read more

Isaac is absolutely wonderful! Very skilled, knowledgeable, and passionate about his work. Extremely reasonable regarding price, and very clearly puts a lot of energy and dedication into each job he works on. I am beyond satisfied with how my bass turned out after taking it over to Isaac for a setup and new strings. I could keep going on and on for ages about how wonderful he is. What a great experience. Quick tips: 1. This is not a typical storefront, so don't drive around in circles wondering where this awesome place is. This is a very skilled guy who works out of a full-on shop in his garage. 2. Make an appointment! Or at least call ahead to see if he's available and let him know you're coming. Trust me, don't hesitate to take your axe here and bask in the joy of working with a genuine and knowledgeable person! read more

Brought my new Martin HD-35 to The Natural Ear for it's first set-up because I wanted to personally meet the luthier working on my guitar, which wasn't an option if I left my guitar at a any of the local music stores. I wanted the action to be brought down a bit, and I also was hoping that I could have a quicker turnaround instead of waiting 4-5 days. Met with the owner Issac and he was very pleasant and described what he'll be doing to my guitar. I was extremely happy that I was able to pick up my guitar the next day. I tested the guitar at his workshop and the Martin sounded better and definitely played easier than before. Issac did an extremely great job adjusting the saddle, frets, and the tension on the neck. He even polished the guitar. I highly recommend The Natural Ear and definitely trust my Martin with Isaac. read more

Isaac is the man! My guitar has never played better. Quick turnaround and all at an amazing price. Couldn't recommend this guy enough!

I bought a cheap ukulele when I was in Hawaii not thinking about how much I would enjoy playing it. Since it was about the quality of a toy ukulele, I could play about 2 minutes after tuning it before it would go out of tune again. I brought it to Isaac and he fixed it up real nice for me - a new saddle, new bone nut, fixed the tuning knobs, and set it up! He did more than I expected and the uke plays better than ever! Thanks, Isaac! read more

Isaac did a killer job on my Fender Jazz Bass! I wanted a clone of my other Jazz Bass, which he did flawlessly. He routed a battery box on the back for my new active pickup setup. He did a great job with the VERY complicated German MEC active EQ harness and tested everything meticulously until it was just right. The fretboard had a nice-sized chunk taken out of it, which Isaac filled and matched to the original rosewood. He re-dressed my frets, did a full setup, and this bass is exactly how I wanted it. I have also played the Fretless Jazz Bass conversion (pictured here) that he did for another bassist friend and it also has great playability and excellent craftsmanship. I would highly recommend Isaac for all of your luthier needs! read more

Isaac is honestly such a great guy. He fixed a huge crack in my guitar like brand new, and even put in some extra polishing and restoration on the house. The guitar came back looking better than ever. Amazing service, thank you so much! HIGH RECOMMENDED! read more