I went to John for some fretwork after having a very frustrating experience with a different highly-rated repair shop. John did gorgeous work for a better price. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to anyone in the area! read more

I bought a used Ibanez Artcore AM93 at Guitar Center for a good price. I took it to John to evaluate. He noticed one of the tuners was stripped and a couple greets weren't level. He gave me an honest evaluation of the guitar, replaced all the tuners so they would match, adjusted the bridge and nut, cleaned the fretboard and the entire body so it looked brand new. Then he replaced all the strings with a set that matched my style of playing. He even polished the frets! I think that's what impressed me the most. He spent a lot of time asking my preferences and even watched me play BEFORE making recommendations. I bend the strings quite a bit which is a different type of setup than someone who strums. I didn't question his recommendations but love the way the guitar plays read more

See all

I cannot say how happy I am with the work John just did on my acoustic electric Yamaha guitar of my youth. The frame was cracked and the frets were worn and rattling. I just got my guitar back and it sounds like some sort of fancy super expensive guitar that I've only played when guitar shopping. John was also very personable and explained everything to me that needed to be done and was punctual and got my guitar back to me very quickly. Five stars all the way. read more

Highly recommend John Wallace for any of your guitar needs. He is an experienced, professional luthier with a fast turnaround time. I took two guitars to him as I needed some repairs and settings to be done. I have a high-end Furch acoustic guitar that needed the action adjusted. After watching me playing he explained what and how he was going to make it better to fit my playing needs. (for the record I have been playing guitar 20+ years, so I know a little). Frets were leveled, nut and saddle adjusted and TWO days later he called me saying it was ready for pickup. I cant stop playing this guitar now.. it feels great! My second guitar is a 40 years old Aria Pro made in Japan. I requested to make a new nut, repair the binding on the fretboard and to custom make a new rosewood archtop bridge. The result is spectacular! John did an outstanding work on both my guitars and I am very happy! If you are looking for an experienced and affordable luthier.. no need to look any further! read more

See all

This guy knows his stuff. I brought in my newly-assembled Partscaster to file down the nut grooves, install string trees, and set it up. John noticed a gap between the neck and the body that was throwing off the angle, and said he'd take a look. He found significant overspray, and since he builds custom guitars, he was able to cleanly route out the neck pocket, creating a perfect fit for the neck and body. Customer service is top-notch; stayed in touch with updates, found issues, and photos of progress. Highly recommended. read more

See all

Great experience. This guy knows guitars. I love the care he has for what he does. If you need repairs done or need custom guitar work or custom made... John is your man. Super personable. Will be sending all my friends and guitars to him. read more

Outstanding work! I came to John Wallace with a very specific and unique project. His meticulous and professional skills produced the instrument that was better than I could have envisioned.. He followed every detail to the letter, respectfully offered design advice and educated me on options that elevated the project to a massively functional work of art.... I wish there were 6 stars read more

John did some repairs and a fret job on a newly purchased Melancon Custom T. His turn around time was much faster than any other guitar tech I've ever worked with. But, what impressed me most was the wonderful job he did with the guitar. A very noticeable difference in how it plays and sounds. I'm confident this guitar is now in the condition that Gerard Melancon intended. I have many guitars and, without hesitation I'll take them all to John for repairs and customizing. I tried a few of his custom-built guitars and they are beautiful instruments visually and in playability. I hope to have John do a custom build for me in the future. Highly recommended! read more

I needed a Stratocaster put together. John did all the work in record time and with attention to detail. He took the time to get the frets right and the neck in adjustment. Now it plays like my American Vintage Strat. He completed all work on time and within budget. A true professional who can take on any guitar issue. Very easy to talk to and explains all work in detail. A great experience compared to other shops I went to in the past that basically don't care unless you bring in $$$ and play professionally. John is not a snob and can help anyone with their guitar issues. read more

John Wallace Custom Guitars - Guitar Stores Near Me

See all

The guitars i brought to John (a jazz bass and a Les Paul) were returned greatly improved and at a very fair price. I will definitely be going back to John when i need more work done. read more

Excellent work!! He turned a horrible guitar into one worth playing! About a year and a half ago I bought a new guitar from another company online (left them their own well-deserved review). Turned out to be completely unplayable. The fret work was a complete disaster and I was very disappointed. It was in the middle of covid so I placed the guitar in its case and left it there until recently. My bands started playing again and I really wanted to use this guitar so I looked for a place to take it. I read reviews, did some research and decided to take it to John hoping his work would reflect all the positive reviews. Happy to say it did. He took an unplayable guitar and turned it into one that now plays very well. He had to re-glue in some of the frets that were falling out, do a full fret level, replace the nut with a bone nut, and do some cleanup work on the fingerboard among other things. I let him know that I wasn't in a hurry and he could take his time but within a week he let me know it was ready. He also sent me pictures of the project along the way. I'm not from this area and didn't know anyone reliable to go to but I got lucky by deciding to take the guitar to John. Highly recommended! read more

I took both my Fender bass guitars to John for setups, and he did a fine job on them. He is friendly and professional, and turned the guitars around in good time. I highly recommend him. read more

I came to John Wallace for a basic setup on my Sadowsky Metroline bass. He immediately spotted some of the issues with the neck, frets, and nut, all of which he was able to fix at a very reasonable price. My bass is a different creature now - no buzz and lots of smooth sound! On top of his obvious expertise, he is a very down to earth, friendly, and approachable guy - I'll definitely be returning in the future and will recommend his work to anyone who asks! read more

John is great. A true professional and someone who provides the best guitar service I've had in my years of Playing. He isn't your average guitar tech he actually builds customs guitars that are pieces of art when you see them. He is knowledgeable and a true perfectionist. He was quick and through. Perfect service at a fair price. What more could you ask for? read more

My experience with John Wallace was exceptional, considering I had some unique requests. I had just recently purchased a brand new, upper mid-level bass from a prominent guitar/bass manufacturer that was known for quality. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be handcrafted had some basic issues (bad nut filing). Given the unique time we're in with COVID, I had no other recourse but to try to find a capable luthier to fix the bass since: A) I'm smack dab in the middle of a recording project B) I didn't want to wait weeks/months for a return/reissue process. I called John and explained the problem that I had, plus the need to be able to "prove it up" to the manufacturer that this was indeed a problem. Once I arrived, he immediately pinpointed and confirmed what I saw as the problem. He communicated a safe turnaround time that was a matter of days (not weeks!). He not only followed through with returning the bass on time, but also: 1) Patiently explained everything that was done on the guitar. 2) Answered every question I had about future repairs/mods to the guitar. 3) Put extra polish on the bass, because I was freaking about scratches (only to find out that he had a ultraviolet light that was exposing EVERYTHING and the guitar was in the same condition I gave it to him...lol). 4) Provided everything on a write-up that I needed that has ultimately resulted in a repair reimbursement from the manufacturer. This guy is the real deal. He knows his stuff and is really easy to connect with. I would attach photos but I don't want to put the manufacturer on blast because I really like the bass and the company did do right by me in the end. Go see this guy!!! read more

The guitar tech I've used in the past apparently is no longer in business so I took a gamble on John and was not disappointed! Reasonably priced, communication is great, and the outcome is wonderful. I took a cheap Squier guitar to him for an initial setup and he made it sound so much better! During the whole process John kept me informed by sending videos or pictures of issues he found, asking which way I wanted to go with the solution, etc. Now I just wish I could play well enough to justify buying one the beautiful handmade guitars that he crafts! read more

John Wallace is incredible. His attention to detail and craftsmanship are superlative. I sent my favorite guitar over to John for a tune up and some mod work. I had John install a new Floyd Rose Rail Tail Bridge, clean up the wiring, and give considerable attention to my guitar's neck. The neck has always been a little fickle with tuning, and like most Fenders had a very gloopy finish on the neck. So John removed the finish and did a new TrueOil finish. The neck is so smooth and fast, it's never felt this good. John also tightened up the fret edges. It now feels very comparable to a Fender Custom Shop neck. Finally John made me a new nut. I requested brass, he countered with graphite. He told me it will help with greater tuning stability, especially because my neck is scalloped. More bending will lead to more tuning issues. I am thrilled by his suggestion. The graphite was a great choice, and the workmanship is fantastic. The nut slots are cut perfectly, and there is no over hang off the sides of the fretboard. What I am most impressed by was his ability to deal with the fickle nature of my neck. It has always been a little too sensitive to stress, and I would get too many tuning issues. John was able to creatively shim the neck while adjusting the angle of the bridge, and doing a truss rod adjustment. Now, I'm noticing I can play for about 45 minutes until I need to retune. This is huge improvement. Prior to John's work, I was tuning every 20-25 minutes. On top of all that, he's a great guy. Very friendly, knows his stuff, and he's very interactive. He's always sending you status updates, and some photos along the way, so you can watch the progress. He's very reasonably priced as well, and solid turn times. This was a big job, and he got it done in 9 days. Most guitar techs I've seen in San Diego run around 3-4 weeks. Overall, great experience, I would highly recommend. read more

See all

Took my Gibson Melody Maker to John that needed a lot of work. John got it completely dialed in. He also made some recommendations on how to make the guitar player even better. He did an amazing job. My guitar plays great. He was super fast and really friendly. I highly recommend him read more

John Wallace produces some of the finest guitars I've ever played, and I've played many, many guitars. The attention to detail and workmanship rival any boutique guitar builder out there, and blow away the big boys. Forget about big companies and work with a true craftsman to get the guitar of your dreams. You will NOT be disappointed. read more

I recently had John put together a partscaster/telecaster for me. His attention to detail and overall professionalism was exceptional. I could not be happier. Highly recommended! read more

I brought in my 335 for a setup, some fretwork, and a custom bone nut. I already had high expectations, but John's attention to detail coupled with knowledge and insights about the craft...completely surpassed those. Once the work was done and I picked the guitar up, it played better than the day I bought it. Aside from the outstanding work on the instrument - the turnaround was impressive and his professionalism was top notch. Clearly passionate about his work and has the skills to-boot. Highest recommendation. read more

I contacted John about a set up for my Gretsch Country Club. He responded very quickly. When I brought the guitar in John went over it with me and identified a problem with unlevel frets. He explained everything in detail and patiently answered all my questions. John leveled the frets and did a complete set up including adjusting the pickup height. The guitar plays 110% better than it ever has. John communicated very well, the work was top notch, and his prices are very reasonable. I've definitely found the guy to bring all my guitar work to. I would recommend John over all the other local luthiers I have brought work to. read more