I brought my Modulus M92 5-string bass to Brandon. I love the bass, but I there was no battery compartment door on the back on my bass like I had seen in photos of the same model. I had to lift the 'pickguard' plate to change the two batteries. While replacing the batteries, I had inadvertently disconnected the ground wire more than once. Brandon created an enclosed back door entry to the battery compartment. Now I can easily pop the 2 9 volts in and out. He did a beautiful job. The bass looks like it was born this way. read more

Guitar Center techs in OC had my Gibson SJ-200 so jacked up, I could hardly play it. Also they had failed to permanently remedy her notorious "pealing pick guard." Madrid Guitars turned it around fast and has it playing like never before (I sat up playing until 1:00 am the night I got it back). Brandon is an F-ing "Guitar Whisperer!" When I picked up my Gibson, I dropped off my Martin and my jumbo Takamine and 1980 Alvarez are both in the "on-deck circle" for set ups. Thanks Brandon! So glad I found you guys! read more

I have a '63 Gretsch Country Gentleman that was in need of serious love. Baseline setup, pickup issues, fret issues, and correcting 60 years of bad rewiring decisions. Madrid's pickup install and setup of my 92 'tele made it more playable and sound than it's ever been in 25 years, so of course I brought the Gretsch to him. Brandon not only worked with me to come up with a repair plan but helped me understand the ins and outs (and diminishing returns) of vintage guitar repairs, not only to get this one playable but come up with a future plan if needed. His expertise in guitar restoration is outstanding, and his passion for vintage instruments really shone through in our conversation. In the end, it was an 0-nut rewire and a complete rework of the (complicated country gentleman) wiring harness, he even called the pickup manufacturer to ensure he was wiring to 60's spec and was even able to get some very odd-spec components for the tone switch. Brandon kept me updated and called me to make sure I was OK with the scope of repairs after he was able to spend time with the instrument. When I finally got the Gretsch back in my hands, I was awed by the playability and tone, it felt like a totally different guitar. I cannot recommend Brandon Madrid enough. He is honest, professional, and truly an expert craftsman. I will certainly be returning to him for any future guitar repairs. If you're nervous about bringing a precious instrument in for work, drop him a line and see what's up. read more

Madrid Guitars - Gretsch Guitar repaired by Madrid Guitars - Guitar Stores Near Me

Brandon has done repair work for me for over 20 years. His work is excellent and his prices are fair. One of his early jobs for me was repairing a Swedish maid Hagstrom, 12th string acoustic guitar, which was in rough shape.It's about thirty years later when I still play it once a week and it's perfect. He has given me tons of great advice and in addition to being a master Craftsman, he's a wonderful human being. read more

Great shop, Brandon is the man and gets my basses sounding absolutely top-notch. Highly recommended !

I'll be happy if I never have to take my guitars to anyone else. Brandon is a great dude and an invaluable resource for all of your guitar and vintage amp questions. He's an OCD maniac that will not only wrestle your guitar to it's full potential but he can also make you a custom guitar from scratch. I've been working with Brandon since 2015. He's helped me with simple setups, pickup & hardware swaps, and neck repairs. All of my guitars get the Madrid treatment. read more

Madrid Guitars - Guitar Stores Near Me

Madrid always expedites work with precision and care. I just got off a month tour and during my travels picked up a second Fender P Bass. I wanted to keep my old neck and bridge. Madrid put together an ideal combination I am more than ecstatic about! Thank You! read more

Brandon provided the skill, craftsmanship and an intuitive understanding to complete my project with a product that matched my vision. I couldn't be happier with the outcome. A professional who exceeded expectations. read more

Madrid Guitars - Guitar Stores Near Me

My experience with Brandon at Madrid Guitars has been amazing. He has helped me with several projects, including a custom guitar that I designed, upgrading my Telecaster and fixing a Vega Trem system that was stuck and would not budge. He is insightful, knowledgeable, professional, friendly and fair. If you are looking for help with your guitar or amplifier and don't know where to turn, Brandon will help you find your path. read more

Brandon fixed a small crack on the top of my Larrivee acoustic and he also set it up beautifully. I bought it used 10 years ago and it's legitmately better than when I bought it. Absolute joy to play. read more

Brandon worked with me to save a vintage bass from the late 70's. Something I thought was going to require a total rebuild was brought back to a playable level through ingenuity and a lot of experience on his part. I would bring other instruments to him without hesitation. read more

I've just recently had Brandon work on my 1944 Martin acoustic studio guitar that was purchased new by uncle and passed on to me , haven't played this guitar in years, it had many issues from years of neglect. Rather than list all the things he did (complete overhaul and then some) I'll just say it brought tears to my eyes when I brought it home, played it and realized what a beautiful sound! it now has. I also had him work on my 1965 Electric Jazz Gibson Hollow Body ES-175, again the finish work results were the same as my Martin! Brandon's craftmanship and passion is second to none! Thanks again! Brandon. read more

I recently brought a few guitars to Brandon that were way overdue for setup and/or maintenance. One was a parts Telecaster that had a host of issues. My hope was just to get it playable, but Brandon went the extra mile and then some to transform it into a really excellent instrument. The other guitars required less work overall, but with all of them Brandon greatly exceeded my expectations in correcting issues and getting them to play up to their potential. Over the years I've had work done by some of the most reputable luthiers in the world (Rick Turner, Roger Giffen, Bill Asher, among others) and I would put Brandon's attention to detail on the same level as any of them. He clearly has a ton of knowledge as well as an exceptional ability to zone in on the personality of each instrument, quickly diagnose problems and determine what improvements are possible. He also took a lot of time to explain the work and to make sure I understood what was going on. I didn't feel at all that I was being rushed through an assembly line process, as is often the case. His rates are reasonable and turnaround time was quick. I can say without hesitation that we are fortunate to have a guitar repair person of this caliber in the San Diego area. read more

Brandon has worked on several acoustic and electric guitars for me and every time I'm amazed with the way they play. He always puts a little extra into his repairs, like cleaning the pots on an electric I just got back from him. And his setups are amazing. The latest guitar I got back from him I was ready to give up on; now I love it again. Brandon sticks with his ETA estimates too. Brandon was recommended to me by pro musicians - they know where to go. Now you do too. read more

Madrid Guitars - My Japanese Epiphone hollow body is back in the rota thanks to Brandon - Guitar Stores Near Me

Brandon has repaired my 69 straight shoulder j45 and it's never played and sounded so good. So I took my 09 75th anniversary D 18 to him and it sounds better than any of my guitars. Now I dropped off 2 more and I'm sure It will be the same result.Brandon is very personal most important to me he does what he says with a hand shake. And that's hard to come by. Mark Lewis read more

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Best luthier in San Diego county -- hands down. Experienced, knowledgeable, friendly and very reasonably priced. Brandon makes beautiful guitars, and works on everything from priceless classics to inexpensive contemporary import models. I've worked with several luthiers over the years and no one else compares. Brandon does all my setups, repairs, tuneups and services now. read more

From simple setups to full-blown repairs and restorations, master luthier Brandon Madrid can do it all. His knowledge of stringed instruments is incredible. And the care and craftsmanship apparent in his work is excellent, no matter how simple or complex the job. The improvement in the tone and playability of a bass I had Brandon set up and re-string was amazing--night and day difference from before. He's the only luthier in San Diego who I'd trust to work on my instruments! read more

Brandon really knows his stuff. He has set up and maintained electric and acoustic guitars for me. He is my go-to luthier

Brandon did my guitar setups in San Diego. He is awesome. Easily the best guitar guru in SD.

Top of the line Luthier and person. Brandon is chill and professional- always getting my guitars back with exactly what I wanted. Must go!

Brandon over at Madrid Guitars has been my one stop shop for any and all guitar related tune ups/installs/ or repairs for years now. He always delivers top notch work and does his best, even with his busy schedule, to get my guitars up and running in a timely manner. Brandon is extremely knowledgeable, a true master of his craft AND he's a nice guy too!! Highly recommend this shop. read more

Brandon Madrid is a rare professional that goes above and beyond. Brandon did some work for us on a 1979 Vintage Martin guitar and it went from being unplayable to sounding better than we ever imagined. He completed the work for the price quoted, but returned the guitar sooner than we expected. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things related to music and was a great resource on music teachers and instrument setups. We feel very fortunate that we found Madrid Guitars. If you need an expert that does quality work for a fair price look no further. Highly recommended! read more

In a quick pinch where my Ibanez Prestige rg652fx needed a setup, tons of dead notes, etc. Brandon came through for me like he always does. Always very knowledgeable and going out of his way to to help me out and ensure my guitars are taken of. In turn, my guitar is now playing fast and smooth, and I'm loving it. recommended as always, thanks again Brandon! read more

I bring my guitars to Brandon Madrid when I want to write SONGS. Brandon has the unique ability to not only give you back a refreshed and restored guitar, his artisanal eye and care is so personal to each instrument, that I often think what he really does is more like conjuring - giving you back a kind of 'space' where the wonder of playing guitar wakes up inside. I drop off my guitar, and what I get back, is inspiration. Every time I get a guitar back from him, I get lost for days. These days, any Joe with a ruler and some ego thinks they'll watch enough YouTube videos to take their hobby putzing with guitars on for their friends, but, a real musician will know the difference between a 'hobbyist' and a craftsman - and, with full respect, Brandon's craftsmanship is a true gift, his work stands far above the rest, and the list of artists he's serviced is a true testament to his unique ability. read more

Brandon did a fantastic job with a neck reset, pickup installation, and set-up for my vintage Martin 0-18. I'm glad I did my research and found great luthier for this job. I really liked working with Brandon and will definitely do so again. He's very knowledgable and conscientious. Highly recommended! read more

I met Brandon Madrid of Madrid Guitars a few years ago while I was looking for someone to fix a grounding issue that was producing a lot of noise with my guitar. I took it in and got it back the next day with all the problems solved. Later that year I took in my Savage amp to get tuned up...Well he made a great amp sound better than it had in years. After knowing Brandon for a while and seeing the quality of his work I had him build me a T-style guitar. I have to say that this is the best T-style my hands have ever had the pleasure of banging around and making noise with. Beautiful fit and finish (one of the best dark bursts I have ever seen) and attention to detail, and he was great to work with during the whole project. All in all i would recommend taking your axe to Brandon any day of the week knowing that you'll get it back in better shape than you left it! Oh I almost forgot to mention he makes stunning hand made acoustics as well! Here is a pick of said T guitar. http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o300/staticdropbox/instagramteleclose.jpg read more

I have taken my gear to Brandon on several occasions and have always been satisfied with the quality of work and his attention to detail. A good guy that does good work. read more

Small shop worthy of your local service. I received Personal, friendly and fast service for my guitar that needed the intonation fixed and restrung. Way better then taking a 15 minute ride to the closest guitar center, waiting in lines and dealing with attitudes. read more

Brandon Madrid has been my go-to luthier for many years. I know that I can bring any guitar to him for basic set-up and repair and ALWAYS get top notch workmanship . Beyond this he's taken on countless larger projects for me, working on both electrics and acoustics with equal expertise. He's guided my main guitar, a Fender Tele, through it's many mutations...from exacting electronics tweaks and pickup changes to neck swaps...always with a good measure of sound advice. He saved my prototype guild S-100 Polara reissue from a neck split that I was sure would be it's undoing...to the point where you literally can't tell anything ever happened to the guitar!! He's installed pickups in my Martin and Guild acoustics and "Frankenstein-ed" together a Strat that I could use in the studio for overdubs. And most amazingly, he completely resuscitated an old 1940's German arch-top acoustic that sat in my father-in-law's attic in the Czech Republic for over 25 years. When I was given the arch-top, the back was about 1/2 split off and warped, the binding on the body and neck was missing in many places, the top was cracked in 5 places, and the headstock inlays were missing. I was pretty sure it was a lost cause. But Brandon completely restored the guitar, repairing all of the above and refinishing the guitar in beautiful nitro. I was blown away when I got it back. It not only looked and played great, but sounded better than I could have imagined and has since become one of my favorite acoustics for overdubs in the studio. Similarly, my band-mate brought an old very valuable "The Gibson" LG style guitar from the 1930's to Brandon. It was in bad shape with a warping neck and top among other things. Sure enough, when he got it back it was very sensitively put back into working order, unaltered so as to maintain value but sounding beautiful just the same. And to top it all off Brandon even helped me to track down my beloved 1971 Ampeg VT-40 amp, which I've used to record the majority of guitar work for our latest record. The bottom line is that I trust Brandon's work to be exacting and sensible, and most importantly he makes me feel that I'm working "with him" on a project because he's always in tune with any feedback or concerns that I have and honest in his opinions and communication. With Brandon Madrid's work you have the value of peace of mind, knowing that the instrument that you get back from him will exceed your expectations for quality of workmanship and attention to detail in every way. -Brandon Summers (The Helio Sequence) read more