if you're a guitar enthusiast, this is the local store for you. they have a wide selection of vintage guitars of all types and ranges, but their claim to fame is repaid and customization. every guitar fiend i know in the boston area knows mouradian guitar, and always checks with them first. read more

Since they opened have always trusted The Mouradian guitars with my Basses. I recently brought my acoustic in to have the action lowered and neck adjusted and couldn't be happier with the result. Friendly , quality work,knowledgeable and affordable. read more

Rarely, today, does one meet a service provider whose business ethic is Immediately apparent as with this STELLAR COMPANY. I received a beautiful instrument that had languished for 10 years: neither was it pleasant to play nor did it fulfill its sonic promise. Sometimes when you call a business, you receive an immediate vibe over the phone. Calling Mouradian Guitar, the owner himself answered. Instantly it was apparent that I was the only concern for this man at that moment: how often can one say that, let alone feel the confidence that such focus inspires? Jon was straightforward about both his willingness to address my instrument's challenges and his appreciation for my wishing to bring the Guild back into use. Once Jon had touched the instrument, he made good on his promise that I would simply not recognize the guitar once he had dialed it in. I have had a Very hard time keeping my hands off the instrument since bringing it home. The only thing that gives me more joy than playing this re-born instrument is reporting the delight of finding a man of such expertise, integrity and high standards. No one will touch my instruments from now on but Mouradian Guitar Company. read more

OutstandIng - in both skill and customer service. Not only did John fix my guitar's "issues" but I got "probable cause" and a demo on how to avoid a future problem. Priceless. Fair pricing and a true pro. He's got my business for as long as he has a bench. read more

Highly recommended My go to guy for all my guitar needs! John is a total professional! read more

Excellent service. Limited to Thursdays only and a bit pricey but I will definitely return.

I can't say enough about how GREAT he is. I had my '57 re-issue Fender Stratocaster modified and set up by him back in '82 (the year I bought it). To this day, 38 years later, this is the BEST playing strat I have ever laid my hands on. All the mods I had done still work perfectly. Anyone who played this agrees. I would never go anywhere else. If you need any work done, do it with these people, period. read more

John and the gang here are consummate pros and have a depth of knowledge about guitars beyond any that I've seen in years. Low key, cool, love their craft. We have several guitars, including a couple of heirloom level classics, and John was able to restore our Gretsch Country Gentleman to its original sound and beauty, keeping careful to preserve all its critical original parts. Will never take our guitars anywhere else. read more

Update 4 years later. I've been back a few more times. I had an Alvarez guitar that had a faulty pre-amp in it. Jon diagnosed the problem very quickly and then fixed it for me after Alvarez sent me a new set of electronics under warranty. This was after several unsuccessful attempts to make any headway at other places. I recently had frets touched up on a new guitar... 5 minutes on the spot, nice improvement, and then he refused to take any money. I don't want to be in need of a serious repair but there's not much stress when there's someone nearby who is so good. read more

In college, my poor baby (guitar) got injured. When I told my teacher what had happened he suggested I go to Mr. Mouradian but said that I might have to get a new guitar. It was the first guitar I had haggled for and bought with my own money, so I was pretty upset. Mouradian's "store", which is above the Cambridge Music Center, is pretty much a workspace with tools and guitars everywhere. I was kind of intimidated by the guy, but I told him my issues. I also said I was a student and that I didn't have much money but I really really reallllllllyyy needed to get my guitar fixed. After several nods, he asked how much I had on me. This kind of freaked me out, but I pulled out a $10 bill from a sad excuse for fabric that I called my wallet. "That'll be fine. Come back in an hour." WHATTTT??? Are you kidding me? TEN FLIPPING DOLLARS? Everyone.. seasoned musicians and random guitar dudes.. told me that I would have to get a new guitar! And sure enough.. in one hour.. my Lazarus* had risen from the dead. He asked me what I was in school for and I said creative writing. He gave me a succinct inspirational talk and then sent me on my way. As I was thanking him profusely I noticed a gold record in the corner. Completely intrigued I squinted my eyes and saw that Aerosmith had given it to him. Um yeah. Just thought I'd share. Most musicians in the area would recommend him. A teacher of mine brought him a vintage guitar to fix and he said it was significantly less for Mouradian to fix it. He's well worth the trip from wherever you live in the area. *I'm not saying Mr. Mouradian is Jesus.. but Jesus probably gets him to fix his guitars. And harps. Or whatever. You know.. when he's lazy. read more

I feel like these guys are a bit of a secret. If you want your guitar repaired by the best, you have to know where to find the best. In my book, Mouradian is the best guitar repair in Boston. Now, there's a few things to note. First of all, the guy who does the repairs is a bit rough around the edges, but what he lacks in marketing he more than makes up for with a master craftsman-like affinity for the instruments he's spent his life working on. Secondly, turn around can take a little longer than you may be used to. But this isn't some Guitar Center where they are going to take it into a back room and patch up your guitar with some glue. Mouradian will repair AND refurbish your instrument. Chances are you'll get a lot more than you paid for or expected. I came in with a thirty year old Espana with a warped neck. Not only did he straighten it (when others said it was impossible), he put on new strings, reglued parts (he later told me it was beginning to crack along the body), touched up the paint, conditioned the wood, and made it all shiny and pretty. All this he did extra after quoting me the price for just straightening out the neck. You'd search far and wide to find service like this. Or a man more passionate about preserving your guitar. read more

About a month ago, I got my first electric guitar -a used Ibanez Artcore Custom that was badly in need of a good set-up. I took it to Cambridge Music since it's across the street from my apartment and they referred me to Mouradian Guitars, saying Jim & Jon were the best luthiers in the area. Well, Cambridge Music was right! Jim & Jon were very courteous and even called me to ask me about what I wanted to do with the guitar. They were completely understanding when I naively told them, "Um, it's my first guitar, and I'd like it to be pretty versatile ... I want to play some jazz, some rock, some droney avant-garde stuff". Well, I got the guitar back and they totally nailed it. The feel and the sound are perfect. I performed all sorts of meticulous tests on the guitar and it rapidly became apparent that Jim & Jon had already done these inspections and more. And on top of it all, they cleaned and polished the instrument. The price was very fair as well. I can't imagine taking my guitar anywhere else. read more

I've never been to a guitar shop I respected more than Mouradian. Walking into a guitar shop usually means you're going to bump into a salesman, but this establishment is run by artisans of the craft of maintaining and repairing guitars (electric, acoustic, and bass). Every time I walk in there I'm impressed with their selection of gear-- but the real value is in the work they do. I received ultra-high end results on my 60's Kent Hollow Body bass, which when brought to a 'competitor' was said to be, 'too far gone', to the point that they said they couldn't do anything about the neck. After the Mouradian guys worked on it, the bass plays like butter and every frett sounds amazing. A friend of mine customized his Epiphone Alley Cat through Mouradian, and after they customized a pick-guard and swapped out some pick-ups it now has a unique look, tone, and remains in professional condition. If you need an expert to check out your gear for whatever reason, give Mouradian a visit because these guys seem to love what they do and I love what they've done for my gear. There is a waiting list, but if your guitar needs a doctor put it in the hands of a real professional at Mouradian. read more

Like others who've visited Jim and Jon at their shop above Cambridge Music in Porter Square, I can't speak highly enough of their work. I've been taking my guitars to them since 1994. As you may know, they've moved to a larger space, and they'll be selling guitars and amps as well as doing repairs. I just visited the new space this morning, when I dropped off three guitars, and it's going to be really cool. read more

Never noticed Mouradian had two listings until now. Everything I said in my other review is completely true. Jim & Jon are the kings of set-up & repair. You couldn't ask to have nicer guys working on your guitars and/or basses. read more

Great hands on approach to big and small guitar repairs. If it is a small repair they will usually take care of it on the spot and charge a very reasonable price. They have a great selection of Gibson and Fender electrics as well as some acoustic guitars and used amps. Lesson are also offered. read more

Restored my unplayable old strat to almost new condition. I didn't think it was possible. Also, John was super friendly and the cost was totally reasonable. I will continue to be a customer as long as they are in business. I have had two guitars setup by John and both were done exceptionally well. I have him working on two basses at the moment and am sure that the results will be consistent. All of the yelp 5-star reviews are right on the mark. Also, for what it's worth, I have almost 20 years of experience playing guitar and bringing my guitars to luthiers who just plain sucked at their trade, many of whom had attitudes and were overpriced. My experience with Mouradian Guitar Co. was absolutely nothing like this. read more

Heard about these guys online and called to see about a setup on my new acoustic, but the wait was 5 weeks. So I brought it in anyway at quarter to closing on a Friday. Jim was elbow deep in the guts of an electric guitar but told me to take it out of the case and I laid it on the counter. He squinted at it from his work bench, identified the make, with his right hand he adjusted the truss rod, lowered the action, showed me how to keep the tuning pins tightened using a nut I didn't know existed and retuned it with a pitch pipe, all while continuing to fix the electric with his left hand. (Well, not exactly, but I got the impression he could if he wanted to.) This took roughly 60 seconds. I asked him 10 minutes worth of newbie questions from strings to cleaning which he answered thoughtfully without stopping his work on the electric, charged me nothing, and I left knowing exactly where I would be going when I need any real work done. They are now in Winchester on Rt. 38 about a half mile or so north of the center. read more

John and Jim are expert luthiers. They maintain all of my guitars to pristine condition. I've had all manner of work done from general set-ups, to pick-up replacements and fret jobs and they never fail to exceed expectations. read more

These guys are the coolest people on the planet and do top notch work. I have literately been going to Jim since I was a teenager to do my work now Jon does it all and I just chill with Jim. Their work is top notch and their reputation speaks for themselves. I don't know how many basses these guys have built for me over the years (something like 30 of them, no joke) and they are all great. Not to mention I modify everything and have them do it. If you need guitar/bass work done and your in the Boston area, look no further. read more

These guys are the best. I've been taking my guitars to them since 1992 and have never regretted it (originally just Jim, since Jon was just a little kid at that point!). As others have mentioned, Jim's personality is not exactly sunshine and lollipops BUT, even when I was a rank beginner, bringing in my first electric guitar for a setup (a Fender Lead II) he was patient and helpful and answered all of my questions without being condescending in any way. He's a true pro, and he helped me nurse that guitar along for a couple of years until I finally wised up and bought a "real" guitar, at which point he made it sing like a bird. As others have mentioned, there's often a wait of many weeks to get your guitar set up, but it's well worth the wait, as I find that mine feel like completely new instruments once Jim's done with them. For my little "extra service" story: the last time I dropped off a guitar for a setup, I also brought in my bass, which had a noisy jack. I was hoping to drop that off and pick it up "whenever" since I didn't have any bass gigs scheduled at that point. Jim cleaned the jack and adjusted one of the pickups (which he noticed was too high) for free, while I waited. read more

Jon has consistently performed top notch work on my various guitar projects and repairs over the past 5 or so years. I highly recommend him. I love his attention to any little detail I obsessively bring up! read more

I have had my Carvin LB-75 for 28 years now, and it has been a Mouradian customer since birth. While I've worked on it myself, I've never entrusted it to anyone else - the Mouradian family has taken exquisite care of my bass, and several others I've had over the years. I could not possibly recommend them any more highly! read more

Mouradian Guitar is literally the greatest place you can ever be if you are an instrumentalist. The Mouradians have truly taken care of my guitar for over 20 years... and words cannot express how expertise the care of Mouradian Guitar is. There is no better guitar repair or luthier on the planet, and I know, I've been to many... from Berlin to Bermuda---and afterwards, I've always had to find my way to the Boston area to put my instrument in The Right Hands for the real TLC! Jon Mouradian is a legend, just like his father. Oh! And I also got an electric guitar from Mouradian Guitar---plays amazingly, set up perfectly. Big Thanks! read more

I don't think I need to tell you this from looking at the other reviews, but I'll add to it. Great guys, very knowledgable, and extremely competent. I brought my Warwick bass in with an odd intonation problem, and they took one look at it as soon as I took it out of the case and knew what the problem was. A few adjustments and about ten minutes later, I was out of there, not actually having spent a dime. I tried to - but they wouldn't accept it! My bass plays better than it ever has. If you need anything having to do with a guitar, from small to major, I would certainly head over to Winchester and see these guys. Note that for minor things like quick setups, etc. you just bring your guitar in and have them do it on the spot. They are backlogged with major repairs, and rightly so! read more

I needed some help with my bass guitar after a string change that I did myself that made my bass sound differently than I was expecting. I called and then walked right in and they were able to help me right away to check out my bass and tweak a couple things to make it sound how it should sound. Also gave me a lot of helpful info about my bass and it's setup which was very insightful. Price for the help was fair and it was great to be able to talk to someone instead of waiting in a large queue at Guitar Center read more

I can't remember how long it is I have been going to Mouradian Guitars but they have always been great with me. I can fix a lot of my own guitar related problems but for the big jobs Jon and Jim are the best in the business. I was surprised to see they moved for so many years I have been going to the Cambridge shop I usually just stop by luckily I called first and found out they have a new place. So went to the new store/shop today. What an amazing place lots of great guitars and gear for sale and as always top notch repair service. read more

As a brand new mandolin player buying an instrument off the internet and doing the initial setup myself, I needed a professional eye to make sure I had set things up okay. I had set the bridge and action myself and changed the strings but there was still a bow in the neck. My mandolin has an adjustable truss rod, but I didn't want to do adjust it without help. Even though they only have 'guitar' in their name, a quick call to Mouradian confirmed that they are luthiers and would be glad to help a beginner out. A quick afternoon drive from Cambridge and over a couple of hillbilly jokes, Jim did more than just look--he immediately saw the bow in the neck, adjusted the truss rod to straighten it, looked for any other problems, checked over my work, and gave me advice on cleaning the finish (windex!). Five minutes total. When I tried to pay him for his help, he wouldn't take my money. A 5-star yelp review is the least I can do. Expert. Funny. Honest. Friendly. A real Guitar (and mandolin) Hero. read more

Not sure I can add to what all the other reviewers have said. But yes this is the place to go where you can trust your instruments are in the the best hands possible. Exceptional craftsmanship and very nice people. read more

Best place for guitar service and repair in the area. Knowledgeable, honest and friendly. I brought my guitar in for a set up, fixing a tuning issue, and a pickup swap. I expected to leave it there for a few weeks but I was out of there in an hour with a perfectly set up guitar and a new pickup installed. Best guitar shop experience I ever had. read more

Capable of handling any setup or repair work that your stringed instrument might need. Really nice folks to work with and, especially given the quality of work that they do, you get great value for the money. If you think that a good setup is only for the professionals, let me make the counter-argument that a beginner will learn faster and is much more likely to stick with the instrument if it is easy to play and stays in tune. Bring your guitar to the folks at Mouradian - it's really worth it. read more

I just picked up my bass from this shop and again am floored by the work that the Mouradians do. I have two Guild Starfire basses (both 40+ years old) and they have now set up and tweaked both of them to ungodly levels of playability and tone. I bought the second one, a '64 SF-1 a few months ago and it needed some frets leveled as well as a few other adjustments. Since I picked it up from their shop, the bass plays infinitely better all over the fingerboard, it actually stays in tune and it even sounds better to my ears. Jim and Jon are really the best luthiers/guitar mechanics that I have ever encountered. I live in Chicago, which is really a guitar store mecca, but I have yet to find repair guys there that even come close to the Mouradians. Not only is their work unparalleled, but Jim and Jon are nice guys and fun to talk to as well. Prices aren't cheap, but when you think about how much these guys can improve the playability and tone of your instruments, it's worth every penny. The shop looks great too. I used to go to their place above Cambridge Music Center (RIP) in Porter Square when I lived in Boston a few years ago. It's wonderful to see them with their own shop where they can do all of the building, hot-rodding and repair work that they're famous for on top of selling some very cool instruments. All in all, Mouradian might just be the best guitar store on the planet. read more

Jim Mouradian is a legend in Boston guitar circles. Name a guitar hero from around here and Jim has repaired their axe. He's worked on several of my guitars and his work is second to none. I can't say enough good things about him. Wish I could give him 6 stars. read more

I brought two guitars in to have strap buttons put on. Jim was buried under a big job he needed to have done for an out of town customer that day, but he immediately made time to install the buttons, did so beautifully in no time at all, and chatted with me in a warm and friendly way throughout, answering all my guitar-related questions as he worked. The price he charged was extremely reasonable. Would I go back with a larger job? Definitely!! read more

Jim and John are simply the best. My neighbor in Boston set me up with John, to do an overhaul of my two fender p basses, a 63 fretted and a 73 , that I had fretlessed years ago . These two are not basses I would trust to just anyone. John is simply amazing. He brought them back to their best state . Their necks, actions and electronics are the best they've ever been. Their rates are very reasonable. They are true craftsmen. They are all about the work. Why else would I travel from JP to Winchester. I would trust them with any instrument. Steve k Boston, MA read more

Only guys that touch my guitars...also excellent place to buy ...only issue is alot of great players come through and they pick them up quickly read more

The only thing keeping me from giving them 5 stars is that it took three months for me to get my guitar back. BUT -- Mouradian took a Martin HD-28 guitar that had two serious, long cracks on the side and broken braces after a bad airline experience and fixed it so that you can hardly see where it was fixed. It plays beautifully and its tone is the same as always (I've had it 20 years). Plus they charged me much, much less than I expected, less than they had originally estimated, even. I would go to them again anytime. I give them a hearty thumbs-up! read more

There is no better place to go for instrument repair than Mouradian Guitar. I am always amazed at how awesome my guitars feel after taking them there. Don't go anywhere else unless you are in a rush. People know they are great so they are plenty busy so turnaround time is slow. It is worth the wait though, believe me! read more

I just brought my guitar to theses guys because it was making a buzzing sound. It turned out too be a simple fix and Jim was able to do it right away while I waited. Not only are these guys great at what they do, but they are super nice, really personable guys. And Holly is the world's best shop dog. These guys were not patronizing or condescending in the least. I could tell that they really love what they do. I would definitely take my guitar back to them for any repairs, and I will look here first when I am in the market for my next guitar. Can't say enough good things about this place. read more

i came here to get my guitar a complete set up. my guitar was resonably new but i heard so much about these guys that i wanted to try them out. I made an appointment about 1.5 months ahead but it was worth the wait.. Jon did an incredible job.I am a beginner but my guitar plays and sounds incredible. very happy! love the new sound.. read more