forgot to write this but had russell do a setup on a black partscaster i had. i am new to OC and spent most of my life in LA so was looking for someone and saw russell's recommendations. super easy to deal with, great communication and stellar work. works out of his place in newport beach and the location is great if you also want to do stuff around the area. highly recommended. read more

I don't usually take the time to write reviews but Russ' excellent work compelled me to write this. I took a newly purchased Player II strat for a setup after speaking with him on the phone prior. He was very knowledgable over the phone and super easy going and friendly in person. He has over 25 years of experience and it shows because the guitar was just beautifully finished. The guitar sounds incredible and I can't put it down. I will be taking all of my guitars to Russ and recommend him wholeheartedly. 10/10 read more

R Ray Guitars - Player II Strat - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

Excellent service and a beautiful facelift for my Takamine that underwent some neglect over the years!! Highly recommend Ray Guitars and the price for the service is very fair! read more

Russell was able to go above and beyond in the service I requested for my Fender Precision bass. I purchased a badass II bridge and black pick guard to have installed. The value for his services is unmatched and I am very satisfied with my upgraded bass. He has my endorsement for sure!! Thank you read more

R Ray Guitars - After the upgrades - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

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Russ has been instrumental in taking care of my guitars and lutherie/tech needs for the last few years. I was an avid supporter of other local shops but as they got bigger and gained a larger clientele, the time spent with me as a customer and on the instruments seemed to be affected (I get it, it happens). That said, with Russell, he always takes his time to ensure you are getting what you pay for and that he fully understands your needs... he was the kindest and friendliest guy from the get-go, and has worked magic for me on everything from full refinishes on a completely demolished poly Music Man bass converted to gorgeous nitro, to pickup installs, custom setups to heavy gauge strings, and everything in between. His work has been impeccable and there is a pride that he takes in his work that shows with every single guitar/bass project that he's turned out for me. His turnaround time is awesome and his skills are bar none up there with the best. On top of all that, he's a super genuine and kind soul who cares about his customers and how they like their guitars and the work completed. He's always had my back since the first one and has done some awesome high-end repair work on my guitars that I couldn't believe were the same axe when returned. Thank you Russ for all that you do for us, and I'm so sorry for the long overdue review; 10-stars. read more

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Brought in my Taylor GS Mini Koa for a setup and few other issues, a lot of which came from the work another repair person did about a year ago. Russell is super friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about what he does. On the phone and in person, he answered all my questions and ensured everything I needed would be fixed. He set my guitar up great, got rid of some string buzzing, and even fixed one of my bridge pins that wasn't flush with the others. My guitar plays so smooth now, and I wish I would've gone to him a year prior. His price and turnaround time were great and I'll definitely be back next time I need work done! read more

Russell worked on two of my guitars. A complete refret on my classical and bridge repair and set up on my flamenco. Both came out A+ workmanship and play beautifully. I highly recommend him. read more

Russ does it again. After multiple failed attempts at setting up the guitar myself, I figured I'd better leave it to a professional. Russ took one quick look at it and said he'd take care of it. And that he did. He took my concerns and put them to rest with an amazing setup, and incredible attention to detail. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a nit picky person, and notice EVERYTHING.. and when I say there is not one complaint with his work, that's saying something. After having two guitars worked on by Russ now, it is clear to me that he treats every guitar with the utmost care and an inspiring amount of passion. I will always take my guitars to Russ and heavily vouch for this fine gentleman. Thanks again, my friend! read more

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Had Russell optimize my Fender Cyclone that I had bought as a youth. It's never been cared for, but it's such an odd-ball guitar that I've grown to love it. However, it just didn't sound like a high-end guitar. It sounded almost like a toy when I played it live. Russell is a super nice guy, and you can tell he has a real passion for guitars. He even liked my Cyclone lol. After he was done with it, the action was perfect. The sound improved enormously. When I play it without an amp, it almost kind of sounds sonic now. When I plug it into an amp, it sounds like a great guitar finally, and I didn't even have to have the pickups changed or any other hardware changed. Highly recommended. All-round fantastic service! read more

Not everyone who claims to be a luthier has the abilities and/or experience to handle every challenge. Even then, not every luthier has the patience and temperament to make everyone, regardless of age or gender, feel heard when inquiring about a setup, repair or modification of their instruments. Russell is that luthier. Since my 1st visit in 2021, Russell has updated my Telecaster with a Freeway switch, brass bridge saddles, and just recently replaced the pickups, wiring harness and tuners for my ES-335. The results with both, and especially in the case of the ES-335, were breathtaking. Russell's attention to the smallest details are the mark of a true craftsman. I recommend him to everyone I know. You will too. read more

R Ray Guitars - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

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I was having issues with the Fishman pickup in my Gibson Songwriter Deluxe. Weird shorts and such. Russell took it apart, cleaned out all the gunk and years of oxidation and it works as good as new! I then brought in my Jumbo Guild that has an old pickup in it. Asked him to tune it up and to replace the pickup if he felt it necessary. He actually loved the pickup, put a new battery in it and dialed in the guitar. Plays amazing and he saved me a couple hundred dollars to boot! Hands down the best instrument repair/tune up experience I've ever had. I cannot recommend his service enough. So pleasant to chat with and a master at his craft!! read more

R Ray Guitars - Here is the Jumbo Guild he gave some love to! - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

Russel is great. If you are looking for someone you can TRUST with your instrument look no further. He knows what he is doing and he takes his time to make sure he gets every detail right. It is clear that he works on guitars fueled with his passion and not just as a source of income. I had Russel help me out with my Squire Strat. I'm pretty new to guitar especially when it comes to maintenance, but Russel made sure to explain all that he was going to do to my guitar so that I felt comfortable and was going to get what I paid for. Russel not only helped with giving my guitar a makeover, but making sure every little detail was looked at. The main reason I brought my guitar to Russel is because the 5-way pickup switch was cutting in and out. Russel was able to fix this issue without replacing any parts and confirmed all pickups look good too. To put it simply I am beyond happy with my experience and I will 100% be doing business with Russel again in the future. Before and after pics of my guitar are attached. read more

R Ray Guitars - Before photo. - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

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I called in asking if they could fix my 1970's Yamaha sc800 tone and volume pot and wiring them properly. I think the owner was talking to me and just suggest that I keep trying since I was already invested into it. Instead of just saying yes and taking my stuff in and charge me for it like everyone else is doing. I bought some more stuff and somehow magically I managed to solder everything and now have a working guitar!! Albeit it's not the best looking or quality but I did it! Thanks again for all the helpful tips and advice! Will definitely be coming here for all my setup needs. Customer service before anything else 10/10 would recommend! Thanks! read more

I have had my Gibson les Paul studio for close to ten years. My wife got this guitar for my birthday (2013) and I have treasured it ever since, this guitar holds a lot of sentimental value to me. We had an unfortunate accident while moving some stuff around the house and my guitar fell and hit the floor causing it to split open from the headstock down the neck in between fretboard and neck. I was devastated especially since I took my guitar to a local guitar center, hoping for an easy repair only to be turned away. I felt like my guitar had COVID no one wanted to touch it. I found Russ from R Ray Guitars and online and on the my first call to him he answered right away I gave him the low down on what happened and he was able to squeeze me on last notice. Russ told me exactly what had to be done and the cost associated with the repair, he is a super cool dude and nice guy too boot. During the repair he even put new strings, tuned it up for me and everything. (If anyone has Les Pauls they know how the restring & tuning on these guitars can be a real pain) His service and experience are really top notch I recommend him to anyone having any guitar issues big or small. Thank you Russ for your help and great work on my axe!!I PS I don't have any before pictures of the split wood on the guitar images are after repair. read more

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Russel is the man, such a great luthier. He is very knowledgeable, honest and does exceptional work.

I had Russel setup my guitar before and he did a great job. I had new pickups and was starting to not like the zebrawood design of my PRS. His website advertised repainting but I hadn't really seen many examples except for like 2 on Yelp. I had a feeling the guy knew what he was doing though, so I decided to give him a shot. This time, I gave him a pretty tall order: Pickup Swap to Seymour Duncan Hot Rodded Set Repaint to Black body, keep original bindings. Swap out Pickup Rings to Gold metal rings Swap out input jack Repainting was my biggest worry, but Russel uses the best, legit method that involves sanding down the original, curing the wood, spraying on lacquer and buffing by hand. The process took around 3 weeks but when I finally got to see it... WOW!! It is freaking GORGEOUS! I still can't believe how good this looks, especially in comparison to the old. It also SOUNDS AMAZING, the new pickups have insane clarity even if you throw a lot of gain and distortion at it. Needless to say, highly highly recommend Russel and any of his services. The guy absolutely knows what he's doing and will make you love your guitar even more, whether it's looks, feel, or tone!! read more

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Russell did an amazing job on my ESP LTD EC-1000. He was very responsive and knowledgeable throughout the entire process and he had a quick turnaround time. He took the time to figure out the exact sound and feel I wanted. I'll definitely be coming back for any of my future setup or repair needs! read more

R Ray Guitars - EC-1000 - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

Russell is a really nice guy who is truly passionate about what he does! He is the only person I take my son's guitars to for repairs, maintenance, and cleanings. He does an excellent job every time! Always very friendly, knowledgable, and timely. I discovered Russell when I was looking to get away from the "big box" store after some problems with repairs there. 10/10, highly recommended! read more

I'm an absolute beginner when it comes to anything guitar related , so this review is for those who are as well. I was recommended to Russel through my guitar teacher, with the issue of my "action" being too high. Meaning my strings were way too high from the fret and made life harder when playing. The process was simple and easy. Gave Russel a call, he let me know the address where I needed to drop off my guitar. I showed up, dropped off my dusty guitar. Russel was really kind & welcoming, let me know an estimate of when he would finish it. Couple days later, got a text that it was ready. Picked up my guitar and it was a world of difference. My guitar was cleaned nicely ( and oiled?). The ease of playing from the new lowered action and the sound of the guitar overall was improved; it was so much more crisp. The process of it all was so simple and easy. I wouldn't even bother with the headache of doing this myself. Just save yourself the time and have Russell take care of it easily and reliably. read more

I'd give 10 stars if I could! I searched yelp high and low for someone to set up my guitar, especially during this whole social distancing thing it was a pain. I can honestly say going with Russell Ray was the best decision of my life, I swear to god lol. My guitar looks and feels brand new again, but most importantly the tone is insane.. It seriously sounds crazy good, I'm not exaggerating when I say it sounds like a high end guitar now. His work ethic is insane, he responded to me the same day and replied to every text immediately! He set up my guitar EXACTLY the way I explained I like it and then even better. His prices are too cheap for the work he put into my guitar, I couldn't appreciate that more!! This is the guy you want handling your guitars, you will not be disappointed. read more

R Ray Guitars - Epiphone Les Paul Muse "Setup" - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

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R Ray Guitars installed a Bigsby B7 Vibrato on my Gibson ES-335. They did a very professional job. Very detailed work and perfect setup. The guitar sounds amazing! Would highly recommend for any modifications or repair. read more

R Ray Guitars - Gibson ES-335 with new Bigsby B7 Vibrato installed. - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

Russell is fantastic! I had a really unique job request on a old guitar, and I wasn't sure who to trust with it. Russell did an amazing job and my old guitar sounds better than ever! He takes incredible care of your valuable guitars, and has attention to details, educating me on things I did not know or notice. He is incredibly nice and didn't make me feel foolish for things I didn't know like some other luthiers at guitar shops have done in the past. I will be taking all of my guitars to Russell from now on. Highly recommended! read more

Russell did an amazing job refinishing my '62 reissue MIJ Strat! When I first purchased the guitar, someone had gone to town on the finish and stripped it down in an unflattering manner. I knew Russell had a great reputation for refinishing guitars and he did not disappoint at all. We picked out the custom color so that it was a slightly aged Olympic white and he got to work right away. Now it's back to its original glory and plays better than ever. Thanks Russell! read more

R Ray Guitars - Refin on a 1987 '62 reissue Strat - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

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I agree with the positive (5*) reviews of others who have used Russell. He is just absolutely amazing. He is easy to talk to, and he was patient with a beginner player like me as I tried to explain the challenges I was experiencing with a new guitar I had just purchased. After talking to him on the phone, I took my instrument in. It needed a setup. And now it plays like a dream. I have 9 other guitars that I plan to take to him over the next couple of months so he can diagnose any issues and do whatever needs to be done. If you are searching for a guitar technician, look no further, Russell is the guy for you. read more

For all guitar players, This guy is the real deal. Ray knows his stuff. He did an excellent job replacing new bass strings and made some minor adjustments. I got home started playing my bass and wow. He is very detail-oriented. Thank you Ray. read more

Russell did a great job fixing my Martin acoustic guitar. It had begun to split due to extreme temperature changes where my guitar had been stored for a few years. He got it rehydrated, fixed it and then showed me how I can make sure it doesn't happen again. His fees are very reasonable. I highly recommend his services. read more

Russell is the most amazing luthier on the planet I've been playing guitar since I was nine years old and have been everywhere looking for the right person to set up all my guitars. I will never go anywhere else he just set up my new 12 string Gibson put on a new neck on my anniversary Strat set up my LG2 Gibson my Hummingbird too.. my guitars have never played so well cheers to you you're such a great find and such a great friend now. read more

First time I've ever used Russ, and it was a big one. He relict the headstock on my Frankie, and installed a German 1984 Floyd on her and did the setup. Plays better than before by far, sounds better (real Floyds are worth the money), and the relic job is amazing, plus, he's just a really cool guy. Really glad I found him, my quiver has found it's new Yoda. read more

R Ray Guitars - Russ installed a new German Floyd for me, and relict the headstock. Great job, love it even more now. - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

Russell is amazing! I went to him for a full stratocaster build. We first talked over the phone and he addressed all of my questions and curiosities and even gave me recommendations on specific parts. Later on I realized my tuners didn't fit the neck but Russell was able to modify it. He plugged the screw holes and even dyed it to make it look as flush as possible. Really happy with the results. Great guy, excellent service, cost is very reasonable - highly highly recommend! read more

I come to R Ray Guitars to have the saddle of guitar fix and install new strings. I was very pleasantly surprised that my guitar looked so new, he cleaned it up so well. I asked him to play some tune, it sounds great. He is a cool musician! I am thankful to have found a great Guitar shop through Yelps reviews. read more

Russell worked with me from ground zero on this parts Tele rebuild, first by assessing my old Tele copy and confirming it was worth rebuilding. He spotted several issues with the project and guided me every step of the way in researching and selecting various parts for the rebuild to get around those issues. After I received all the parts from all over the globe, Russell began to work his magic ... installing new pickups, a wiring harness, a top loading bridge, and a custom pick guard ... each of which required Russell's wizardry to make them fit perfectly. Russell finished the rebuild promptly, as promised, in time for an important gig I had. As is usual with Russell's work, the finished guitar was set up perfectly ... the action was so comfortable under my hands, the pickups were expertly installed at just the right height, and the intonation was dialed in all the way up the neck. When I plugged the guitar in, it screamed, wailed, punched, grooved and growled. Of course, Russell's rebuild sounded phenomenal when played live. And, besides that, the guitar looks beautiful and unique ... much of which is a result of Russell's counseling throughout the planning and rebuilding process. If you have a guitar, bass, uke, etc. that you need worked on, from having your strings changed, to a setup, to a rebuild, to a restoration, then do not hesitate to go to Russell (aka The Wizard, as I heard one of his clients call him) to do the work. Besides doing top-shelf work, Russell is an awesome person who you will call your friend after meeting him for the first time. He has such a big heart ... for example, he loves to work on instruments for kids and schools. Recently, he worked his magic on two guitars for a local music school that get tons of use for teaching lessons, recording, and jamming. All that said, go see Russell. read more

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Update: So I decided to have Russell mod my bass and oh man did he make it look amazing! He made an amazing green gloss finish, changed the jazz pickup for a humbucker, and added a drop tuner. Best of all it was all well within my budget. Russell you are the man! read more

R Ray Guitars - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

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10 stars for Ray! He has helped me bring back to life several of my guitars that I messed up. he always does awesome work,, I would trust him with my best guitars. You will not be disappointed with his work. read more

Russell fixed up an old mandolin of mine and did a great job. I bought it as a project on Ebay and took it as far as I could before it needed a little more expertise than I possessed. With the pandemic I was concerned about being out and about so we met outside at the curb with both of us wearing masks. I had sent him some information prior to us meeting and he had already done some research about the specific mandolin when we met. He finished it up in like two days and it sounds and plays great. I would like to note that sometimes luthiers/guitar repair folks can come across as a little superior, not always, but sometimes. There is none of that with Russell, the dude is a kind soul with no level of forcefully telling you what you need to do. Again, nice guy, great prices, great service, and quick turnaround. That's pretty much it. read more

R Ray Guitars - My Ebay find, all fixed up and ready to play! - Musical Instrument Services Near Me

I've now had the pleasure of working with Russel several times, so this review is long overdue. Prior to bringing my guitar to the king, I called around to several different shops but Russel was the only person that genuinely made time to listen to me and fit me into his schedule very quickly. I had Russel work his magic on both my Mexican Strat and my acoustic Martin. He did a full set up on both guitars and repaired my Martin binding that had popped off. Hands down I will not be bringing my guitar anywhere else. Russel is the guitar god, if you will. He has seen it all, done it all, and is extremely passionate about what he does. He stands behind the quality of his work, and simply loves what he does. read more

My baritone really needed some work and Ray fixed it up and got it playing again! The best, and great value!

Russell has worked on various guitars for me over the past several years. He always demonstrates sincere interest to understand what the work request is and is thorough and efficient in his completion. His pricing is very fair and the quality of work has met expectations every time. I have been pleased with all of his work; which has included guitar playability set ups, fret work, tuner changes, and pick up electrical repair. I highly recommended Russell. read more

I started playing guitar right after Covid hit. I had an old acoustic that I never really learned to play. In quarantine, I found myself with some extra time and began my musical journey. In November, I expanded my guitar experience and bought a Fender Stratocaster. After a couple of months, I broke a string. So I took the guitar to Russell to replace the strings and set up the guitar's intonation and string action, etc. When I brought it home, I was amazed at the sound quality. It was like a brand new guitar. I played one chord and had the biggest smile on my face. The sound and feel of the guitar was like nothing I ever experienced. Russell treats the guitars he works on like one of his own. The second I dropped off the guitar, I knew it was in good hands. I will definitely be returning to Russell for all my guitar needs. read more

Russel did a great job setting up my PRS and a vintage mustang , easy to make an appointment and job done in a couple of days, guitars both play great, Russell is my new go to guitar tech in Orange County. read more

Russell did a fantastic job setting up my Gibson ES-335. The guitar had some fret buzz that was really noticeable. Not only did Russell eliminate the fret buzz but he also corrected the intonation and improved the action. As a result of his work, the guitar now plays perfectly and sounds great! I highly recommend Russell, he is a very skilled and extremely nice person to work with. read more