My Guitar Guy

05/09/2026

Here's a recently completed project from the Dungeon of Solitude...

A late 60s/ early 70s Japanese guitar with a chrome Prestige name plate on the body. I've seen a video of a four pickup version being played. Not much info. There are NO markings in the body or on the neck.

It's been around, looks like it's been smashed at least once. There's a longitudinal crack in the body that is covered by all of the plastic. It appears that someone attempted a repair by flooding the crack with glue. It's just smeared all over!

Anyway, it still wants to rock, and it's new owner wants it to play it's best. So, first thing is to get the neck playable. Before i could get to the frets, I had to excavate room at the truss rod nut to get my socket on. Yes! The truss rod is working! Now, onto the frets. The original frets were very uneven, poorly shaped and over-beveled with what seemed to be #80 sandpaper. The board under the frets wasn't much better, I took off about .020" to get the board trued up.

Making this more enjoyable is the binding.
It's a common misconception that the binding is removed during a refret. It is not. We use special tools to clean and prepare the fret slots and trim the fret tangs to allow the fret to overlap the binding. Yes, it's very tedious work and if you don't know what you're doing you can quickly ruin the fretboard and/or the binding.

After getting the neck back to paying condition, some minor glue work to reposition the neck pocket wall that was also "repaired" by pouring glue on it in the position it ended up in- 1/2" towards the bridge! So now it fits tight in a straight line, but there is considerable sideplay due to the condition of the body. A little more meatball surgery was required to get the neck/ body joint stable.

Getting it to a playable action required both a flat shim under the neck to raise it up, and removing the bushings that help secure the bridge posts. Now it's playable and stays in tune, doesn't fret out or shred your fingers while playing. The client wasn't even sure this would be able to be made playable.

There's just something cool about some of these old MIJ guitars. For some of us, it's memories of the Sears and JC Penney Christmas catalogs, hoping for a guitar for Christmas. For others it's finding them at yard sales or the dusty corners of flea markets. I'm flabbergasted when I see an old Teisco that sold in 1974 for about $40 being offered for sale at $500 (No low balls! I know what I have! It's RARE!), and usually the neck is warped or bowed beyond help.

The owner is quite pleased with the results. At the next string change I'll be wax potting the very microphonic pickups. Since this is a players grade instrument, he just may have me wave my magic finishing wand at it and replace that j***y bridge with a Fender unit.

My Guitar Guy is here for you!
I specialize in electric guitar and bass repairs, refrets, custom finishing and more! Call or text, or inquire about My Guitar Guy at Planet Woodstock Music

05/08/2026

A commissioned project recently completed.
This is an 80s BC RICH Warlock NJ series that's been around. The request was to eliminate the neck pickup pocket and have my way with the finish, anything I wanted to do but NO BLUE.

OK!

I spent quite a few hours restoring the bevels and points, then plugged the pickup pocket and holes for electronics, those will be drilled during assembly.

Two rounds of polyester sealer, basecoat color, some candy, some flake, more candy then final top coats and polishing. It's difficult to capture in photos, but the flake really pops in low angle light. This is going to look incredible under stage lights.

Ilva sealer and top coats
PPG Deltron basecoat
Roth Metal Flake
4 stage polishing with Menzerna compounds

05/03/2026

A refinish project I recently completed.
This Jackson DK3 now sports my Ashokan Sunset sunburst, a new Original Floyd Rose tremolo and a pair of Dimarzio Super Distortion pickups with a vintage mid 70s in the bridge position.

Do you have a project idea?
An old stage warrior in need of a new look?
Maybe you have a guitar kit but don't have any way to finish it properly?
Help is available here in Kingston!

I have over 35 years experience in guitar repair and customization, nearly 10 years as an autobody painter, and I'm currently in my 4th year as the head of the finishing department at Spector USA in Shokan, NY.
I'm "professor emeritus" at Planet Woodstock Music, and have been helping musicians in area beginning at Abrams Music in the Hudson Valley Mall in the 90s. Call or text me, or inquire at Planet Woodstock Music in Kingston.

I utilize finish products from Ilva, PPG, Axalta and Roth Metal Flake.

05/01/2026

Lucky's Dust! on an 80s BC Rich NJ series Warlock.

It's been through a lot. Multiple finishes and damage over the decades. I spent a considerable amount of time correcting the points and levels. Plugged up the control holes and neck pickup pocket. Then two rounds of sealer to get everything just right...

Then the fun begins....

There is more to come, so stay tuned!

04/24/2026

Hello everyone! I know, it's been a while since I've dropped any cool finish pics, so he's some paint p**n 🤪

Here's a Tele I built from Guitar Fe**sh parts, and my Ibanez RG350 that I plugged the neck and middle pickup pockets. I'm getting ready to fabricate some back covers for them.

I utilize catalyzed top coat by Ilva, base coat paints by Axalta (formerly DuPont) and PPG, and metal flake from Roth Metal Flake and Painthuffer.

If you are in the Mid Hudson Valley area and want to stand out, please call or text me. I'm located in Kingston, NY.

03/24/2026

This was a challenging project for Planet Woodstock Music.
A 10 string to 8 string bouzuki conversion with a new factory supplied 8 string bridge. Usually, bridges are unstable or separated from their tops when they come to me. Not so with this, it was in nearly new condition.

10/06/2025

Here's a fun little zombie project I recently resurrected. It's a Martin Backpacker that was accidentally used as a seat cushion. The neck, back and sides were fine, but the top was crushed and the braces were split as well. No hope for just a simple crack repair, it was put in the "practice on scrap" pile and largely forgotten until I acquired a nice piece of spruce top wood. I pulled out the zombie, set up the heat lamp and removed the destroyed cedar top. Billy Riker Planet Woodstock Music

09/20/2025

An Ibanez acoustic in matte black with a rash. The factory only applied a thin coat of matte black urethane, and it wasn't long before the owner blasted through it. I took the opportunity to fix a few little dents before a hit it with a good coat of black then some matte polyester. Black Beauty strings by DR.

09/13/2025

Accidents happen. I can take the dent out of your accident.

12/05/2024

11/06/2024

Effective immediately, due to circumstances beyond my control,
I am no longer offering guitar repair services. Any projects currently under way will be completed as I can manage.