I'll take great care of your guitar and you.

Expert Guitar Repair by Scott MacDonald

S.B. MacDonald Custom Instruments specializes in repairing and restoring all fretted instruments. I enjoy servicing a local, national and international clientele. My shop has been a factory authorized Martin, Gibson and Taylor repair/warranty center for over 25 years. Visits are by appointment, and are welcomed. I love meeting my customers and connecting with them in the real world.

  • I've been repairing acoustic and electric guitars, basses, ukuleles, mandolins, banjos, and resonator instruments for over 25 years.
  • All types of repairs - If your guitar needs to be fixed, I can help.
  • International clientele - I receive and ship instruments around the world.

Scott featured in a series of short films about designers by Lincoln Motors

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Expert Repair for your Treasured Instruments

  • Acoustic Guitars
  • Electric Guitars
  • Resonator Guitars
  • Basses
  • Ukeleles
  • Banjos
  • Mandolins

Factory Authorized Repair and Warranty Center for Martin, Gibson and Taylor Guitars



An Example Repair

Comprehensive Services for Any Problem

  • Necks – neck resets, broken truss rod repairs, fretboard repair, inlay work
  • Bridges – re-glues, rebuilding, saddle replacement, saddle re-slotting, bridge-plate repair and replacement
  • Bodies – repair broken and loose braces, loose tops and backs, mend cracks, and damage from accidents
  • Headstocks – repair broken headstocks, tuning machine installation
  • Binding – re-gluing loose binding, broken binding removal and restoration
  • Electronics – pickup installation and rewinding, rewiring, jack, potentiometer and switch replacement or cleaning
  • Fretwork – fret crowning and polishing, re-fretting, stabilizing loose frets
  • Set-ups – fix intonation issues, optimize action, eliminate fret buzz, pick-up balancing, adjusting nut and saddle height, adjusting neck relief for the style and demands of your technique.
  • Refinishing – traditional lacquers, ultra-violet cure lacquer, hand-applied finishes, stabilizing damaged finish.
  • I also do appraisals, evaluations, insurance letters, etc.

Repair Consultations

It’s easy to get your guitar repair started. If you’re local we can arrange a visit to my workshop. If you can’t make it to Vermont I’m happy to arrange a remote consultation via Skype or iChat. Contact me at 1-802-875-7397 or email me so we can discuss your needs and get things squared away.

Out of State Repair

About half of my work involves instruments shipped to me by customers who are out of state or out of the country. Shipping an expensive guitar can make folks uneasy, but in my experience it is safer than giving a precious guitar to an unqualified or inexperienced repair person. In 26 years of shipping instruments, only two have ever been damaged and that was because the customer didn’t follow the recommended packing and shipping procedure.

Shipping Your Guitar

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Climate-Controlled Repair Shop

My studio contains a wide array of machinery, fixtures and tools. I’ve spent over two decades refining what I need to provide the results you hope for when you look for a luthier. From machinery like a classic Clausing vertical mill, to hand-made fixtures I designed and built myself, I have everything covered in a way that is fun for me, and provides great results. The entire facility is climate-controlled and matches the humidity levels at major manufacturing companies to provide the proper environment for stable repair, restoration and custom guitar building.

See My Workshop

NY Newsday mini-documentary

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Guitar Repairs for All Brands

I’ve repaired instruments from every major manufacturer, many custom instrument, as well as antique and vintage instruments. Regardless of the brand, I treat every guitar repair individually and with full attention to detail.

  • Martin
  • Taylor
  • Gibson
  • Fender
  • Guild
  • Collings
  • Santa Cruz
  • Gretsch
  • Larrivee
  • Dobro
  • National
  • Ovation
  • G&L
  • and many others

Authorized Guitar Parts and Accessory Dealer

We are a dealer for most pick-up brands, tuning machines, strings, cases and guitar accessories. Additionally, we can generally get dealer prices or better from most manufacturers. We do whatever we can to make sure you’re happy with your instrument.

  • Fishman Transducers
  • LR Baggs Pickups
  • Highlander Pickups
  • Dimarzio Pickups
  • Lindy Fralin Pickups
  • Music Nomad products
  • Martin accessories and parts
  • Gibson accessories and parts
  • Fender accessories and parts
  • TKL and Cedar Creek cases
  • Reunion Blues cases and gig bags
  • D’Addario Strings and accessories
  • Planet Waves accessories

Banjo and Ukulele Repair and Restoration

I am also a banjo and ukulele historian and have many parts dating back to the 1800s. I’ve repaired and restored a great many of these instruments using vintage or reproduction parts to preserve their originality and spirit

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Other Stringed Instrument Repair

S.B. MacDonald Custom Instruments also offers repair and restoration for other fretted instruments such as mandolins, lap steels, resophonic instruments, and Weissenborn Hawaiian Guitars.