Martin Guitar Repair and Vintage Martin Guitar Restoration

S. B. MacDonald Custom Instruments has been working closely with C.F. Martin and Company repairing and restoring Martin guitars for over 25 years. I perform repairs on both modern and vintage Martin guitars. I’ve visited the folks at Martin and worked in their factory on several occasions throughout the years spending time with their craftspeople. I feet it’s important to stay on top of how they are doing things there, as one of Martin’s warranty repair centers. The glues, touch-up pens and finishes that they are using, as well as other details keep me in tune with the heartbeat of what is going on with Martin and their instruments. I moved my studio from New York to Vermont in 2017, and have the workshop of my dreams. There are only a few Martin authorized repair centers in Northern New England, and I am happy to be continuing my long relationship with Martin repairing their guitars here in southern Vermont.

My workshop in Chester, Vermont handles everything form neck resets to bridge re-glues, crack repair, fretwork, reproducing vintage bridges exactly with the correct species of wood, pick guard replacement, nuts, saddles, inlays, and everything else you may need to have your Martin guitar be correctly repaired and set-up. I have taken in many Martin guitars that were so badly damaged the customers had trouble finding a luthier willing to accept the job. I love these challenges, and your precious Martin is important to me. Many were gifts from your parents, some are family heirlooms. These instruments are priceless to you, and I understand this.

My studio is meticulously climate-controlled, which is vital when repairing and restoring fine instruments like Martin guitars. I maintain the same standards in temperature and humidity as Martin themselves.

I also have a great deal of experience with repairing and restoring Martin ukuleles, mandolins, and their short-lived arch-top model guitar.

Customers ship Martin guitars to me from around the world to repair and restore. It is safe, and a great way to make sure your Martin Guitar is repaired correctly. I can coach you through the correct, safe way to get your Martin to me to be repaired.

Quite a few blog posts featuring my repair and restoration of Martin guitars are featured below.